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Financial Aid

Educational Loans

Federal Educational Loans

Educational loans must be repaid. Paymets for the Direct and Perkins loans are deferred while enrolled at least half-time. The first payment is typically due 6-9 months afther that point (the grace period). Payments may be deferred for additional schooling, Peace Corps, VISTA, military service, disability, or for full-time teaching in a teacher shortage area. If approaching repayment, contact your servicer for additional information.
Loans will be split equally among the terms the student is enrolled. For example, if attending fall and spring, Direct Loans will be disbursed equally between the two semesters. If attending summer, fall and spring, Direct Loans will be disbursed in thirds among the three terms.
 

Perkins Loan (PERK)

Given to the students with high need, these loans are repayable at a 5% interest rate within ten years and have cancellation features for teaching special needs or low-income students. Students must sign a promissory note which fully explains all the terms of the loan as well as view the Perkins Loan Rights and Responsibilities statement. To view a comparison between the Perkins and Subsidized Direct Loan, click here. For more information you may also visit the UWSP Perkins Loan Office webpage.
 

Subsidized Direct Loan (SDL)

Subsidized Direct Loans are for students with demonstrated financial need, as determined by federal regulations. No interest is charged while the student is in school at least half-time. The interest rate for the undergraduate Subsidized Direct Loan will be 6.8% for loans disbursed between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. Subsidized loans are no longer available graduate students. An origination fee of 1.05% is charged at each disbursement. All first-time loan borrowers are required to complete the Entrance Loan Counseling and the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note. These requirements can be completed online at StudentLoans.gov.  
 
For more information on the Direct Loan interest rates and other loan features, please see the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website.

Unsubsidized Direct Loan (UDL)

Unsubsidized Direct Loans are based on cost minus other financial aid and resources. Interest is charged during all periods. The interest rate for the undergraduate Unsubsidized Direct Loan is 6.8% for loans disbursed between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. The interest rate for this loan for graduate students is also 6.8%. An origination fee of 1.05% is charged at each disbursement. All first-time loan borrowers are required to complete the Entrance Loan Counseling and the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note. These requirements can be completed online at StudentLoans.gov.
 

PLUS Direct Loan (PDL)

Parents of dependent students may apply for loans from a non-need-based program called PLUS Direct Loan. The parent may borrow an amount up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid. The interest rate is fixed at 7.9% where interest begins to accumulate on the date of the first loan disbursement. The Direct PLUS Loan has a 4.20% origination fee. Parents may choose to defer payments on the PLUS loan as long as the student is enrolled at least half-time by contacting the Direct Loan Servicing Center at 1-800-848-0979 (TTY 1-800-848-0938).
Parents can apply for the PLUS Direct Loan by filing an application and completing a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at StudentLoans.gov.
* If the parent is denied the Parent PLUS loan, the student is eligible for a special additional Unsubsidized Loan. The amount depends on the student's grade level and cannot exceed the total amount certifiable in a PLUS loan (in other words, we cannot authorize more than the cost of education). The school will be notified if the parent is denied the PLUS loan. Written confirmation from the student is needed to authorize the additional Unsubsidized loan.
 

Graduate PLUS Direct LOAN (GPDL)

Graduate students may apply for loans from a non-need-based program called PLUS Direct Loan. The graduate student may borrow an amount up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid. The interest rate is fixed at 7.9% where interest begins to accumulate on the date of the first loan disbursement. The PLUS Direct Loan has a 4.20% origination fee.
Graduate students may apply for the Graduate PLUS Direct Loan at StudentLoans.gov. Graduate students are required to complete a separate Entrance Loan Counseling for this loan.
 

Non-Government Private Educational Loans

Private Alternative Loans (OLOAN)

Some lending institutions have competitive private alternative educational loan programs to assist students with paying for their college education. It is extremely important from a personal finance standpoint that you first exhaust ALL other financing options such as grants, scholarships, and federal Direct Loan eligibility prior to considering a federal Parent PLUS, Grad PLUS, or private loan. We advise you to only borrow what is truly needed to pay for qualified educational expenses. When borrowing to finance your education, you should give serious consideration to the loan amounts needed thoughout your entire education. You will want to make sure you can comfortably afford your student loan indebtedness based on your expected income after graduating. See more private alternative loans.
 
Steps for Applying for a Private Alternative Loan: 
  1. Have a completed FAFSA (aid application) on file to be considered for the best types of assistance possible prior to taking out an alternative loan. Go to the FAFSA website to complete an application if you haven't already done so.

  2. Student goes to website of lender, completes the private alternative loan application, the master promissory note, and the self-certification form and submit all information directly to the lender, NOT to the Financial Aid Office. Most lenders require co-signer information. Should the lender approve your application, the school will then receive an email notification requesting certification of this alternative loan.

    A Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form is now required. Section 2 of that form asks for "Cost of Attendance" and "Estimated Financial Assistance". This information is calculated from your processed FAFSA and financial aid award notification. To obtain those figures, click here on the Private Education Loan Application For Self-Certification and login to myPoint. If the information is unavailable, your aid application has not yet been received and/or processed by the Financial Aid office.

  3. Make sure you have accepted your aid offer as the alternative loan will not disburse without this first being satisfied. To accept your aid offer, go to the financial aid homepage, under "Application Process", select "Accept My Award". All other financial assistance, including scholarships, are subtracted from your cost of attendance to determine unmet need. If there is unmet need, the alternative loan will be electronically certified through a weekly process. The student applicant will receive an email award notification identifying the alternative loan listed as an OLOAN along with other aid.

    Regulations now require a delay in the disbursements of alternative loans. The lender is required to hold the disbursement for at least 6 business days prior to the date of the first disbursement.

    The alternative loan will be split equally among the terms the student is attending no matter what period of time was requested on the loan application. For example, if attending fall and spring the loan will be disbursed equally between the two semesters. If attending summer, fall and spring, the loan will be disbursed in thirds among the three terms. Dropping credits, withdrawing from school, etc will change the cost of education. When the cost is reduced, the student may be billed and expected to return part or all of the entire loan immediately.

    The loan will be certified for the lower amount of either the unmet need or the amount of the credit approval. For example, if credit is approved for $2000 and unmet need is $1000, the loan will be approved for $1000. If credit is approved for $2000 and unmet need is $3000, the loan will be approved for $2000.