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Direct (Stafford) Loan

Federal Direct Student Loan

If you have been awarded a Federal Direct loan, you will need to complete two important online processes (Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note) before your loan will disburse to your Dickinson Student Account. Returning students who previously have borrowed a Federal Direct loan do not have to complete either process again. Additional information about this federal student loan is available from the U.S. Department of Education.

You will need to have an FSA ID to complete the documents. If you have not already done so, you may create your FSA ID here.

Entrance Counseling:

To get started, go to StudentAid.gov.

Then:

  1. On the top of the page, click on Loans and Grants.
  2. Select Loan Entrance Counseling.
  3. Select Student Status (Undergraduate or Graduate)
  4. Log in using your FSA ID to begin.

Master Promissory Note:

Before starting the Master Promissory Note, be sure to have the following available:

  • Your Social Security Number.
  • Your FSA ID Username or E-mail address and password.
  • Name, address and telephone numbers of two references.

To get started, go to StudentAid.gov.

Then:

  1. On the top of the page, click on Loans and Grants.
  2. Select Master Promissory Note (MPN).
  3. Select Student Type (Undergraduate or Graduate)
  4. Log in using your FSA ID to begin.

There is no way to save a partially-completed Master Promissory Note, so be sure to allow enough time (20-30 minutes) to complete the process in one session.

That's it! We encourage you to complete Entrance Counseling and MPN before you arrive on campus. Let us know if you have questions or have difficulty or you wish to complete a Master Promissory Note on paper.