Federal Student Loan Rates Set To Rise For The 2026-27 School Year

Federal student loan interest rates are heading higher for the 2026-27 academic year, following Monday's May 10-year Treasury Note auction (PDF File). Undergraduate Stafford Loans will carry a 6.52% fixed rate, up from 6.392% a year earlier, with graduate and PLUS borrowers seeing similar increases of roughly 13 basis points.

The new rates apply to federal student loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, and remain fixed for the life of the loan.