StudentLoans.gov - the Federal Student Loans Website

What is StudentLoans.gov?

This site is your source for information from the U.S. Department of Education about how to manage your student loans.

Why do I have to use it?

If you are taking out a new student loan you will use this site for learning more about your student loans.

• Complete Entrance Counseling

  1. Sign in to view student loan data.

  
  
  2. Select Complete Entrance Counseling from the menu.
  

  Be sure to select Complete Entrance Counseling NOT Complete Financial Awareness Counseling. Only the Entrance Counseling is required before your loans can disburse.

  Entrance Counseling will walk you through the Direct Loan process and explain your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. If you have not previously received a particular loan type (subsidized/unsubsidized or PLUS), under the Direct Loan Program or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Federal Government requires you to complete loan counseling to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and obligations you are assuming.

  You will need about 30 minutes to complete the counseling session.

  
  
  
   
• Request A Direct PLUS Loan

  1. Sign In to StudentLoans.gov

  
  
  

  2. Select Request a Direct PLUS Loan from the menu.
  

  What Is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program?

  William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
  Federal Direct PLUS Loan Request for Supplemental Information

  This is a request for supplemental information in connection with your application for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan (Direct PLUS Loan) through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program. The information that you provide will be sent to the school(s) that you identify in the School and Loan Information section of the request, and will be used by the school(s) to process your application for a Direct PLUS Loan. You should complete this Direct PLUS Loan Request for Supplemental Information (Direct PLUS Loan Request) only if you are instructed to do so by the school. Some schools may have a different process for obtaining the additional information needed to process your Direct PLUS Loan application.

   This Direct PLUS Loan Request is used for the purpose of collecting information that will be used by the school(s) you identify to process your application for a Direct PLUS Loan and provides you the option of completing other actions as described below. Before you can receive a Direct PLUS Loan, you must complete a Direct PLUS Loan Application and Master Promissory Note (Direct PLUS Loan MPN). The Direct PLUS Loan MPN explains all of the terms and conditions of Direct PLUS Loans and constitutes your legally binding agreement to repay all Direct PLUS Loans that you receive under the Direct PLUS Loan MPN. If you have not previously completed a Direct PLUS Loan MPN, you may do so on this site after you complete the Direct PLUS Loan Request.

   The Direct PLUS Loan Request gives you the option of authorizing the school to use your loan funds to satisfy other educationally related charges after tuition and fees, and room and board have been paid. You are not required to provide this authorization.

   If you are a parent borrower, the Direct PLUS Loan Request also allows you to: 
      Designate whether the school pays any credit balance to the student or to you.
      Request a deferment while the student is in school.
      Request an additional deferment for 6 months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half time.

• Complete Master Promissory Note

  1. Sign In on StudentLoans.gov Home Page.

  
  

  2. Select Complete Master Promissory Note from the menu.
  

  
  

  What Is A Master Promissory Note?

  The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legal document in which you promise to repay your
  loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loan(s). Unless your school does not allow more than one loan to be made under the same MPN, you can borrow additional Direct Loans on a single MPN for up to 10 years.

  Parent borrowers must complete a MPN for each student using their own Federal Student Aid PIN.

  The entire MPN Process must be completed in a single session. Each MPN takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

• Endorse A Direct PLUS Loan

  1. Sign In at the StudentLoans.gov Home Page.
  

  2. Select Endorse A Direct PLUS Loan from the menu.
  
  
  

  An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if the borrower becomes delinquent in making payments or defaults on the loan. The endorser may not be the student on whose behalf a parent obtains a Direct PLUS Loan.
  
  In order to endorse a denied PLUS loan, you will need a federal Personal Identification Number (PIN), a positive credit history and the borrower’s Loan Reference Number. The federal PIN number can be obtained here. Once logged into the studentloans.gov site, the endorser will login with their federal PIN, then select: “Endorse a Direct PLUS loan.” The first item requested is the Loan Reference Number. The original borrower was sent an email from the Department of Education the same day they were informed that the PLUS loan was denied. In that email, the Loan Reference Number is provided. If the original borrower cannot locate this email, s/he can log into studentloans.gov and click on: “My Profile” to obtain the Loan Reference Number. Once the number is entered, click “submit” which will take you to the endorser form. Please be sure to complete all steps prior to exiting the site. If the endorser is accepted, a record will be sent to the school indicating a successful endorsement. If there is a current Master Promissory Note completed, then the application process is complete. The Department of Education and/or your school will notify the borrower of the final status of the loan.

  The entire process must be completed in a single session, so be sure you have enough time before you start. Each addendum takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.