Your financial aid notice shows how much in Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans you may borrow. View your aid on Wolverine Access by selecting Financial Aid > Awards. You may also view an estimate of the total amount borrowed in previous academic years through all loan programs by selecting Loans > View Student Loan Summary.

The amount of Federal Direct Loans you may borrow by year in school and the total amount you may borrow are shown in the table below. These amounts are determined by the federal government.

Borrowing Limits for Direct Loans

Direct Loan borrowing is subject to three different but equally important limits.

  • Annual loan limit: This is the maximum amount a student may borrow each year. Annual loan amounts vary based on a student's degree level, their year in the program, and their overall financial aid eligibility.
  • Aggregate loan limit: This limits the maximum amount of overall loans with outstanding principle balances borrowed by a student in any of the Direct Loan programs. Aggregate limits are set based on undergraduate, graduate, or professional study.
  • Lifetime maximum loan limit: This limits the maximum amount of Direct Loans a student may borrow and does not give credit for amounts repaid or discharged. Where the aggregate loan limits are focused on specific degree program(s), the lifetime maximum limit combines all Direct Loans borrowed in any loan program during any point in the student's educational career.

Student borrowing is reviewed regularly based on all three of these limits. Beginning July 1, 2026, a borrower will be subject to either the pre- and post-July 1, 2026, limits.

Visit the U.S. Department of Education website directly for full details and current loan limits.