Loans » Stafford Loan

An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You'll be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If you allow the interest to accumulate, it will be capitalized that is, the interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan and additional interest will be based upon the higher amount.

For periods of study that are less than an academic year, the amounts you can borrow will be less than those just listed. Talk to your financial aid administrator to find out how much you can borrow. Generally, if you're a graduate student, you can borrow up to $20,500  each academic year. (Only $8,500 of this amount may be in subsidized Stafford Loans.)

The amount given above is the maximum yearly in both subsidized and unsubsidized loans. You may receive less than the yearly maximum if you receive other financial aid that is used to cover a portion of your cost of attendance.

Graduate Stafford Loan Limit:
Generally, the total debt you can have outstanding from all Stafford Loans combined is $138,500 as a graduate or professional student (only $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans). The graduate debt limit includes any Stafford Loans received for undergraduate study.