Modified dispersion relations from effective field theory are shown to alter the Chandrasekhar mass limit. At exceptionally high densities, the modifications affect the pressure of a degenerate electron gas and can increase or decrease the mass limit
, depending on the sign of the modifications. These changes to the mass limit are unlikely to be relevant for the astrophysics of white dwarf or neutron stars due to well-known dynamical instabilities that occur at lower densities. Generalizations to frameworks other than effective field theory are discussed.
