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 are the most common loan fund source. The federal government makes these loans. Federal Direct Loans have a fixed interest rate and offer several repayment plans. To receive federal Direct Loans, students must be:

• Have a completed and valid  for the current aid year on file with ����ֱ��
• Be a matriculated student (enrolled in a degree-seeking program)
• Enrolled at least half-time (six credits or more)
• Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Types of Federal Direct Loans

• Available to undergraduate students who demonstrate  or need-based aid
• The U.S. Department of Education pays the on subsidized loans while a student is enrolled at least half-time, during the six-month  after a student leaves school, and during an authorized  period (a postponement of loan payments).
• Students not eligible for their total subsidized loan will be awarded unsubsidized loan up to their annual loan limit.

• Available to undergraduate and graduate students regardless of need.
• Students are responsible for the interest that accrues during all periods.
  • Students can arrange with their loan servicer to pay the interest while enrolled in school. However, the interest will be capitalized if a student chooses not to pay it during grace periods and deferment or forbearance periods.
    • means interest will be added to the loan's principal at the beginning of the repayment period.
•  For more information, please visit

How Much Can I Borrow?

 Limits are placed on the amount a student may be eligible to receive in subsidized and unsubsidized loan funds each academic year (annual loan limits) and the total amount a student may borrow for their undergraduate and graduate studies (aggregate loan limits). de level)

*Dependent students whose parents are denied a and do not wish to obtain an endorser or appeal the credit decision may qualify to receive additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds: 

• First and second-year students can receive up to an additional $4,000.
• Third-year students and above can receive up to $5,000 in Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds.
• The student will automatically be awarded these funds after Salem State receives the PLUS loan denial.

Independent undergraduate students are eligible for additional unsubsidized amounts depending on their grade level:

Dependency Status

A student’s  determined by the information a student enters on their FAFSA. The Federal government has specific guidelines to determine whether a student is considered dependent or independent for financial aid purposes. “ can help students determine their dependency status when filling out the FAFSA form.

Please note not living with parents, not being claimed on parents’ tax forms or parents’ refusal to help pay for college does not make a student an independent student for purposes of applying for federal financial aid. If you  on the FAFSA please visit  for more information.

In certain situations, a student can submit their FAFSA without their parents’ information if they have no contact with their parents for the special circumstances:

• A student’s parents are incarcerated
• A student left home due to an abusive family environment
• A student does not know where their parents are and is unable to contact them (and a student has not been adopted).
• A student is older than 21 but not yet 24, are unaccompanied, and are either homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless

When filling out the FAFSA a student will be asked whether or not they are able to provide information about their parents. If they are not, they will have the option to indicate they have a special circumstance that make them unable to get their parents information. Please be advised students filing out their FAFSA this way will be rejected and will not load into the Salem State’s financial aid system.

A student may be eligible for a dependency override if they meet any of the above requirements. Students will be required to submit several items to document their situation. Please contact the Student Navigation Center for details. Please note we do not grant dependency overrides based on “financial independence”. A student who is living financially independent from their parents by choice, circumstances, student’s employment, or geography does not constitute independency per Federal guidelines.

*Incomplete promissory notes Failure to do so results in loan cancellation. If funds are awarded after the start of school, come to Financial Aid to sign notes and for entrance loan counseling. For incoming students, loan counseling is also done at Orientation.

Please note that if you receive a revised award during the year, a promissory note must be signed for any additional funds awarded. When you terminate your studies at Salem State, you must have an exit interview. Your loan obligations and repayment conditions are explained again at that time.