My daughter is finished with her Bachelor's and is going to start a graduate program. I know the limits are different. She was a dependent student for her Bachelors, but will now be an independent student as she starts her graduate program. My question... is she limited by her life limits as a dependent student or is there some middle ground that kicks into gear so she can afford her graduate program?

There are lifetime Stafford loan limits for both undergraduate and graduate programs. For graduate students, the lifetime limit is $138,500.

Her undergraduate loans do count towards this limit, so she would be eligible for $138,500 minus her outstanding amount.