Can my financial aid officer limit the amount of my federal student loan?

Yes, they can limit the amount of your loan, no matter what the lender tells you. The lender may tell you that you are able to apply for the maximum amount, which you are, but your actual eligibility is limited by your college’s cost of attendance figures as determined by the financial aid office. This amount includes tuition, fees, books, living expenses, and transportation as determined by your college. Your EFC is subtracted from this and that determines aid you can be offered as well as the maximum loan amount you are eligible for. Another factor may be your college’s policy on offering unsubsidized loans up front. Unsub loans are allowed to replace all or part of the EFC, depending on whether or not you are independent, up to the cost of attendance.

You can document additional educational expenses and unusual living expenses to your financial aid office with a request for reconsideration, as well. If these justify an adjustment to your cost of attendance, then you may have your eligibility increased. However, borrowing just for the sake of being able to borrow is never a good idea, so looking at your expenses and finding ways to trim them while you are in school may be a better idea so that you can live within your means. Since most graduate programs are not *full time* as they are in undergrad programs, there is also probably some room for part-time employment to further reduce the amount you feel you may need to borrow.

This is funny because if you were told you are eliglible for a certain amount of money in a Federal Loan program like the Stafford loan that notice or whatever means you were notified would have came from the school. Lenders typically will disburse funds based on what either you request or the school submits but the lender uses the lesser of the two. You say you want 5000 the school certifies for 10000 the lender will disburse 5000 and visa versa you say you want 12000 but the school certifies 10000 lender will disburse 10000. Check to see if you have reached your aggragate limit on your loans. There is a limit overall you can borrow.