Student Financial Services

Federal Loans

Federal loans refer to financial aid programs offered by the United States Department of Education to help students and their families cover the costs of higher education.

Federal Loan Programs

Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans

The Direct Subsidized Loan is awarded based on financial need and is available to Undergraduate Students only. The Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not based on financial need and is available to Undergraduate and Graduate/Professional Students.

Federal Direct Parent or Graduate/Professional PLUS Loans

The Direct PLUS Loan is available to Parents of Undergraduate Students. The Direct Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan is available to Graduate/Professional Students. Borrowers must be credit-worthy U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Loan Amounts

Interest Rates

Interest rates on Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and PLUS Loans are set annually in June. The rate will be the sum of the high-yield of the 10-year Treasury Note plus an "add on". The interest rate, once established, will apply for the life of the loan.  Each loan program has a cap, with the interest rate not to exceed: Undergraduate Subsidized or Unsubsidized cap 8.25%, Graduate Unsubsidized cap 9.5%, PLUS cap 10.5%.

Interest Accrual

Origination Fees

The loan fee/origination fee is subtracted proportionately from each loan disbursement.

Grace Period

Payments are not required during the grace period. There is no penalty if a borrower chooses to make payments during the grace period.

Loan Repayment

Repayment begins immediately after the end of the Grace Period.

Learn more about repaying your loans