Financial Aid Loans

Outage Alert and Browser Update - StudentLoans.gov Web Site

Currently, Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, and Mozilla Firefox 2.0 are the browsers that have been certified for use with the StudentLoans.gov Web site. Students and parents who use these supported browsers to complete Direct Loan Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling via the StudentLoans.gov Web site should experience no issues. The Department is in the process of certifying Internet Explorer 8 and Mozilla Firefox 3.6.3. Until the Department completes the process, users may experience minor display issues when using these two browsers.

Frequently asked Questions

FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS

Beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year,UM-Helena will participate in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. This means that if you borrow a federal Stafford or PLUS loan, your funding will come directly from the U.S. Department of Education instead of from private lenders as in the past. By participating in the Direct Loan Program, we ensure that our students will have access to a secure, dependable, and affordable source of funds to finance their education.

In this first year of our participation, there are steps that you will need to take to receive a Federal Stafford loan. All borrowers, regardless of whether they have borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan at UM-Helena in a previous year, must take four steps to receive a Federal Direct Stafford Loan:

1. Apply for financial aid for 2010-11 by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. After receiving your Award Letter, request/accept your Federal Stafford loan.
3. Complete the Online Entrance Counseling for Direct Loan Borrowers.
4. Complete a Direct Loan Master Promissory note (MPN).

Parent PLUS loans

Beginning with the 2010-11 academic year, UM-Helena will participate in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program. This change means that parents will borrow PLUS loans directly through the U.S. Department of Education, rather than through private lenders.

The Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is a federal loan program offered by U.S. Department of Education available to parent(s) / step-parent of a dependent student to assist them in meeting their educational costs. To be eligible to apply, the parent borrower must not be in default on any federal education loans and be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. The Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan requires a separate application, in addition to credit approval by the Department of Education.