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USA federal government loans

If you are a student from the USA, you may be eligible for loans offered under the Federal Direct Loans Program.

Eligibility

To be eligible for any of the loans listed, you must be:

Subsidized Direct Loan

This loan is for students with demonstrated financial need as determined by the federal regulations. No interest is charged:

Loan repayments start when after one of the following:

Unsubsidized Direct Loan

This loan is not based on financial need and interest accrues on the loan from the time the loan is paid out. You can choose to pay the interest while studying or you can allow it to accumulate until your loan repayments start when one of the following happens:

Allowing the interest to accumulate adds to your loan amount and may increase your monthly repayments.

PLUS (Unsubsidized loans for parents of dependent students and for graduate/professional students)

This loan can help pay for educational expenses up to the cost of attendance, minus all other financial assistance. You are required to pass a credit check. Interest accrues on the loan from the time the loan is paid out.

Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply for both subsidized and unsubsidized Direct loans before applying for a PLUS. 

Current interest rates

New loans will have the following interest rates:

 Max subsidized amount in (USD$)Max combined subsidized and unsubsidized amounts (USD$)
Dependent undergraduates
1st year $3,500 $5,500
2nd year $4,500 $6,500
3rd year and up $5,500 $7,500
Independent undergraduates
1st year $3,500 $9,500
2nd year $4,500 $10,500
3rd year and up $5,500 $12,500
Graduate/professional students
  $8,500 $20,500
Maximum total debt from Direct Loans when you graduate
  Max subsidized and unsubsidized amounts combined
Dependent undergraduates $31,000 (not more than $23,000 subsidized)
Independent undergraduates $57,500 (not more than $23,000 subsidized)
Graduate/professional students $138,500 (not more than $65,500 subsidized)