<p>It depends on what made the loan “too much”.
For grad students, the annual Stafford limit is $20,500 (with no more than $8500 subsidized). If you received more than 20,500, the school MUST return the overpayment and you would be left owing the school. In that case, you may be eligible for a Grad PLUS loan.
The other factor is your budget (COA). You cannot receive funds (all types combined) exceeding the budget. (Did you receive a scholarship or stipend?) However, many schools have policies that allow students to increase their budgets. Some reasons might be higher rent than what was budgeted, childcare expenses, etc. If your Stafford loan is less than 20,500, ask the FAO if you can increase your COA.</p>