Information on Student Loans

There are one or more educational loan sources that you might be eligible to apply for. To apply for a specific loan program, just follow the steps listed for each program.

Federal Stafford Loan (Subsidized/Unsubsidized)

Students can accept, decrease, or decline your Stafford loan eligibility online through the AXESS website. They will then receive an email from the university's loan processing agency, within a few business days. The email message will direct the student to the website where they can complete their required loan counseling session and sign their Master Promissory note electronically. If they already have a valid Master Promissory Note in place, they will not receive the email message, and their loan will be automatically disbursed.

Federal Perkins Loan

Students can accept, decrease, or decline your Federal Perkins loan eligibility online through the AXESS website of their university. Students will receive their promissory note at their speficied mailing address listed in the AXESS website within ten days. The Personal Data Sheet must have complete reference information. Students should keep all blue copies for records purposes.

Important: Federal Perkins loan borrowers must attend an exit counseling session before graduating or taking a leave of absence. Contact your university financial aid office for more information on this matter.

GATE Student Loan

Students can accept, decrease, or decline your GATE student loan eligibility online through the AXESS website. GATE loan information is sent to Bank of America. Your promissory note will be mailed to you within ten days. Sign the documents and return to the address provided. If you have trouble with the web process, call GATE at (800) 895-GATE. If you do not receive your promissory note within two weeks or have further questions, call American Educational Services at (800) 645-0750.

Alternative Loans

We recommend that you first utilize your federal student loan eligibility and the GATE student loan program before considering alternative/private educational loans. The interest rates and repayment terms of alternative loans are generally less favorable than those of the federal and GATE loans.

Below is a list of alternative loan programs. We recommend that you compare the terms offered by several programs before making a decision. Information is available on the loan program websites or by calling the toll-free phone number. All of these programs offer online applications. A credit-worthy co-signer may be required for undergraduate students and for international students.