Quick answer. From July 1, 2026, Parent PLUS is capped at $20,000 a year and $65,000 per dependent student, graduate students at $20,500 a year and $100,000, and professional students at $50,000 a year and $200,000, and new Grad PLUS loans have ended outside the interim exception. Whatever the cost of attendance minus aid minus the loan you can borrow leaves is the gap to plan for. Example: a $62,000 cost with $23,500 of other aid leaves $38,500, Parent PLUS covers up to $20,000, and $18,500 is left.
Work out the gap for one year
Enter the numbers from the aid offer.
The limits from July 1, 2026
| Borrower | Per year | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Parent PLUS (per dependent student) | $20,000 | $65,000 |
| Graduate student (Direct Unsubsidized) | $20,500 | $100,000 |
| Professional student (Direct Unsubsidized) | $50,000 | $200,000 |
| Lifetime maximum, all federal student loans (Parent PLUS for a dependent not counted) | n/a | $257,500 |
Sources: Federal Student Aid loan limits FAQ (May 20, 2026) and the Department's RISE final rule fact sheet. The lifetime maximum counts loans without regard to amounts repaid, forgiven or discharged.
- Never more than need: a Parent PLUS loan can be made only up to the student's cost of attendance minus other aid, or $20,000, whichever is less. The same cost-minus-aid ceiling applies to the student's own loans.
- Grad PLUS: no new annual Grad PLUS for graduate and professional students under the new limits.
- Interim exception: students enrolled as of June 30, 2026 with a Direct Loan for the program before July 1, 2026 keep the earlier limits (including Grad PLUS up to cost minus aid) for the lesser of three academic years or the remaining expected time to credential, while continuously enrolled. They aren't subject to the lifetime maximum during that time. The calculator doesn't model the old limits; ask the school.
- Part-time study: annual limits are reduced for less-than-full-time enrollment starting in 2026-27. The school applies the reduction, so the figure here is the full-time limit.
- School limits: schools now have authority to set lower loan limits for a program (Federal Student Aid GEN-26-02). Ask whether yours has.
- Graduate or professional: which programs count as professional follows the Department's definition, and its list was updated in June 2026 after a court order (GENERAL-26-42). Ask the financial aid office which limit your program uses.
Sources
- Federal Student Aid: Frequently Asked Questions, Loan Limits (May 20, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Education: RISE final rule fact sheet (April 30, 2026)
- Federal Student Aid: One Big Beautiful Bill Act Dear Colleague Letters and Electronic Announcements
- StudentAid.gov: SAVE Plan Borrowers, FAQs About Choosing a Different Repayment Plan (October 2026)
All sources opened and checked November 2026.
An organizer, not advice. This is general information checked November 2026 against the Department of Education sources above. It is not financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not decide what you qualify for: your loan servicer, your school and StudentAid.gov do. The gap is what the new federal limits leave; how to fill it is a decision for your family, ideally with the school's financial aid office. The calculator runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent or saved. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the Department of Education.
Common questions
What is the new Parent PLUS limit?
For loans made on or after July 1, 2026, Parent PLUS is limited to $20,000 a year and $65,000 in total per dependent student, and never more than the student's cost of attendance minus other aid. Federal Student Aid says two parents can't each borrow $20,000 a year for the same child.
Is Grad PLUS gone?
For new borrowers, yes. Federal Student Aid's loan limits FAQ says annual Grad PLUS is eliminated for graduate and professional students under the limits that start July 1, 2026. Students covered by the interim exception keep the earlier limits, including Grad PLUS, for a limited time.
What are the graduate and professional limits?
Graduate students: $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total. Professional students: $50,000 a year and $200,000 in total. There is also a $257,500 lifetime maximum for federal student loans, which doesn't count Parent PLUS loans taken for a dependent student.
Who keeps the old limits?
A student enrolled in a program as of June 30, 2026 who received a Direct Loan for that program before July 1, 2026. The old limits continue for the lesser of three academic years or the student's remaining expected time to credential, as long as the student stays enrolled. Leaving the program ends the exception.
Is my program graduate or professional?
It depends on the Department's definition of a professional degree program, and the Department's list changed in June 2026 after a court order. Ask your school's financial aid office which limit applies to your program.
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