All first time borrowers are required by the Department of Education to complete an online Federal Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note. These two loan acceptance steps are designed to assist you in better understanding how student loans work and your rights and responsibilities as a student borrower.

Federal Direct Loan Instructions

Federal Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students and parents to help finance the cost of education at the post-secondary institution. Under the Federal Direct Loan Student Program, students work with the Office of Financial Aid in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education to obtain these loans.

Benedictine University is a Title IV funded institution and a participant in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. Federal financial aid is available to those who apply and qualify via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The Federal Direct Loan Program is a program in which low-interest loans are made during the time a student is enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program. Borrowers of Federal Direct loans benefit from a stable source of funding as loans are disbursed directly from the U.S. Department of Education and later managed by a loan servicer.

As part of your offer notification, Benedictine University will notify you of your student loan eligibility according to the results of your FAFSA.

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are based on financial need. The federal government “subsidizes” the loan by paying any accrued interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time.
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are low interest loans that are not based on financial need. The student is responsible for paying the interest from the date the loan is disbursed; however, they may choose to defer these payments while they are in school.

Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are eligible for payment deferment while the student is enrolled at least half-time. For further information on Federal Direct Loans, including origination fees and interest rates, click here: Federal Student Loan Programs.

STEPS TO BORROW

After completing the FAFSA, if you are a first-time Federal Direct Loan borrower, you must complete the following in order for federal funding to be disbursed:

• Complete Loan Entrance Counseling
  The federal government requires you to complete Entrance Counseling to ensure that you understand the financial responsibilities and obligations you are accepting.
• Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)
  The subsidized/unsubsidized MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay your federal student loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to your lender or loan servicer.

For further information on federal student loans, visit Federal student loans.

The Department of Education offers PLUS loans to eligible parents of dependent U.S. students. Only biological parents, stepparents, or adoptive parents of dependent, undergraduate students are eligible to participate in the program. Parents are able to borrow up to the cost of attendance (calculated by the school) minus any other financial aid received.

NOTE: The parent is the borrower of the Parent PLUS loan. Unlike federal direct subsidized loans, these loans are credit-based rather than need-based, and loans are subject to credit approval.

Students and parents must complete the FAFSA in order to receive a Federal Direct PLUS Loan. Before Direct PLUS Loan can be disbursed, the below steps must be completed.

• Complete a Federal Direct PLUS Loan MPN
    This Master Promissory note explains all of the terms and conditions and constitutes your legally binding agreement to repay all loans that are received under the Federal Direct PLUS Loan.
• You will have an opportunity to complete the Direct PLUS Loan Request after you complete the Direct PLUS Loan MPN.

For further information on Federal PLUS Loans, visit Federal Direct PLUS Loan Application

The U.S. Department of Education offers PLUS loans to eligible graduate students. Students are able to borrow up to the cost of attendance (calculated by the school) minus any other financial aid received.

Students must complete the FAFSA in order to receive a Federal Direct PLUS Loan. Before a Direct PLUS Loan can be disbursed, the following steps must be completed.

STEPS TO BORROW

• Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)
  The subsidized/unsubsidized MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay your federal student loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to your lender or loan servicer.
• Complete a Graduate PLUS MPN
  The Graduate/Professional PLUS MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay your federal student loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to your lender or loan servicer.
• Complete Loan Entrance Counseling
  The federal government requires you to complete Entrance Counseling to ensure that you understand the financial responsibilities and obligations you are accepting.

For further information on federal student loans, visit Federal student loans.

Private loans, also called alternative or third-party loans, are credit-based loans offered by private lenders such as banks and other financial institutions. Eligibility for most of these loan programs is based on the creditworthiness of the borrower and may require the assistance of a parent or another credit-worthy co-signer.

Private loan programs can assist with bridging the gap between the cost of attendance (COA) and the financial aid awarded. These loans are allowed to cover the cost of tuition and other school-related expenses, up to the federal COA allowance for the academic year. Benedictine University does not keep a preferred lender list as interest rates and loan terms change frequently.

For more information, see our Private loan comparison tool.