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How Loans Work

Federal loan rules are changing!

Due to changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, federal student loan rules are changing for new loans made on or after July 1, 2026.

In summary:

  • Your student loan eligibility will now be based on your enrollment (i.e. full-time, part-time)
  • Withdrawing from classes can reduce your loan eligibility in a current or future term.
  • Eligibility for Graduate and Parent PLUS loans has changed significantly. For information on those changes, visit here.

For more information, read below or visit https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/big-updates

Federal Direct Student Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans)

Maximum Aid Year and Lifetime Eligibility

Loan limits depend on your aid year and whether you are considered a dependent or independent student (according to the FAFSA).

Year in School Dependent Students (Total / Max Subsidized) Independent Students* (Total / Max Subsidized)
Freshman $5,500 ($3,500 subsidized) $9,500 ($3,500 subsidized)
Sophomore $6,500 ($4,500 subsidized) $10,500 ($4,500 subsidized)
Junior / Senior $7,500 ($5,500 subsidized) $12,500 ($5,500 subsidized)
Lifetime Max $31,000 ($23,000 Subsidized) $57,500 ($23,000 Subsidized)

How Your Loan Amount Is Determined

Your total loan eligibility is based on:

  • Your year in school
  • Your dependency status
  • Your previous borrowing
  • Your cost of attendance
  • Your enrollment (credit hours)

Your loan amount is now tied to the number of credit hours you complete during the year.

Federal Direct Student Loans (Unsubsidized Loans)

Maximum Aid Year and Lifetime Eligibility

Loan limits depend on whether you are considered a Graduate or Professional Student.

Student Type Annual Limit Lifetime Max Grad PLUS Exception Possible?
Continuing 
Graduate Students		 $20,500 $138,500, including undergraduate borrowing. Yes
Continuing Professional Students (PsyD) $20,500 $138,500, including undergraduate borrowing. Yes
New Graduate Students (never enrolled in Professional Program) $20,500 $100,000, including Graduate PLUS loans, does not include undergraduate borrowing. No
New Graduate Students (previously enrolled in Professional Program) $20,500 $200,000 less what was received while enrolled in the professional program. Including Graduate PLUS loans, does not include undergraduate borrowing. No
New Professional Students (PsyD) $50,000

$257,500 including loans that are discharged, paid in full and any previous Graduate PLUS loans borrowed.

 No

How Your Loan Amount Is Determined

Your total loan eligibility is based on:

  • Whether you are considered a graduate or a professional student.
  • Whether you are a continuing student or are starting your program after July 1, 2026
  • The number of credit hours in which you are enrolled
  • The number of credit hours completed in your previous term, if applicable.

Your total yearly loan is split evenly across your terms

  • Main campus = 2 terms (i.e. Fall & Spring)
  • ABA Online & PsyD = 3 Terms (i.e. Fall, Spring, Summer)
  • All 8-Week Term Online Programs = 24 credit hours (4 terms for full-time, 8 terms for part-time).

    Online students MUST complete 24 hours before receiving additional loan funds.

What Happens If Your Enrollment Changes?

If you drop or withdraw from classes, your annual loan eligibility may be recalculated based on your total enrolled credits for the year.

Main Campus Undergraduate Examples

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall: Enrolled in 12 credits → receive $3,250
  • Spring: Enrolled in 12 credits → receive $3,250

No changes → You receive the full amount

  • Fall: Start with 12 credits → receive $3,250
  • You drop a class → finish Fall with 9 credits
  • Spring: Enrolled in 12 credits
  • Total for the year = 21 credits (instead of 24)

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Enrollment percentage: 21 ÷ 24 = 87.5%
  2. New loan limit: $6,500 × 87.5% = $5,688
  3. Remaining for Spring: $5,688 − $3,250 = $2,438

Result: Your Spring loan is lower

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits, withdraw from 3 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $650

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Since online students must complete 24 hours in their academic year, the loans are adjusted and re-divided evenly among the remaining 24 hours.
  2. The annual loan eligibility is the same because online students still must complete 24 hours.
  3. Loan limit: $6,500 - $1,625 received in Fall 1 - $1,625 received in Fall 2= $3,250
  4. $3,250 is split evenly among the remaining hours.

Result: Your remaining loan eligibility each term is lower.

 

Florida Tech Online Undergraduate  Examples

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625

No changes → You receive the full amount

 

You are eligible for $6,500 for the year

  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $812
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $813

No changes → You receive the full amount, but your aid is adjusted to match your part and full-time status.

 

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits, withdraw from 3 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $650

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Since online students must complete 24 hours in their academic year, the loans are adjusted and re-divided evenly among the remaining 24 hours.
  2. The annual loan eligibility is the same because online students still must complete 24 hours.
  3. Loan limit: $6,500 - $1,625 received in Fall 1 - $1,625 received in Fall 2= $3,250
  4. $3,250 is split evenly among the remaining hours.

Result: Your remaining loan eligibility each term is lower.

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits, fail to pass 3 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $0

You received the $6,500 in loan eligibility but did not pass a 3-credit hour class. You still need to complete 3 credits (total of 24) before you can receive a new loan. You will receive $0 in loan funds for your remaining 3 hours.

Main Campus Graduate Examples

  • You are eligible for $20,500 for the year
  • Fall: Enrolled in 12 credits → receive $10,250
  • Spring: Enrolled in 12 credits → receive $10,250

No changes → You receive the full amount

  • Fall: Start with 9 credits → receive $10,250
  • You drop a class → finish Fall with 6 credits
  • Spring: Enrolled in 9 credits
  • Total for the year = 15 credits (instead of 18)

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Enrollment percentage: 15 ÷ 18 = 83.3%
  2. New loan limit: $20,500 × 83.3% = $17,077
  3. Remaining for Spring: $17,077 − $10,250 = $6,826

Result: Your Spring loan is lower

Florida Tech Online Graduate  Examples

Example 1: No Enrollment Changes

  • You are eligible for $20,500 for the year
  • Fall: Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,834
  • Spring: Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,833
  • Summer: : Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,833

No changes → You receive the full amount

You are eligible for $6,500 for the year

  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $812
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $813

No changes → You receive the full amount, but your aid is adjusted to match your part and full-time status.

 

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits, withdraw from 3 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,300
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $650

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Since online students must complete 24 hours in their academic year, the loans are adjusted and re-divided evenly among the remaining 24 hours.
  2. The annual loan eligibility is the same because online students still must complete 24 hours.
  3. Loan limit: $6,500 - $1,625 received in Fall 1 - $1,625 received in Fall 2= $3,250
  4. $3,250 is split evenly among the remaining hours.

Result: Your remaining loan eligibility each term is lower.

  • You are eligible for $6,500 for the year
  • Fall 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Fall 2: Enrolled in 6 credits, fail to pass 3 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 1: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Spring 2: Enrolled in 6 credits → receive $1,625
  • Summer: Enrolled in 3 credits → receive $0

You received the $6,500 in loan eligibility but did not pass a 3-credit hour class. You still need to complete 3 credits (total of 24) before you can receive a new loan. You will receive $0 in loan funds for your remaining 3 hours.

ABA Online Examples

Example 1: No Enrollment Changes

  • You are eligible for $20,500 for the year
  • Fall: Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,834
  • Spring: Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,833
  • Summer: : Enrolled in 6 or more credits → receive $6,833

No changes → You receive the full amount

Example 2: Enrollment Decreases (Loan Adjusted)

  • Fall: Start with 6 or more credits → receive $6,834
  • You drop a class → finish Fall with 1 credits
  • Spring: Enrolled in 6 or more credits→ receive $4,555
  • Summer: Enrolled in 6 or more credits→ receive $4,555
  • Total for the year = 13 credits (instead of 18)

Your loan is adjusted:

  1. Enrollment percentage: 13 ÷ 18 = 72.22%
  2. New loan limit: $20,500 × 77.78% = $14,805
  3. Remaining for Spring and Summer: $14,805 − $6,834 = $7,971

Result: Your Spring and Summer loans are lower

Example 3: Enrollment Status (Full Time/Part Time) Impacts

  • Fall: Start with 3 credits → receive $3,424
    • (3 ÷ 18= 16.66% | 20,500 × 16.66% = $3,403)
  • Spring: Enrolled in 6 or more credits→ receive $6,826
    • (6 ÷ 18= 33.33% | 20,500 × 33.33% = $6,826)
  • Summer: Enrolled in 5 or more credits→ receive $5,679
    • (5 ÷ 18= 27.77% | 20,500 × 27.77% = $5,679)

Total for the year = 14 credits

                14/18 = 77.77% | 20,500 × 77.77 = $15,929 maximum for the year | $15,929 Borrowed.

Because enrollment in 6 or more credits is considered full-time, your loan was reduced based on your enrollment in Fall and Spring.

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