U.S. Department of Education - Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

What the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan gives you

This is a US federal student loan, not a scholarship. The US Department of Education offers it to help you pay for study at the University of Edinburgh. You borrow the money now and repay it later with interest. How much you can borrow depends on your level of study:

• Undergraduate (dependent): up to 5,500 USD (about 4,700 EUR) in year 1, rising to 7,500 USD (about 6,400 EUR) from year 3. The lifetime cap is 31,000 USD (about 26,500 EUR) across subsidized and unsubsidized loans combined.
• Undergraduate (independent, or whose parents cannot get a PLUS loan): up to 9,500 USD (about 8,100 EUR) in year 1, rising to 12,500 USD (about 10,700 EUR) from year 3. The lifetime cap is 57,500 USD (about 49,000 EUR).
• Postgraduate (Master, doctorate, professional degree): up to 20,500 USD (about 17,500 EUR) per year. If you start from 1 July 2026, the lifetime cap is 100,000 USD (about 85,000 EUR). Professional programmes such as graduate-entry vet or law allow up to 50,000 USD (about 42,600 EUR) per year and 200,000 USD (about 170,000 EUR) lifetime.

Your loans and scholarships together cannot exceed the estimated cost of your studies (the Cost of Attendance) that the university sets. A loan fee of about 1.057% is deducted from each payout.

Who can apply

• Level of study: You are an undergraduate or a postgraduate (Master, doctorate or professional degree). Postgraduates can take only the unsubsidized loan, not the subsidized one.
• Enrolment: You are enrolled at least half-time in a degree or certificate programme at the University of Edinburgh.
• Financial need: Not required. Anyone eligible can borrow, whatever their income.
• Field of study: All subjects qualify.
• Who it is for: This is US federal aid, so it is aimed at US (and Canadian) students who file the US federal aid form (FAFSA).

How to apply

First file the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This lets the University of Edinburgh work out how much you can borrow. If you have never taken a Direct Loan before, you complete a short online counselling session and sign the loan contract (the Master Promissory Note). The money is then sent to the university and applied to your account, and any remainder is paid to you.

How realistic are your chances?

This is an entitlement-style loan, not a competitive award. There is no selection panel and no need to prove financial need. If you are a US student enrolled at least half-time in a degree programme and you file the FAFSA, you qualify up to the limits above. The real question is not whether you get it, but how much debt makes sense, since interest builds from the day the money is paid out.