The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program includes both subsidized and unsubsidized long-term, low-interest loans for students and a Parent PLUS Loan. Under the Direct Loan Program, the federal government lends funds to eligible students and parents through the higher education institutions they attend.

• Federal Direct Stafford Loan is awarded on the basis of financial need to qualified students.
  
• Federal Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan is not awarded on the basis of need.
• Graduate PLUS Loan is offered to qualifying graduate students that have financial aid eligibility.
  
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan is offered to a qualified parent of a dependent undergraduate student with or without financial need but the student must have financial aid eligibility.
  

Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest (5-percent) loan for both qualified undergraduate and graduate students with financial need who have met the priority FAFSA deadline of March 1.

Alternative Loan Programs: The following loans may be utilized by qualified university students to assist with paying for educational expenses. There are limits on the use of these programs. It is in the student’s best interest to talk with a financial aid counselor prior to pursuing one or more of these options.

• Short Term Loan (a.k.a. emergency loan)
• Student Loans provided by private lending institutions (non-federal)

Further resources for information:

The Student Guide. This guide explains student financial aid programs the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) office administers.

Student Aid on the Web provided by the U.S. Department of Education.