Graduate Student Loan Information

Eligible graduate students are offered a Federal Direct Unsu​bsidized Loan, and may also be offered a credit-based Graduate PLUS Loan.

• Read more about the Direct Loan Program.
• Read more about Interest Rates and Loan Fees.

Interest Rates for Direct Unsubsidized Loans*

* The rate for each loan is a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan.

Loan Origination Fees for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

An origination fee is a percentage of your loan amount charged by the lender for the processing of your loan. Federal student loans have an origination fee; therefore, the amount you may receive as a disbursement may be slightly lower than the amount you accept.

Graduate Student Direct Loan Annual and Lifetime Aggregate Limits (Effective July 1, 2026)

• Professional programs (e.g., medicine, law):
  • Up to $50,000/year, $200,000 aggregate borrowing limit.
• Other graduate programs:
  • Up to $20,500/year, $100,000 aggregate borrowing limit.
• Combined lifetime borrowing limit of $257,500, including Grad PLUS, excluding Parent PLUS.
• Existing unsubsidized loan borrowers can access unsubsidized loans under the current limits until they complete their current program or for 3 additional years, whichever is less

What is considered a “Professional” vs. “Graduate” Program?

• The Department of Education (ED) has issued temporary guidance regarding eligible professional degree programs in response to a court order. Because this remains in active litigation, eligibility requirements may change as the case proceeds. For the most current information, please refer to the Department’s latest guidance: GENERAL-26-42 Update to List of Professional Programs Due to Court Order.

Graduate Student Direct Loan Annual and Lifetime Aggregate Limits 

Annual Unsubsidized Limit: $20,500

Lifetime Limit: $138,500, of which, no more than $57,500 may be from undergraduate Direct Loan limits.

Federal Graduate PLUS Loan

The Federal Graduate PLUS loan is a federal loan that graduate or professional degree students can use to help pay education expenses. The US Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible borrowers through CU Denver’s participation in the Federal Direct Loan Program. Find more information about the Federal Graduate PLUS loan.

Student Loan Changes (Effective July 1, 2026)

• Grad PLUS loans will be phased out beginning on July 1, 2026; beginning on that date, new loans will not be available for new borrowers.
• There will be some continuing eligibility for existing Grad PLUS borrowers as they complete their current programs.

Grad PLUS Loans for Existing Borrowers

• A student who takes out any Direct Loan or a Grad PLUS Loan before July 1, 2026, can continue to borrow a Grad PLUS loan within the “3-year or until program completion” period, as long as they remain in the same program at the same school where they first borrowed the loan before July 1, 2026.
• If a student completes their program, withdraws, changes their program, or enrolls in a new program, they will no longer be eligible for Grad PLUS and will now fall under the new rules.

Please review our Federal Updates page for more details!

Interest Rates for Direct Graduate PLUS Loans*

* The rate for each loan is a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan.

Loan Origination Fees for Direct Graduate PLUS Loans

An origination fee is a percentage of your loan amount charged by the lender for the processing of your loan. Federal student loans have an origination fee; therefore, the amount you may receive as a disbursement may be slightly lower than the amount you accept.

Complete the Loan Process

If you accept a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans or apply and are approved for a credit-based Graduate PLUS Loan, you will have steps to complete for each loan borrowed. All loan requirements must be completed for the university to apply a loan to your CU Denver tuition.