Loans FAQ's

How do I accept my loans? 

Students who are eligible for federal loans will be able to accept loans on their student homepage. You don’t have to accept the full amount you’ve been offered. Step-by-Step instructions can be found on the loans page. Please keep in mind that if you will be attending CSUF for both Fall and Spring semesters, the amount you accept will be divided equally between both semesters
Once you have accepted your loans on your student portal, Log on to studentaid.gov and complete your Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN). Both must be completed before loans are disbursed 
Already on main page, add more FAQs including: completing requirements, Parent PLUS Loan, Private Loans

How do my parents apply for Parent PLUS loans?

To apply for the Parent PLUS loan, students must be enrolled in an undergraduate program at CSUF and be FAFSA-eligible applicants. The Parent (s) of dependent students may apply on studentaid.gov. Please note that California Dream Act applicants are not eligible for this award. 

How do I apply for Graduate PLUS loans?

To apply for the Graduate PLUS loan, students must be enrolled in a graduate program (master’s or doctorate degree) at CSUF and be FAFSA-eligible applicants. If you are a graduate student and are interested in the Graduate PLUS loan, you may apply on studentaid.gov. Please note that California Dream Act applicants are not eligible for this award.

How much of a federal loan can I receive if I am only attending one semester? 

It depends. Students can borrow up to annual loan limits, as long as the award does not exceed Cost of Attendance, and student is not in their last semester at CSUF (i.e. will graduate that term). However, it is a case by case basis situation, please conact our office for more details regarding your situation. 

Is there a deadline to accept the loans offered to me?

If you would like to accept loans, you would need to accept them on your student center under "view financial aid." We recommend accepting loans early if you are planning on using loans to pay for tuition and fees. Any loans that are not accepted before the last day of instruction or dropped  for the semester or if you are. 

When does repayment begin?

You will enter repayment any time you drop below half-time, whether that is due to graduation, withdrawal, or enrolling in less than half-time. You will have a 6-month grace period at the start of repayment; there are no payments required during the grace period and interest does not accrue on your loans. There are a variety of repayment options available for Direct Loans. You can pay off your loan earlier without any penalty. You can use the Department of Education's Loan Simulator to see your repayment options.

Which loan should I accept first, Subsidized or Unsubsidized?  

Students are recommended to first accept the Federal Subsidized Loan (first) as the interest does not accrue until the student leaves the university. Find more information here: Interest Rates and Fees for Federal Student Loans 

How do loans disburse? 

Loans will disburse similarly to the rest of your aid as long as you have completed your Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Loan Counseling and are enrolled in 6 units. Your accepted loans will be disbursed 10 days prior to the start of the semester. 

When and where do I repay these loans? 

A student must begin repayment on the unsubsidized and subsidized loans six months after they graduate. Please keep in mind, you can choose to start repayment on these loans any time prior to the six-month mark. When accepting your loans, a loan servicer is assigned to you specifically. Please login to Student Aid to view who your specific loan servicer is as well as their contact information.

Private Loans

How long does it take for a private loan to be processed after I was approved with a private lender? 

It may take up to 4 to 6 weeks depending on the time of year to process all requests. Students who have a request on file prior to the payment deadline with sufficient funds to pay for account balance will be added to the Disenrollment Protection Hold. Visit Student Portal to view hold. 

What do I do if I want to increase or reduce my current private loan? 

Please submit the Award Adjustment Request to make any reductions to your private loan. If you are requesting to increase the loan for a larger amount than you were approved for, please submit a new loan request with your lender first, as we will not be able to increase beyond what you were approved for. 

My loan is now posted on my financial aid account, why isn't it disbursed on my billing account? 

After the loan was processed through financial aid, it may take between 6 to 10 days hold period for it to be disbursed on a student's account.