Admissions

Federal Educational Loans (William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program)

There are two types of Direct Loans: Unsubsidized and Grad Plus. Through the Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, eligible law students may borrow up to $20,500 per academic year and up to $138,500 for all post-secondary education. The maximum annual Grad Plus Loan is the educational cost of attendance, as determined by the school, minus any other financial aid received. Grad Plus Loans have no aggregate limit. Both loans carry an origination fee, which is deducted upfront from the loan proceeds. The Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is not need-based. The Graduate Plus Loan is a credit-based loan available to law students who have an absence of adverse credit. The Financial Aid Office does not have control over credit decisions determined by the Department of Education.


Starting July 1, 2026, the Graduate Plus loan program will be eliminated unless students qualify for a limited exception. There is a new, higher annual Direct Unsubsidized loan limit of $50,000. There is also a new cap of $200,000 on the amount of Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans students can borrow in total (aggregate) for a professional degree program, and a new lifetime federal loan limit of $257,500 for all Federal Direct student loans (excluding Parent Plus loans) borrowed for all levels of study.


Students who qualify for the limited exception allows them to continue to borrow Graduate Plus Loans are also exempt from the new annual, aggregate, and lifetime limits. The limited exception applies through the student’s time to completion, for a maximum of three years. Students may qualify for the limited exception if:

  • They remain continuously enrolled in the same program of study at the same institution as they were enrolled as of June 30, 2026.
  • They had a Direct Loan disbursed (Direct Unsubsidized or Graduate Plus) for that same program before July 1, 2026.


Interest Rates/Loan Fees for Direct Loans First Disbursed on or After July 1, 2026, and before July 1, 2027
Loan Type                                   Fixed Interest Rate                    Loan Origination Fees
Direct Unsubsidized Loans                 8.07%                                            1.06%
Direct Grad Plus Loans                        9.07%                                           4.23%

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