The Education Department has published the interest rates that will apply to fixed-rate federal student loans for the 2026-2027 award year. Federal Student Aid issued the annual notice, which was filed in the Federal Register on September 10, 2026, and covers loans made under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.
What the notice covers
The rates apply to three loan categories: Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, also known as Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans, and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans for undergraduate students carry a rate of 6.52 percent; Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans for graduate and professional students carry a rate of 8.07 percent; and Federal Direct PLUS Loans carry a rate of 9.07 percent. They cover loans with a first disbursement date on or after July 1, 2026, and before July 1, 2027.
The program is identified in federal records by Assistance Listing Number 84.268. The filing is classified as a notice rather than a proposed or final rule. The Government Publishing Office has posted the official version as a Federal Register PDF.