Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan Requirements
After you accept your subsidized or unsubsidized loans, first-time borrowers must complete BOTH Entrance Counseling and their Loan Agreement/Master Promissory Note (MPN). For steps to complete these requirements, see the How do I complete my loan requirements? section.
Can Someone Else Complete the Requirements for the Student?
It is crucial that student borrowers complete their own requirements. A student's FSA ID log in information serves as a legal signature that should not be shared with anyone, including family, school personnel, or loan servicers. Completing a student borrower's loan requirements on their behalf is fraudulently representing yourself as the student. This is especially pertinent for the Loan Agreement/MPN, because that is the student legally signing to say that they understand their responsibilities as a borrower and will repay the loans. Entrance counseling is also important, because it helps students understand borrowing, their rights and responsibilities as a borrower, what to do if they have trouble making repayment, as well as borrowing responsibly and monitoring loan debt while in school.
How Do I Complete My Loan Requirements?
Please note these steps can vary depending on if you are on a computer or mobile device. There are also multiple ways to navigate the site. These steps are the most consistent across devices.
Carefully follow these steps. There are multiple loan types, counseling options, and loan agreement and acknowledgement options on the Federal Student Aid website. It is very easy to do the incorrect requirements for the incorrect loan types.
To Complete the Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan Requirements:
- Go to the Federal Student Aid website.
- Log in using your Federal Student Aid ID (the same student FSA ID you used for your FAFSA).
- After logging in, it may prompt you to accept the terms and conditions for accessing the site before moving forward - click the "Accept" button to continue.
- You should now be in your Dashboard screen.
- Entrance Counseling
- Under "Checklists" on your Dashboard screen, click "I'm in School" to expand and show options.
- Click on "entrance counseling."
- Click the "Start" button to begin for the appropriate section (based on if you are an Undergraduate or Graduate/Professional Student).
- Make sure you select West Virginia University as one of the schools to be notified (School Code/Branch G03827).
- After you finish and submit your counseling, click your name at the top of the page and select "Dashboard" from the drop-down menu to get back to the Dashboard to do your Master Promissory Note.
- Master Promissory Note (MPN or Loan Agreement)
- Under "Checklists" on your Dashboard screen, click "I'm in School" to expand and show options.
- Click on "Master Promissory Note (MPN)."
- Click the "Start" button for the appropriate MPN, based on if you are an Undergraduate Student completing your MPN for subsidized/unsubsidized loans, a Graduate/Professional student completing your MPN for unsubsidized or Graduate PLUS loans, or a parent completing the MPN for their Parent PLUS loan.
- Fill in the requested information for your MPN and submit.
The University usually begins receiving these loan files starting at the end of May for the upcoming academic year. Once we start receiving those files from the federal government, we are usually notified that you have completed your requirements within 3 business days of submission.
How Long Does It Take for WVU to Receive My Loan Requirements After I Complete Them?
Student Financial Services usually does not begin receiving Entrance Counseling and Loan Agreement/Master Promissory Note (MPN) files until sometime in May for the upcoming aid year. This is in part due system updates needed to accommodate the new aid year.
Once the files start coming in, it can take approximately 3 business days after you submit your requirements on your Federal Student Aid account for your WVU student account to be updated that your loan requirements have been completed.
Are There Other Requirements?
In addition to completing the entrance counseling and loan agreement/MPN your first-time borrowing, there are requirements you must meet every aid year you receive loans.
- You must complete your FAFSA every year for continued loan consideration.
- Once offered, you must accept all or part of your offered loans
- You must continue to maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility.
- You must have remaining loan eligibility (there are time and value limitations on how much and long you can borrow while pursuing your degrees).
- You must be enrolled at least half-time for the semester in federal and state aid-eligible courses for loans to disburse as payment.
Do My Loan Requirements Need Completed Every Year?
Once completed, these requirements roll forward every year for your subsidized or unsubsidized loans - so you do not have to keep doing them! The counseling does not expire. The Loan Agreement/MPN is good for 10 consecutive calendar years. You may need to complete the requirements again if you transfer to another institution - but not if you transfer to another WVU campus.
Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans Overview Page
For information on who is the borrower for these loans, how to apply, and quick facts, see our Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans webpage.
Subsidized and Unsubsidized FAQs
See our Subsidized and Unsubsidized FAQs webpage for more answers, such as the difference between a subsidized and unsubsidized loans, how much can be borrowed each year, interest rates, additional loan fees, and who to contact for your loan information.