Federal Loan Programs

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威廉D. Ford Direct 贷款:

To be eligible for a Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan, you must meet the following criteria:
You must be enrolled at least half-time.
You must file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student 援助) every year that you are enrolled in school. Most students who apply will qualify for a subsidized or unsubsidized 贷款.

如何申请:
The 贷款 application is a three-step process. If you do not complete all three steps, your 贷款 will not be processed.

• 接受 the 贷款 in your financial aid portal 通过 自助服务.
• 完成 Direct Loan Entrance Counseling process at the Student援助.gov网站.
• 签上你的 Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) at the Student援助.gov网站. The MPN is good for ten years (provided at least one 贷款 is disbursed to you within the first 12 months after signing).

The Direct Loan interest rate varies annually with a maximum rate of 8.25% for 本科s 和9.5% for 研究生 students. The interest rate for 本科 Subsidized or Unsubsidized Direct 贷款 disbursed on or after July 1, 2022 is 4.99%. The interest rate for 研究生 Unsubsidized Direct 贷款 disbursed on or after July 1, 2022 is 6.54%. 贷款 disbursed on or after October 1, 2020 require a 1.057% origination fee, which is paid at the time of disbursement (prior to crediting to a student’s account). 

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Parent Direct PLUS 贷款:

A parent (biological, adoptive or a stepparent) of a student at Aquinas can complete the Parent PLUS Loan application process as outlined below.  Your 贷款 will not be processed until both steps are completed.  Please Note: The 4.228% origination fee is deducted up front from the amount you borrow.

完成 Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan application

The Parent PLUS Loan Application is available on the Federal Student 援助 website. The parent must sign in with their FSA ID. Once signed in, click 应用 for a PLUS 贷款.

Determine the amount you need to borrow:  List the actual amount you wish to apply to receive on your Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Application and please select the 贷款 period you want. If you are unsure about how much to borrow, please contact the Financial 援助 Office before completing the Parent PLUS Loan Application.

Once you complete the application, you will receive immediate notification of your approval/denial.  Aquinas Financial 援助 Office will also receive notification and proceed with processing your request.

2.  完成 Parent PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN)
完成 online Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Parent PLUS 贷款 at the Federal Student 援助 website. When you complete this step, you will receive notice that your MPN was submitted 成功.

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Alternative 贷款:

Private educational 贷款s are available from a number of lenders for students whose cost of attendance has not been met with other financial aid. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student 援助) is normally not required to apply for a private 贷款.

Private 贷款 programs differ from federal 贷款 programs in several ways:

• Annual and total 贷款 limits are higher than federal student 贷款s.
• Interest rates and fees vary by lender.
• Rates are normally variable and change on a quarterly basis.
• Loan approval and the rate of interest are based on credit approval and approval is not guaranteed.
• Most students will be required to secure a co-signer.
• 贷款 are not federally guaranteed; therefore, they do not have the same deferment, cancellation and consolidation benefits.
• The terms and conditions for private 贷款s vary greatly. Aquinas encourages students to do their own research to find a lender that best suits their needs. 
• Aquinas College does not have a preferred lender agreement with any lender and will work with all student requests.
• A comprehensive list of lenders used by AQ students over the past five years is available 通过 ELMSelect.