The Doctor of Chiropractic degree qualifies as a professional degree under the new federal loan structure, giving D.C. students access to higher borrowing limits than standard graduate students. Here’s exactly how the numbers work and how to plan around them.
Why the D.C. degree classification matters
D.C. students entering Palmer’s program in 2026 can borrow up to $20,000 per trimester in federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans, with a graduate aggregate cap of $200,000 and a lifetime federal loan limit of $257,500. These limits, established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), signed July 4, 2025, reflect the D.C. degree’s classification as a professional degree, which carries a higher borrowing tier than standard graduate programs. Knowing how these three numbers interact is the foundation of a realistic multi-year financial plan.
| Degree type |
Annual/per-term limit |
Graduate aggregate cap |
Lifetime cap |
| D.C. degree (Palmer) |
$20,000/trimester |
$200,000 |
$257,500 |
The three limits and what each one means
Per-term limit: $20,000
This is the maximum you can borrow in Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans in a single trimester. At Palmer, a full schedule varies between 16 and 21 credit hours, however a full-time enrollment status is defined as twelve credit hours. If you are enrolled at less than full time, your per-term eligibility is prorated proportionally. See Part 3 of this series for a full breakdown of how proration works.
Aggregate limit: $200,000
The aggregate limit is the total you can borrow in Unsubsidized Direct Loans across your entire graduate and professional education not including any undergraduate borrowing. For a D.C. student borrowing $20,000 per trimester across a full 10-trimester program, you would reach the aggregate limit at program completion. Any remaining costs in a given term must be covered through scholarships, private loans, or other non-federal sources.
Lifetime limit: $257,500
The lifetime limit covers all federal Direct Loans combined: undergraduate, graduate, and professional, excluding Parent PLUS loans. This is the ceiling on your total federal borrowing across your entire educational history. To find your current federal loan balance and calculate your remaining capacity, log in at studentaid.gov and review your loan history.
Planning around undergraduate debt
If you carried federal loans from undergraduate study, those balances count toward your $257,500 lifetime cap — but not toward your $200,000 graduate aggregate cap. In practical terms:
| Undergrad debt carried forward |
Remaining lifetime capacity |
Graduate aggregate cap still available |
| $0 |
$257,500 |
$200,000 |
| $20,000 |
$237,500 |
$200,000 |
| $40,000 |
$217,500 |
$200,000 |
| $60,000 |
$197,500 |
$197,500 (lifetime becomes the binding constraint) |
For most D.C. students, the graduate aggregate cap of $200,000 will be the relevant planning constraint rather than the lifetime cap. But students with significant undergraduate debt should factor both numbers into their projection. Palmer’s Cost Comparison Calculator can help you model your full borrowing picture.
How to build a multi-trimester borrowing plan
- Calculate how much you expect to borrow per trimester based on your campus cost of attendance and scholarship eligibility.
- Check whether your expected total borrowing approaches the $200,000 aggregate cap, and if so, in which trimester
- Review your undergraduate federal loan history at studentaid.gov to confirm your lifetime cap runway
- Identify which Palmer scholarships you may qualify for
For Current Palmer Students
If you received a federal Direct Loan disbursement before July 1, 2026, you may have different per-term and aggregate limits under the legacy borrower provision. Contact your Financial Aid counselor to understand how your specific limits apply.
