If you need more student loans than you’re currently receiving, you have several options depending on whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, whether you’ve maxed out federal aid, and whether your financial situation has changed. The path forward usually starts with your school’s financial aid office and the FAFSA, then moves to federal PLUS loans or private lenders if you still have a gap.
Why Your Current Loans May Be Lower Than Expected
Federal student loans have annual caps that vary by your year in school, whether you’re classified as a dependent or independent student, and your enrollment status. Your school also sets a cost of attendance (COA), which is an estimate of your total educational expenses for the enrollment period, including tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and transportation. The COA acts as a ceiling: your total financial aid package, including grants, scholarships, and loans combined, cannot exceed it. If you’re already receiving aid close to that ceiling, your room to borrow more through federal programs is limited.
Your school’s financial aid office determines the specific loan types and amounts you’re eligible for each year. Even if you haven’t hit the federal annual limit, your school may have awarded you less based on its own cost calculations or your other aid. This means the first step is always understanding exactly where your current award stands relative to what’s available.
Request a Financial Aid Adjustment
If your financial circumstances have changed since you filed the FAFSA, you can ask your school’s financial aid office for what’s called a “professional judgment” review. This is a formal process where an aid administrator can adjust the data used to calculate your eligibility, potentially increasing your loan and grant amounts.
Situations that qualify for this kind of adjustment include:
- Loss of a job or significant drop in income for you or your family
- Medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
- Change in housing status, including homelessness
- Child or dependent care costs
- A severe disability affecting you or someone in your household
- Death of a parent or spouse that changes household income
To start this process, contact your financial aid office and explain your situation. You’ll need to provide documentation, such as a termination letter, medical bills, or other proof that your circumstances are different from what the FAFSA reflects. The aid administrator’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the Department of Education, so be thorough with your paperwork the first time. Schools are required to publicly disclose that students can request these adjustments, so look for information on your school’s financial aid website if you’re unsure how to begin.
Dependency Override for Undergraduates
If you’re an undergraduate classified as dependent but have no real financial support from your parents, a dependency override could reclassify you as independent, which significantly raises your federal loan limits. Valid reasons include parental abandonment or estrangement, refugee or asylum status, human trafficking, or parental incarceration. However, your parents simply refusing to help pay for college, declining to fill out the FAFSA, or not claiming you as a dependent on their taxes does not qualify. Neither does demonstrating that you’re fully self-supporting.
Check Whether You’ve Hit Federal Loan Limits
Federal direct loans have both annual and aggregate (lifetime) caps. These limits differ based on your level of study and dependency status. If you’re a dependent undergraduate in your first year, for example, you can borrow far less per year than an independent student in their fourth year. Graduate students have higher annual and aggregate limits than undergraduates.
If you’ve already reached the aggregate limit for your level of study, you’re not eligible for additional federal direct loans at that level. But there’s a workaround: if you repay some of your outstanding loans to bring your balance below the aggregate cap, you become eligible to borrow again up to the remaining amount. This isn’t practical for most borrowers, but it’s worth knowing if you’re close to the limit and have access to some funds.
To check your current federal loan balances and remaining eligibility, log in to your account at StudentAid.gov. Your loan servicer and financial aid office can also help you understand exactly where you stand.
Federal PLUS Loans
If you’ve maxed out your direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans but still need more, PLUS loans are the next federal option. There are two types: Grad PLUS loans for graduate and professional students, and Parent PLUS loans that a parent borrows on behalf of a dependent undergraduate.
PLUS loans can cover up to the full cost of attendance minus any other financial aid you’re receiving, so there’s no fixed dollar cap the way direct loans have one. The key requirement is that the borrower must not have an adverse credit history. A credit check is conducted during the application process. If you or your parent do have adverse credit history, it may still be possible to get approved by meeting additional requirements, such as obtaining an endorser (similar to a cosigner) or documenting extenuating circumstances.
Before applying for a PLUS loan, you or your child must have already filed the FAFSA. You apply through StudentAid.gov.
One important change to be aware of: beginning July 1, 2026, graduate and professional students who are enrolling in a new course of study, enrolling at a new school, or taking out a federal direct loan for the first time for their program will no longer be eligible for Grad PLUS loans. If you’re a graduate student planning to borrow, check whether this change affects your timeline.
Private Student Loans
When federal options are exhausted, private student loans from banks, credit unions, and online lenders can fill the remaining gap. Private loans don’t have the same fixed annual limits as federal loans. Instead, lenders cap borrowing at the school’s cost of attendance minus other aid, similar to PLUS loans.
Private lenders evaluate your application based on several factors:
- Credit score: Most lenders look for a minimum score around 670, though some approve borrowers with lower scores at higher interest rates.
- Income and debt: Lenders typically want to see annual income of at least $35,000 and a debt-to-income ratio under 36%, though some allow up to 43%.
- Enrollment: You generally need to be enrolled at least half-time (usually six credit hours per semester) at a school that’s accredited for federal financial aid.
- Age and citizenship: You must be at least 18 (or the age of majority in your state) and typically a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international student with a visa.
If your credit history is thin or your score is low, applying with a cosigner can significantly improve your chances of approval and help you get a lower interest rate. A cosigner with strong credit and stable income essentially backs the loan with you. Keep in mind that the cosigner is equally responsible for repayment if you can’t make payments, so this is a serious commitment for both parties.
Shop around before committing. Interest rates, fees, and repayment terms vary widely between lenders. Many lenders let you prequalify with a soft credit check that won’t affect your score, so you can compare offers without any downside.
Other Ways to Close a Funding Gap
Before taking on more debt, it’s worth exploring options that don’t require repayment. Scholarships and grants are available year-round from schools, private organizations, employers, and professional associations. Many students only apply for scholarships during freshman year and miss opportunities later. Your financial aid office can point you toward institutional awards you may have overlooked.
Federal work-study, if it’s part of your financial aid package, provides part-time employment that can cover living expenses without adding to your loan balance. If work-study wasn’t included in your initial award, ask whether funds have become available, as not all students who receive work-study use it.
Some schools also offer emergency loans or short-term lending programs for students facing unexpected expenses. These are typically small amounts with low or no interest, meant to bridge a temporary gap rather than cover tuition. Check your school’s student services or financial aid website to see what’s available.