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This guide covers eligibility, application steps, and fund release for federal student loans.

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Who’s eligible for federal student loans

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If you’re eligible for the Maestro scholarship, your tuition is fully covered through a last-dollar scholarship — meaning you don’t need any loans to pay for your studies.

Still, if you need help with other costs like housing or transportation, federal student loans are available. Before taking a loan, we recommend considering carefully whether you truly need a loan.

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To qualify for a federal student loan, you must meet the U.S. Department of Education’s basic eligibility requirements. The requirements are:

• U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen
• Valid Social Security number
• Enrollment in at least half-time in an eligible degree program
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by federal regulations
• Clean federal loan and grant record (no defaults or overpayments)
• Completed the FAFSA for the current academic year

You can review full eligibility details on the official Federal Student Aid website.

Steps to receive federal direct loan funding

To receive federal direct loan funding, you’ll need to complete a few quick steps on the official Federal Student Aid website. To activate your loan, complete these steps:

1. Take Entrance Counseling – makes sure you understand your rights and responsibilities.
2. Sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) – your legal agreement to repay your loans.
3. Acknowledge the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment – confirms you know your current loan balance and how borrowing affects it.
4. Submit this form with the exact loan amount you’d like to take.
5. Once submitted, that’s the final step on your side—we’ll handle the processing with the relevant agencies from there.