Subsidized
A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. It is funded by the federal government and administered through colleges and universities. Students receiving these loans are not charged any interest and do not have to begin repaying the loan while they are enrolled in school at least half time, during a grace period, or during authorized periods of deferment. Effective for loans made for periods of enrollment (loan periods) beginning on or after July 1, 2012, graduate and professional students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized Loans.
Unsubsidized
With an unsubsidized loan, you will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. You may choose to pay the interest while you're in school to reduce your final repayment amount.
New student?
As a first-time borrower at Duquesne University, for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans, you must complete the following before the funds will release to your student account:
Graduating?
If you borrowed Stafford loans while attending Duquesne University or you've dropped below at least a half-time enrollment status, you must complete an exit interview.
Nursing and Health Professions Loans
Selection and repayment identical to Perkins loan except that only full-time; dependent freshman undergraduate Nursing students are eligible for the Nursing Loans and only full-time, dependent undergraduate Pharmacy (not Pre-Pharmacy) students in years 3 thru 5 are eligible for the Health Professions Loan. You must complete a Nursing / Health Professions Loan Promissory Note each academic year.
Students who are awarded a Nursing Loan or Health Professions Loan will receive an email from our institutional loan servicer, Heartland ECSI (webmaster@ecsi.net) when the Promissory Note is ready to be signed online. To complete the loan requirements, you will need to enter your social security number, first name, last name, date of birth, and a PIN number which was emailed to you from webmaster@ecsi.net. If you need your PIN number re-emailed to you, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
New student: As a first-time borrower at Duquesne University, you must complete the Institutional Entrance Interview online.
Graduates: Once you graduate or leave Duquesne University, you must complete an Institutional Exit Interview online.
Parent PLUS Loans
A Federal loan available to parents of dependent undergraduate students. Applications will be available after July 1 prior to the start of the fall semester of the academic year at Federal Direct Loans.
One eligibility requirement of a Direct PLUS Loan is that the borrower must be credit-approved. Unlike other loans which evaluate FICO scores or Debt to Income ratios, the credit requirement only requires that the borrower does not have an adverse credit history.
If a parent is denied for a PLUS loan, there are two ways a parent may still qualify for a Direct PLUS Loan. First, a denied parent may receive a PLUS if the parent obtains a credit-worthy endorser (cosigner) for the PLUS loan. Second, a parent may challenge the adverse credit history with the U.S. Department of Education.
If the parent is denied for the PLUS loan and will not obtain an endorser or challenge the credit decision, the student is then eligible for additional Unsubsidized Stafford loan funds:
- Freshman and sophomore: Additional $4,000 ($2000/semester)
- Junior and senior: Additional $5,000 ($2500/semester)
The maximum loan amount is the calculated cost of education minus all financial aid.**
**If awarded Federal Work-Study, it will reduce the amount approved by the school
in the PLUS loan. It is recommended the student declines the Work-Study award if not
working so as to allow the maximum eligibility in the PLUS loan.
Graduate PLUS Loans
A Federal loan available to Graduate students. A separate application is required and must be applied for through Federal Direct Loans. Maximum is calculated cost of education minus all financial aid.
You must be enrolled at least half-time, credit-approved for eligibility (may use co-signer), and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Additionally, you are required to first apply for your annual loan maximum eligibility in Stafford loans.
*As a first-time borrower at Duquesne University, you must complete an Entrance interview online at Federal Direct Loans.
Alternative Educational Loans
Duquesne University strongly urges students to apply for Stafford loans and parents of students to apply for PLUS loans before resorting to Alternative loans. However, Alternative loans may be an effective method of financing unmet costs of education for some students. The University recommends that students apply with co-signers to secure the best possible interest rates.
Although Duquesne University does not endorse any specific financial institution, you can find information on lenders our students have used in the past with ELMSelect.
Students are not limited to these lenders and are free to choose any financial institution to borrow an alternative educational loan. Duquesne University recommends that students starts the alternative education loan process after July 1 prior to the start of the fall semester.
Master Promissory Note
Recipients of Nursing or Health Professions Loans are required to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) each academic year.