Loans

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (effective July 1, 2026)

Students currently enrolled in one of the JD programs at Northeastern Law who received a Federal loan prior to July 1, 2026 will still be eligible for Graduate PLUS loans under current Federal loan rules. Guidance on detailed rules is forthcoming, and will be communicated to current students as it becomes available. According to preliminary information from the Department of Education, a student who takes a leave of absence or transfers to another program – even within the Law School – may not continue to be eligible for current Federal loan rules.

For those entering school after July 1, 2026, a JD student may borrow as much as $50,000 per academic year to a maximum indebtedness of $200,000 in graduate-level loans, with a total of $257,500 in combined undergraduate and graduate loans over the student’s entire educational career.

The Federal Unsubsidized Loan is a non-need-based loan program. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans have an interest rate of 7.94% (for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 and before July 1, 2026) and an origination fee of 1.057% deducted from the proceeds of the loan at disbursement. In order to apply for this loan you must file the requisite financial aid application. Interest on this loan will be charged from the time that the loan is disbursed until the loan is repaid in full. Interest payments may be made while the student is in school or may be capitalized onto the principal balance. The maximum annual amount under this program is $50,000 per year. The standard repayment period is for 10 years.

A student's Federal Unsubsidized Loan eligibility will appear on the Offer of Financial Assistance. Our office will automatically certify the maximum eligibility unless we are told otherwise. Two additional steps must be completed to obtain the Federal Unsubsidized Loans:

• Entrance Counseling: As a first-time borrower under the Federal Direct Loan program (while at Northeastern), all students must complete “Entrance Counseling.” This can be accomplished online directly through the direct lending website at studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN): All first-time borrowers of the loan (while in attendance at NU) must complete the MPN. Students can sign the MPN online through the direct lending website.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of July 2025 resulted in substantial changes to the Federal loan program. The above new loan limits will go into effect for all students entering a new program on or after July 1, 2026. For the latest policy updates and expert guidance, we encourage you to visit the Student Aid Policy and Action Center. There are no changes to Federal borrowing for students who entered the JD program and received Federal loans before July 1, 2026.

Private Loans

If you wish to use a supplemental loan, such as a private educational loan, we recommend that you compare loan information and terms carefully. ELM Select allows you to compare private student loan rates and terms before borrowing.

If you wish to use a supplemental loan, your completed private loan application will be sent to the Loans Office automatically, who will then certify the loan once you have applied and your credit is approved. Certification can take up to 20 business days, depending on the volume of applications Northeastern has at any given time. For all supplemental loans, applicants may borrow up to the cost of education less any other financial aid received.