Direct Loans

The Direct Loan Program makes long-term loans available to students at all levels of study, and to parents on behalf of dependent students. The federal government subsidizes interest during defined periods for undergraduate students who show need under the federal need analysis methodology, but only for a limited amount of time based on the length of the student’s program. Various repayment plans are available, as well as deferments, cancellations, and discharges.

Related terms: Loan Counseling; Cohort Default Rate (CDR)

 

A Case Study of Undergraduate Debt, Repayment Plans, and Postbaccalaureate Decision-Making Among Black Students at HBCUs (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

A Primer on Higher Education, Student Aid, and the Federal Budget Process (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Another Lesson on Caution in IDR Analysis: Using the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances to Examine Income-Driven Repayment and Financial Outcomes (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Borrowers Discuss the Challenges of Student Loan Repayment (The Pew Charitable Trusts) Web URL

Changes in HBCU Financial Aid and Student Enrollment After the Tightening of PLUS Credit Standards (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

College Student Debt and Anticipated Repayment Difficulty (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Comparison of Sub and Unsub for Undergrads, 2020-21 (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) PDF

Debt Profiles of Model Students: The Projected Debt of Highly Productive Students and Its Economic Impact (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Direct Loans AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&As (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) Web URL

Direct Loans Self-Study Guide (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) Web URL

Do Promise Programs Reduce Student Loans? Evidence from Tennessee Promise (The Journal of Higher Education) Web URL

Does the House Always Win? An Analysis of Barriers to Wealth Building and College Borrowing (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Education Tax Credits: A Different Trajectory for Federal Funding of Higher Education and Remediation for Effectual Policymaking (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Exploring IDR: A Comparison of Financial Situations and Behaviors Between Those in Traditional Student Loan Repayment and Those in Income-Driven Repayment (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Graduate and Professional Reference Sheet, 2021-22 (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) PDF

Higher Education: Can Debt Beat Savings? (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Parent Borrowing and College Completion (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

PLUS Borrowing in Texas: Repayment Expectations, Experience, and Hindsight by Minority-Serving Institution Status (Trellis Company) PDF

Policymakers Should Consider Impact of Growing Student Loan Balances on Borrowers and Taxpayers (The Pew Charitable Trusts) Web URL

Social Dimensions of Student Debt: A Data Mining Analysis (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Student Aid Reference Sheet - 2021-22 (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) PDF

Student Loan System Presents Repayment Challenges (The Pew Charitable Trusts) Web URL

Student Loans and Health-related Financial Hardship (Journal of Student Financial Aid) PDF

Student Loans, Financial Stress, and College Student Retention (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

The Influence of Stafford Loan Debt Load on Persistence Among Historically Underserved Populations at a Hispanic Serving Institution (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

Understanding Loan Use and Debt Burden Among Low-income and Minority Students at a Large Urban Community College (Journal of Student Financial Aid) Web URL

2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. 3, Ch. 5 PDF

Student Aid Reference Sheet, 2021-22 (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) PDF

See top list entry for Professional Judgment

See top list entries for Cash Management and Disbursement

See top list entry for Loan Counseling

See top list entry for Loan Counseling

See also Cash Management