Loans

Federal Direct Subsidized Student Loans: Offered to undergraduate students who are enrolled at least half-time (six or more credit hours) and demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA submission. Offered amounts are determined by a student’s financial need, dependency status, and year in school. Interest does not begin to accrue until six months after the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled in school at least half-time (six credit hours per semester). Interest rates vary from year to year but are fixed for the lifetime of the loan.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans: Offered to graduate and undergraduate students who have submitted and meet eligibility requirements as determined by the FAFSA and are enrolled at least half-time (six credit hours for undergraduates or three hours for a graduate student). Offered amounts depend on academic career level (graduate or undergraduate). For undergraduate unsubsidized loans, amounts offered also depend on dependency status and year in school. Interest accrues while students are in school and during the six-month grace period after a student graduates or ceases to be enrolled at least half-time.

Federal Perkins Loans are long-term federal loans that are awarded based on the student’s need and MSU Denver’s available funds. Federal Perkins Loans can range from $100 to $1,500 per semester. Repayment of the loan begins nine months after the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester. The interest rate is 5 percent and interest begins to accrue at repayment. All first-time borrowers at MSU Denver are required to perform a Perkins Loan Entrance Interview over the Web before loan funds can be released to them.

Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans: are based on the student’s need as determined by the MSU Denver Office of Financial Aid. Interest does not begin to accrue until six months after the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled in school at least half time (six credit hours per semester).

Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans: These loans have many of the same terms and conditions as the Federal Stafford Loan. The main difference is that the students are responsible for the interest that accrues while they are in school and during the six-month grace period after they graduate or cease to be enrolled in at least six credit hours.

Federal PLUS Loans: PLUS loans are available to parents of dependent students and graduate students who have a completed FAFSA on file. Applicants apply for PLUS loans on studentaid.gov and will need to meet credit requirements for these loans. These loans are not guaranteed and can be denied through the application process.

Please refer to the MSU Denver Financial Aid website, msudenver.edu/financial-aid, for more detailed information regarding loans.