- Interest Rates and Loan Fees
- Estimated Loan Repayment Chart
- Repayment Plans
- Grad Plus Information (including information on credit checks)
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans
The loan limit is $20,500 to $50,000. Interest is charged during the in-school period. Interest rates change every July 1. FAFSA is required.
As of July 1, 2026, the unsubsidized interest rate is 8.07% and a fee of 1.057% is deducted at disbursement.
Amount of Unsubsidized Loans by Program and Year*
| Program / Year | Unsubsidized Amount for Prior DMU Legacy Borrowers | Unsubsidized Amount for New DMU Borrowers That Don’t Meet Legacy Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| DO’27 | $47,167 | $50,000 |
| DO’28 | $42,722 | $50,000 |
| DO’29 | $42,722 | $50,000 |
| DO’30 | $42,722 | $50,000 |
| DPM’27 | $47,167 | $50,000 |
| DPM’28 | $42,722 | $50,000 |
| DPM’29 | $44,944 | $50,000 |
| DPM’30 | $42,722 | $50,000 |
| DPT’26 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| DPT’27 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| DPT’28 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| MHA | $33,000 | $20,500 |
| MPH | $33,000 | $20,500 |
| MSA | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| MSBS | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| MSPAS’27 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| MSPAS’28 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| OTD’27 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| OTD’28 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| OTD’29 | $20,500 | $20,500 |
| PhD | $20,500 | $20,500 |
*All maximum unsubsidized limits are based on full-time enrollment
Non-Legacy Borrowers
- Professional student (DO and DPM) Direct Unsubsidized limit: $200,000.
- Graduate student (all other programs) Direct Unsubsidized limit: $100,000.
Lifetime loan limit of $257,500 applies to all non-legacy borrowers in all programs — includes all previously borrowed Direct loans including Grad PLUS loan.
Legacy Borrowers
- Aggregate direct Unsubsidized limit for DO, DPM, MHA and MPH: $224,00.
- Aggregate direct Unsubsidized limit for all other programs: $138,500.
Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan
Available for legacy borrowers only, maximum cost of attendance budget minus all other financial aid resources.
As of July 1, 2026, the interest rate is fixed at 9.07%, accrues in school and a fee of 4.228% is deducted at disbursement. Rates change every July 1.
FAFSA is required. A credit check will be performed by the Department of Education. For Direct Grad PLUS loan applicants with adverse credit, you will be required by the Department of Education to do additional Direct Grad PLUS loan counseling. You will be notified by the Department of Education if you need to complete additional Direct Grad PLUS loan counseling. If required, the loan will not be disbursed until this is complete.
Private Loans
The Grad PLUS Loan is not available to borrowers who do not meet the legacy status exception. If you need additional funding beyond the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you may need to explore private loan options.
DMU cannot recommend one lender over another or advise you on which lender to choose. To assist with your research, we provide a historical lender list on the Financial Aid e-Packet page in Pulse. The lender list also includes a comparison tool that allows you to evaluate lender options side by side.
You are not required to use a lender from the historical lender list and may choose any private lender that best meets your needs.
See Financial Aid’s Pulse page for more detailed information on private loans.
Federal Super Primary Care Loan
Obtained by applying through the University. Available only to fourth-year DO students who agree to complete a primary-care residency and practice in primary care until the loan is paid in full. This is a federal government loan that is based on exceptional financial need. The interest rate is fixed at 5 percent and interest does not accrue during school or residency. The loan amount is up to $100,000 and loan proceeds are used to pay off prior years DMU medical school loans. All fourth-year DO students are notified of loan requirements, application procedures, and deadline information if funds are available. Limited funds.
Residency and Relocation Loans
Available to students in their final year of study. These alternative/private loans are designed to provide students with additional funds to help offset the expenses associated with travel and relocation costs for interviews, etc. These loans require a credit check and do not require the financial aid office to certify the application, so they do not count toward your student expense budget. Before you utilize one of these programs, please verify that you have exhausted eligibility in other financial aid programs with the financial aid office.
Refund Advance
Des Moines University has refund advances available to students facing a short term financial crisis. Advances given out by the Business and Finance Office will be deducted from the student's next scheduled loan disbursement. Some restrictions may apply. Incoming students are not eligible. Contact Student.Accounts@dmu.edu for details and an application.
DMU does not have a preferred lender list.