Loans
About federal loans
Federal loan options
Federal direct subsidized/unsubsidized Stafford loans:
- Subsidized Stafford Loans are need-based and do not accrue interest during the studentās time in school. Only available to undergraduates.
- Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are non-need-based and do accrue interest during the studentās time in school. Available to undergraduates and graduate/professional students.
Federal Nursing Loans
Federal Nursing Loans are for students demonstrating significant financial need. These do not accrue interest during the studentās time in school.
Federal Direct PLUS Loans
Federal Direct PLUS loans are available to parents of dependent undergraduates, and/or graduate students. These do accrue interest during the studentās time in school.
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Details
Federal Graduate PLUS Loan Details
Federal student loans are available to students who are:
- US citizens or permanent residents
- Matriculated
- Enrolled at least half time (six credit hours per term) in a degree-seeking program
In order to receive federal loans for a course or courses, the course(s) must:
- Be part of a matriculated degree-seeking program
- Not be audited courses
Interest rates for 2024-2025 federal loans
Loan type | Borrower type | Fixed interest rate |
---|---|---|
Federal Direct Stafford Loan | Undergraduate students | 6.533% |
Federal Direct Stafford Loan | Graduate/professional students | 8.083% |
Federal Nursing Loan | Undergraduate students | 5.00% |
Federal Direct PLUS Loan | Parents of dependent undergraduates and graduate/professional students |
9.083% |
Yearly federal loan borrowing limits
Year in school (earned undergraduate credits) | Dependent undergraduate students | Independent undergraduate students | Graduate students |
---|---|---|---|
First year (0ā23 earned credits) |
$5,500 (No more thanĀ $3,500 subsidized) | $9,500Ā (No more thanĀ $3,500 subsidized) | N/A |
Second yearĀ (24ā55Ā earned credits) |
$6,500Ā (No more thanĀ $4,500 subsidized) | $10,500Ā (No more thanĀ $4,500 subsidized) | N/A |
Third yearĀ (56ā87Ā earned credits) |
$7,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | $12,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | $20,500Ģż³Ü²Ō²õ³Ü²ś²õ¾±»å¾±³ś±š»å |
Fourth yearĀ (88ā128 earned credits) |
$7,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | $12,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | N/A |
Fifth yearĀ (129+ earned credits) |
$7,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | $12,500Ā (No more thanĀ $5,500 subsidized) | N/A |
Aggregate or ālifetimeā limits
Dependent undergraduate students | Independent undergraduate students | Graduate students |
---|---|---|
$31,000Ā (No more than $23,000 subsidized) | $57,500Ā (No more thanĀ $23,000 subsidized) | $138,500Ā (No more thanĀ $65,000 subsidized; includes undergraduateĀ loans) |
Reducing or canceling loans
You can write a request to your financial aid counselor by email, fax, or postal mail. Requests must come directly from the student; parent requests will not be honored. You can subsequently request to restore such loans if need be, again with a written request, and you must do so before the end of the academic year or term in which you are enrolled.
Federal loan requirements
Accepting federal loans
You must complete the requirements listed below to formally accept any federal loan you may have been offered and to allow the loan to disburse to your student billing account with the University. You only need to complete these requirements once during your time at ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é, and you will need your personal FSA ID. We encourage you to save all your information electronically for your records.
- Log in to your FAOnline account and click the āRequired Documentsā screen.
- Any outstanding documents will be listed as ‘Not Received’.
- Keep in mind that you may need to complete requirements for several different loan types. For example, an undergraduate student may have qualified for a federal direct loan and a federal Nursing loan. That student would need to complete a master promissory note and entrance counseling for each loan.
- Parents can determine if they are missing any paperwork associated with the federal Parent PLUS loan by having their student check or by contacting the Financial Aid Office directly.
- Sign your Electronic Master Promissory Note (eMPN). Learn more below.
- Complete loan entrance counseling. Learn more below.
Get handy instructions for loan requirements:
University loans
University loan borrowers
The ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é has successfully completed the transfer of your student loan account from ACS to Heartland ECSI, a leading provider of student loan servicing and higher education services. You can create your EasyPath profile today to take advantage of convenient features such as account management, online payments, electronic statements, payment history, and online document access.
Create your profile in 3 easy steps!
Step 1: Go to .
Step 2: Register by creating a profile.
Step 3: Connect your account using your Heartland Key*.
*Please note: the Heartland Key is provided to you by Heartland ECSI. Until you have that Key, you will be unable to create your account.
Donāt forget to download the EasyPath mobile app by visiting the iPhone App Store or Android Marketplace.
University Loans include the following funds:
- University Broxholm Memorial Loan
- University Loeser Loan
- University McGuire Loan
- University OāConnor Loan
- University Tiernan Loan
To determine if youāve been awarded a University loan, log in to your FAOnline account and click the āYour Awardsā screen. Not all students qualify for this loan program.
University loan requirements
You must complete the requirements listed below to allow your University loans to disburse onto your student account. You only need to complete these requirements once during your time at ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é.
Please note: You cannot sign your eMPN or complete the entrance counseling until you receive an email notification from our servicer, Heartland ECSI, informing you of the web link to use in order to create your profile and providing you with a Heartland Key.
Please note: It is a federal violation to complete forms or requirements for a loan of which you are not the primary borrower.
Electronic Master Promissory Note (eMPN)
All first-time borrowers of a University loan at the ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é must sign an eMPN. We will receive an electronic notice that the eMPN has been signed and is valid within two business days of you completing the requirement online.
University loan entrance counseling
All first-time borrowers at the ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é must complete loan entrance counseling before loan proceeds can be credited to their student accounts. This session will take about 25 to 30 minutes.
In the entrance counseling session, you will learn:
- Your rights and responsibilities as a borrower
- Information on repayment, interest rates, and other important details about borrowing
- Whom to contact with questions
After you complete the entrance counseling, our office will receive an electronic notice that the counseling has been completed and is valid within two business days of you completing the requirement online.
University loan exit counseling
All students who have borrowed a University loan and are no longer enrolled must complete a loan exit counseling session. You must complete exit counseling if you graduated, withdrew from the University, became inactive, or fell below half-time status. This session will take about 30 minutes.
In the exit counseling session, you will learn:
- Your repayment terms and conditions
- How to defer your loans
- Who your loan servicer is and how to contact them
Our office will receive an electronic notice that the exit counseling has been completed and is valid within two business days of you completing the requirement online through your Heartland ECSI account.
Heartland ECSI contact information
Payment Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 718, Wexford, PA 15090
Paperwork Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1278, Wexford, PA 15090
Customer Service:
Live Chat: heartland.ecsi.net Phone Support: 1 (888) 549.3274
Alternative loans
Alternative loans are non-federal educational loans offered by banks and other lending institutions.Ā Alternative loans are typically not subsidized, meaning interest will accrue while the borrower/student is enrolled.Ā Interest rates and fees are generally higher than federal loans, and will be based on the borrower’s credit score.Ā Credit-worthy co-signers may be required, depending on the borrower’s credit standing.Ā Alternative loans are intended to supplement, not replace, federal loan eligibility.Ā ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é encourages all borrowers to consider federal loan options first, before considering alternative loan options.Ā Alternative loan applications must be submitted directly through the lender, not through the ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é.
Alternative loan resources
The ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é is not able to recommend or endorse any particular alternative loan option. Alternative loan terms offered, including interest rates, fees, repayment terms, and other variables, will be based on the borrower’s application and credit score. Therefore, the University cannot provide you with information about comparative pricing of private loans nor about the likelihood of your being approved with or without a cosigner.
To assist students in researching alternative loan options, the University works with ElmSelect to feature a variety of alternative loans from whom ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é students have borrowed in recent years. Students are not required to pursue a lender featured on ElmSelect, and will not be penalized or disadvantaged if they choose to borrow from another lender.
Please see below for a brief list of the options featured on ElmSelect, and visit to learn additional details and compare various options.
Loan type | Fixed interest rate |
---|---|
Advantage Education Loans | |
Ascent Funding | |
Citizens Bank | |
College Ave | |
Earnest | |
LendKey | |
Nelnet Bank | |
PNC Bank | |
Prodigy Finance | |
Sallie Mae | |
SoFi | |
Student Choice |
Alternative educational loans:
- Require credit approval
- Must be accounted for in the studentās financial aid package, even if the funding is sent directly to the student and does not require the schoolās certification before it is approved
- Have variable interest rates that have no caps (interest rates are based on the LIBOR rate or PRIME rate)
- May have additional fees of up to 9.5 percent of the requested loan amount
- Cannot have a maximum loan amount that exceeds the cost of attendance minus the financial aid already awarded by the University
- Usually have the student as the primary borrower of the loan; a few lenders will allow other family members to borrow on behalf of the student
- Usually allow students to defer payments on the loan while they are in school at least half time (six credit hours)
- Usually allow students to capitalize the interest accrued on the loan once they graduate or leave school
- Usually allow a six-month grace period before students begin repaying
Things to consider before you apply:
If you choose to pursue an alternative loan, you should contact your financial aid counselor to explore your options first. If you are confident that you want to borrow an alternative loan, be sure to compare the costs associated with various loans before completing an application. Interest rates, fees, repayment periods, borrower benefits, customer service, and other features can vary significantly between loans.
While many educational loans are available with no fees and interest rates less than 10 percent, other programs exist with fees up to 9.5% and interest rates over 14 percent. These higher rates can result in you paying thousands of dollars in additional costs. Be aware that some loan programs require you to make interest payments while in school. We will not take in-school loan payments into account in our aid package review, and we wonāt consider it in appeals. Take the time to compare.
Questions to ask a potential lender
Before completing an application, get the answers to these questions:
- How much may I borrow?
- What are the fees associated with the loan?
- What is the interest rate and how often will it change (e.g., quarterly)?
- Do I need to be at least 18 years old to receive the loan?
- Do I need a co-signer? Can my co-signer be released from the loan after I enter repayment?
- Can I receive a lower interest rate when I apply with a co-signer?
- Can I defer payments while in school?
- What are the terms of repayment?
- Are there any penalties for paying the loan off early?
Additional borrowing options
Budget well
We encourage all students and parents to borrow as little as possible. In the event that the student and/or parents wish to seek financing beyond the studentās financial aid package, we recommend that the family consider paying for remaining expenses through student work, current income, and/or assets, before pursuing additional loans. Limiting the amount of additional borrowing will help reduce the total cost of the education.
Visit our financial literacy page for more information on budgeting well and other ways to save money as a ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é student.
State educational loans
Some states offer educational loans to their residents, including for residents attending college/university outside of that state. States that offer educational loans to their residents include Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont.
Loan repayment
Federal loan repayment plans
Itās important to find the right repayment plan for you in order to manage your money and make timely payments on your student loans after graduation. The government offers a variety of repayment plans to cater to different individualsā needs. The federal loan repayment plans are listed below:
- Standard Repayment Plan
- Graduated Repayment Plan
- Extended Repayment Plan
- Income Based Repayment Plan (IBR)
- Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan
- Income-Contingent Repayment Plan
- Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan
Federal Nursing Loan repayment
- Repayment of a Federal Nursing Loan begins when the nine-month grace period ends.
- At the time a borrower drops below half-time enrollment or leaves the ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é, the student must complete an online exit interview.
- During the interview, pertinent information and a repayment schedule are provided to the borrower.
- The repayment period may not exceed ten years.
- If you are currently in repayment, your payment will be due the 10th of every month.
- To learn more about due dates as well as how to read the billing statement, visit Heartland ECSIās website.
- If you are currently enrolled in school, are in your grace period, or are in deferment/forbearance, no payment is due at this time.
- You will begin to receive billing statements prior to your first payment due date.
Loan Repayment Resources and Calculators
There are a variety of resources available to help monitor your loan balance and plan your loan repayments both before and after you graduate. A few of these resources are listed below:
University loan repayment
There are a variety of resources available to help plan your loan repayments both before and after you graduate. A few of these resources are listed below:
- Repayment of a University Loan begins when the six-month grace period ends
- At the time a borrower drops below half-time enrollment or leaves the ĀŅĀ×Ēæ¼é, the student must complete an online exit interview
- During the interview, pertinent information and a repayment schedule are provided to the borrower
- The repayment period may not exceed five years
- If you are currently in repayment, your payment will be due the 10th of every month
- To learn more about due dates as well as how to read the billing statement, visit Heartland ECSIās website
- If you are currently enrolled in school, are in your grace period, or are in deferment/forbearance, no payment is due at this time
- You will begin to receive billing statements prior to your first payment due date