Parent PLUS Loans
Legacy Provision
Beginning fall 2026, there are new annual ($20,000) and aggregate ($65,000) loan limits for the Federal Parent PLUS Loan. This is a per student limit, not a per parent limit. All new students beginning classes at AU on or after July 1, 2026, will be subject to these new limits.
Currently enrolled previous borrowers may qualify for the legacy provision that allows for continued borrowing under the previous limits determined by the formula of “Cost of Attendance – Other Aid (i.e. grants, scholarships, other loans)”. Students who meet the following criteria may establish legacy status.
To initially qualify for the legacy provision, a student must meet all of the following conditions:
- Be enrolled at Auburn University Spring 2026 or Summer 2026
- Have received at least one disbursement of a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Federal Parent PLUS Loan for their undergraduate program before July 1, 2026
- Be enrolled within their program’s standard time to credential (program length)
- Meet the standard federal aid eligibility requirements including minimum credit hours and Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
Time to Credential (Program Length)
“Time to credential” or “program length” refers to the standard amount of time required to complete a program when enrolled full time. To calculate your remaining eligibility, schools must use this as the maximum time allowed to receive Parent PLUS Loans under this legacy status.
- Students who exceed the standard program length do not qualify for the legacy provision.
- Example: For the standard undergraduate program that has a 4 year program length, a student who takes longer than 4 years to complete the program is no longer eligible for the legacy provision. If a student who loses legacy status has already received the $65,000 aggregate amount in Federal PLUS Loans, then they will have no future eligibility remaining for this loan, not even at the new limits.
Loss of Legacy Status
A student who initially qualifies for the legacy provision will lose legacy status if they:
- Exceed the program’s standard time to credential, or
- Withdraw from any term, or
- Take a fall or spring semester off, or
- Change undergraduate levels, transition from first undergraduate degree program to second undergraduate degree program.
Additional Notes
- Once legacy status is lost, the student cannot resume eligibility under the legacy provision.
- The final term of legacy status for any student who qualifies will be summer 2029, regardless of their remaining time to credential.
- Students may not opt out of legacy status.
- Legacy borrowers will NOT lose eligibility if their student changes majors to a different undergraduate program after July 1, 2026. However, changing majors may extend the student’s time to complete their degree, exceeding the 3-year maximum allowed for legacy status. If that occurs, parents may lose access to the Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loan program under the pre-July 1, 2026, rules before the student graduates.
- A parent who borrows $20,000 Federal PLUS Loan per academic year for years 1-3 will only have $5000 remaining to borrow in year 4.
Graduate PLUS Loans
Legacy Provision
Graduate PLUS Loans will remain available only for currently enrolled previous borrowers who meet the legacy provision criteria. Students who meet the following criteria will continue under the prior loan limits, including use of Graduate PLUS Loans.
Students beginning a new school or program on or after July 1, 2026, will not qualify for legacy provision.
To initially qualify for the legacy provision, a student must meet all of the following conditions:
- Be enrolled at Auburn University Spring 2026 or Summer 2026
- Have received at least one disbursement of a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Federal Graduate PLUS Loan for their current graduate program before July 1, 2026
- Be enrolled within their program’s standard time to credential (program length)
- Meet the standard federal aid eligibility requirements including minimum credit hours and Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
Time to Credential (Program Length)
“Time to credential” or “program length” refers to the standard amount of time required to complete a program when enrolled full time. To calculate your remaining eligibility, schools must use this as the maximum time allowed to receive Graduate PLUS Loans under this status.
- Students who exceed the standard program length do not qualify for the legacy provision.
- Example: If a graduate program has a 2‑year standard program length, a student who takes longer than 2 years to complete the program is no longer eligible for the legacy provision.
Loss of Legacy Status
A student who initially qualifies for the legacy provision will lose legacy status if they:
- Exceed the program’s standard time to credential, or
- Withdraw from any term, or
- Take a fall or spring semester off, or
- Change graduate or professional programs
Additional Notes
- Once legacy status is lost, the student cannot resume eligibility under the legacy provision.
- The final term of legacy status for any student who qualifies will be summer 2029, regardless of their remaining time to credential.
- Students may not opt out of legacy status.
- Students in need of funding who have exhausted federal loan limits may pursue non-federal private loans.
Graduate & Professional Direct Loan Limits
| Student Type | Annual Loan Limit | Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate | $20,500 Unsubsidized | $100,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
| Professional (Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine) | $50,000 Unsubsidized | $200,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
| Other Professional** | $50,000 Unsubsidized | $200,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
Graduate
| Annual Loan Limit | $20,500 Unsubsidized |
|---|---|
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | $100,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
Professional (Pharmacy & Veterinary Medicine)
| Annual Loan Limit | $50,000 Unsubsidized |
|---|---|
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | $200,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
Other Professional**
| Annual Loan Limit | $50,000 Unsubsidized |
|---|---|
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | $200,000 Unsubsidized (not including Undergraduate loans) |
Lifetime Federal Loan Cap - $257,500 (All types of loans included except the Parent PLUS)
**Federally Designated Professional Programs.
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Medicinal Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Health Outcomes
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Pharmacology
Psychology/ Clinical/ PhD
Education/ Counseling Psychology/ PhD
Educational Psychology/ PhD
Psychology/ Industrial/Organizational Option/ PhD
Veterinary Medicine
Pharmacy, Doctor of
| Student Type | Annual Loan Limits | Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate | $20,500 Unsubsidized | $138,500 (including Undergraduate loans) |
| Professional (Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine) | Pharmacy - $33,000 (9-month) or $37,167 (12-month) | Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine - $224,000 (including Undergraduate loans) |
| Vet Med - $40,500 (9-month) or $47,167 (12-month) | ||
| Other Professional** | $20,500 Unsubsidized | $138,500 (including Undergraduate loans) |
Lifetime Federal Loan Cap - No unified lifetime cap due to separate program limits.
Graduate
| Annual Loan Limit | $20,500 Unsubsidized |
|---|---|
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | $138,500 (including Undergraduate loans) |
Professional (Pharmacy & Veterinary Medicine)
| Annual Loan Limit | Pharmacy - $33,000 (9-month) or $37,167(12-month) |
|---|---|
| Vet Med - $40,500 (9-month) or $47,167 (12-month) | |
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine - $224,000 (including Undergraduate loans) |
Other Professional**
| Annual Loan Limit | $20,500 Unsubsidized |
|---|---|
| Aggregate (Lifetime) Loan Limit | $138,500 (including Undergraduate loans) |
**Federally Designated Professional Programs.
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Medicinal Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Health Outcomes
Pharmaceutical Sciences/ PhD/ Option in Pharmacology
Psychology/ Clinical/ PhD
Education/ Counseling Psychology/ PhD
Educational Psychology/ PhD
Psychology/ Industrial/Organizational Option/ PhD
Veterinary Medicine
Pharmacy, Doctor of
Loan Amount Reductions for Less Than Full Time Enrollment
- An overview of these changes, along with helpful examples are provided in this document.
- Course drops/withdrawals will affect not only the current term’s loan disbursement but also future term disbursements (e.g., fall drops/withdrawals will impact spring loans).
Federal Pell Grant
- Full Cost of Attendance Scholarships/Grants
- Students who receive grants or scholarships from non-federal sources covering their entire cost of attendance (COA) are ineligible to receive a Pell Grant, even if otherwise eligible for the program.
Auburn University Historical Lender List
Students who need additional funding above the new federal loan limits may want to consider private loans. A historical listing of the lenders used by Auburn students in the past 3 years can be found here. Please review each lender carefully and utilize your full federal loan eligibility before applying for a private loan. We expect applications to be available mid-April 2026 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
