Taking fewer than full-time credits? Find out how much federal loan you can still borrow.
A new federal law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, changes Direct Loans starting with the 2026-27 school year. If you enroll less than full time, your yearly borrowing limit is cut to match the credits you actually take. That cut is called the Schedule of Reductions. Enter your credits below to estimate your new limit and see exactly how it was worked out.
Starts 2026-27
Nothing changes for the 2025-26 school year.
Covers Sub, Unsub, and Grad PLUS
Parent PLUS is not reduced by this rule.
Counts your whole year
A light fall can be balanced by a heavier spring.
Questions students usually ask
What this estimate does not do
This is not an official U.S. Department of Education tool. It is an independent estimator. Your school makes the final decision on what you can borrow, and no information you enter here is collected or stored.
Not checked here
- Your cost of attendance
- Grants, scholarships, and other aid
- Satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
- Lifetime and aggregate limits, and NSLDS history
Needs your school to review
- Single-term enrollment
- Modules and short sessions
- Mid-term withdrawal and R2T4
- Non-standard academic years
Need more detail?
The advanced estimate takes your school's cost of attendance, other aid, summer and winter terms, and prior payments, using the same tested engine behind this page.
This is an estimate, not an award, approval, or guarantee. Your school must verify full-time definitions, cost of attendance, other aid, grade level, dependency, and all other Direct Loan eligibility requirements.