Loan Counseling & Loan Repayment

Both Entrance and Exit Counseling are requirements of the Federal Stafford Loan program. All borrowers are asked to complete these requirements online.

Entrance Counseling

A first-time Federal Stafford Loan borrower is required to complete Entrance Loan Counseling before any Stafford Loan funds can be disbursed. During loan counseling, borrowers are provided important information with regard to their rights as well as the responsibilities they assume when borrowing a student loan. In an effort to provide this information when it is most convenient to the borrower, all students wishing to borrow a Federal Stafford Loan are asked to complete this requirement online. By selecting this link to Entrance Loan Counseling, you will be directed to the Entrance Loan Counseling website. You will need to create an account and then proceed with the tutorial and quiz. Please be careful to use your correct Social Security Number (SSN.) The Financial Aid Office will retrieve the results electronically and if you use an incorrect SSN, we will not be able to document that you have completed this requirement. In addition to completing Entrance Loan Counseling, before loan funds can be disbursed you will need to complete a Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN.) Once you reach the end of the Entrance Loan Counseling session and are told that you have successfully completed the requirement, make sure you continue to the MPN site by electing to go to the next step.

You are only required to complete Entrance Loan Counseling and a Federal Stafford MPN once. Students that borrowed under the Federal Stafford Loan program at another university are assumed to have completed these requirements and are not required to complete them again.

Exit Loan Counseling

Before Federal Student Loan borrowers graduate, they are asked to complete their Exit Loan Counseling requirement(s). Exit Counseling is provided to help borrowers make wise decisions with regard to repayment of their loans. In order to make this as easy and convenient as possible, borrowers are able to complete this requirement online.

It is recommended that all borrowers confirm their Federal Loan borrowing by using their Federal PIN to access their loan history at http://www.nslds.ed.gov .

Borrowers that have borrowed through the Direct Loan program should complete Exit Counseling at the Direct Loan Servicing Center website. Borrowers that have borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan through the Federal Family Educational Loan (FFEL) Program should complete Exit Loan Counseling on the FastFacts website. Both sites provide personalized information and will ask you to confirm that the contact information they have for you is accurate.

Links to both sites are given below:

Direct Loan Online Exit Counseling

FFEL Stafford Loan Exit Counseling

Borrowers that leave school or drop to less than half-time enrollment status are also required to complete exit counseling.

Loan Repayment

Borrowers are asked to select a repayment plan when it becomes time for them to repay their student loans. For more information on repayment plans and a sample loan repayment schedule, visit the Department of Education website.

Some borrowers may qualify for loan cancellation or loan discharge. This means they may not have to repay some or all of their outstanding loan balance. Loan Cancellation or Loan Discharge.

Students having difficulty repaying their loans have many options available to them; both in the form of deferments and forbearances. Additional information on deferments and forbearances is provided by the Department of Education. Difficulty Repaying.