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Student loan entrance counseling is a required informational session for first-time student loan borrowers. It provides basic information about your student loans, what to expect with repayments and how to manage your finances. The purpose is to provide you with the information you need to stay on top of your student loan repayments.
You’re legally required to go through entrance counseling the first time you take out a Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan. You must complete the course before the money is disbursed to your school. You also have to complete entrance counseling the first time you take out a Direct PLUS Loan — even if you already went through it for a subsidized or unsubsidized loan.
Most students complete entrance counseling on StudentLoans.gov. You can do so by logging in to your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account and follow the directions to get started.
Your school might have additional entrance counseling requirements. For example, some schools hold entrance counseling in person. Others might require students to fill out a separate online form. Contact your school’s financial aid office if you’re not sure how it conducts entrance counseling.
You’ll need the following information on hand to get started:
The Department of Education recommends that you have your financial aid award letter, a list of your school’s tuition and fees, and your student account information handy before you get started.
Typically, it takes between 20 and 30 minutes to complete a student loan entrance counseling session.
The StudentLoans.gov entrance counseling session is divided into five sections, which cover how your loans work and your personal finances. If your school has its own entrance counseling program, you might not go through these exact sections, but it should cover the same information.
The first part gives you an overview of the loans you’re about to receive. You’ll learn the basics, including the following sections:
The second part of entrance counseling is meant to help you understand how much you’ll need to budget for your personal expenses and how to be a responsible borrower. It includes the following sections:
The third part of entrance counseling guides you through what to expect when you have to pay back your student loans. It includes the following sections:
The fourth part of entrance counseling gives tips on how to stay on top of your student loan repayments — and advice if you’re struggling. It includes the following sections:
The fifth and final section gives general tips for financial planning and making sure you stay financially healthy. Sections include:
After you complete entrance counseling, you’ll get an overview of your current loans, how much you’ll need to pay each month and a sample repayment plan. It also includes links to other government pages that you can use to learn more about different topics.
Student loan entrance counseling is required the first time you take out a Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan, and the first time you take out a PLUS Loan. While it doesn’t have to take more than half an hour to complete, take full advantage of the calculators and tools to get a strong grasp of what to expect when repayments kick in.
You can learn more about how to pay for school with our guide to student loans.
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