MIT Student Financial Services Loans

Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan –
undergraduates

A federal low-interest student loan awarded on the basis of financial need to U.S. undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

How to Apply

Applying for the first time? Complete steps 1-4 before the start of the academic year to receive credit on your fall semester bill. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year.

Reapplying? Complete steps 1-3 before the start of the academic year to receive credit on your fall semester bill. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year.

  • Step 1 – Complete MIT’s financial aid application process.  The deadline is February 15 for freshmen and April 15 for other undergraduates.
  • Step 2 – Once you receive your financial aid award letter, review your self-help award, which is your employment and loan eligibility.  Think about how much you would like to borrow, especially if you are trying to maximize the amount of money that can be applied to your student account.
  • Step 3 – Send an email to GetaLoan@mit.edu, stating the amount you wish to borrow or any questions you may have about your maximum eligibility.
  • Step 4 – When the actual loan fund(s) are assigned, follow the instructions given to complete the online loan entrance counseling and sign the promissory note(s).

After you complete all requirements, your loan(s) will be disbursed directly to your student account. If you are not eligible for a federal loan, or have exhausted your federal eligibility, you may want to consider a private loan. Please visit http://web.mit.edu/sfs/loans/private_loans.html to research available private loans and the factors to consider when making your choice.

About This Loan

Eligibility requirements
  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • File a FAFSA to prove financial need according to the federal guidelines for any subsidized loan amount
  • Enrolled at least half-time
  • Not in default on prior education loan
  • Making satisfactory academic progress
Maximum annual loan
  • Freshmen: $3,500
  • Sophomores:  $4,500
  • Juniors and seniors: $5,500
Aggregate limit
  • $23,000 for undergraduates
Interest rate
  • 6.80% fixed on July 1, 2012 (currently 3.40% fixed)
  • No interest until after graduation, withdrawal or enrollment is less that half-time.
Fees
  • Fee of 1.0% deducted from amount borrowed
Repayment
Important Sites

Loan exit counseling
If you borrowed a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, you are required by federal law and MIT policy complete an exit interview online before graduation. If you borrowed an MIT Technology Loan, contact your loan counselor to schedule an exit interview. Required reading: the SFS loan exit counseling guide.

Loan entrance counseling
Online counseling via WebSIS is required for all first-time borrowers of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and MIT Technology Loans.

Campus Partners
Campus Partners handles billing and payment for Federal Perkins Loans and MIT Technology Loans.

Direct Loan Servicing Ctr.
The DLSC handles billing and payment for Federal Direct Loans and Graduate PLUS Loans.

Loan payment calculator
Estimate your loan payments.

Compare loans

These two printable charts can help you compare loans available to undergraduates and their families, and loans available to graduate students.

View Undergraduate loans

View Graduate loans
 
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