Federal Student Loans
Federal Direct Loan Program
Loan eligibility and amounts are based on class level, dependency status, Student Aid Index (SAI) as calculated by the FAFSA, and require at least half-time enrollment (6+ credits undergraduates/4+ graduate students). Loans are borrowed money and must be repaid with interest. The Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans have an origination fee and a six-month grace period that begins when a student leaves school or drops below half time. Repayment begins at the end of the six-month grace period. Borrowers are encouraged to consider their potential loan repayment and total loan indebtedness before utilizing loans to assist with their educational costs. The Federal Student Loan Repayment Simulator can assist in considering repayment information.
First time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) prior to funds disbursement. These requirements help borrowers learn about rights and responsibilities and agree to loan terms and conditions. MPNS are valid for 10 years and must be completed again after expiration.
Exit Counseling is required for all federal student loan borrowers who are leaving school, graduating or dropping below half time enrollment. The purpose of exit counseling is to ensure borrowers understand their student loan obligations and are prepared for repayment. Even if a student plans to return to school in the future, Exit Counseling is required. Borrowers need to log onto studentaid.gov with their FSA to complete Exit Counseling.
A Department of Education Federal Student Aid ID is required to complete the FAFSA and all federal loan requirements. FSA IDs can be requested online and are valid for life.
All federal loans are submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for purposes of deferment as well as federal loan borrowing records. Borrowers can view their federal loan borrowing by logging onto the MyAid Dashboard at studentaid.gov.
For more information about the Federal Direct Loan programs, review the Federal Student Aid official website of the United States government.
Changes to Federal Loans
Important Changes for Federal Student Loans based on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. All current and future loan borrowers are encouraged to review this information and contact our office with any questions.
Types of Direct Loans
Direct Loan Interest Rates and Fees
| Loan Type | July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized for Undergraduates | 6.39% |
| Direct Unsubsidized for Graduates | 7.94% |
| Direct PLUS for Graduates and Parents | 8.94% |
| Loan Type | First Disbursement Date | Loan Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized | On or after 10/1/2020 and before 10/1/2026 | 1.057% |
| Direct PLUS | On or after 10/1/2020 and before 10/1/2026 | 4.228% |
Annual Federal Direct Loan Limits
| Credits | Dependent Loan Limit | Independent** Loan Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman (0-44) | $5,500 | $9,500 |
| Sophomore (45-89) | $6,500 | $10,500 |
| Junior/Senior (90 or more) | $7,500 | $12,500 |
| Postbaccalaureate* | $2,625 - $7,500 | $8,625 - $12,500 |
| Graduate | n/a | $20,500 |
(Includes fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters)
* Preparatory coursework and certain certificates have reduced limits.
** A student is considered independent for financial aid purposes if they can answer "yes" to at least one of the Dependency questions included on the FAFSA.
Federal Direct Loans are offered based on a student’s class level as determined by the WWU Registrar’s Office. If students progress to the next class level, they may be eligible to increase their loan, or exchange Unsubsidized Loan for Subsidized Loan. In order to request this change, the Reinstate/Increase Loan form available on the Online Forms web page must be submitted for processing.
Lifetime & Aggregate Loan Limits
| Loan Type | Dependent Students | Independent Students |
|---|---|---|
| Subsidized Loan | $23,000 | $23,000 |
| Total Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan | $31,000 Including any subsidized loan | $57,500 including any subsidized loan |
| Date of First Disbursement in WWU Graduate Program | Received the first disbursement of federal loan as a graduate student after July 1, 2026 at WWU. | Received the first disbursement of federal loan as a graduate student prior to July 1, 2026 at WWU. |
|---|---|---|
| Limit | $100,000 aggregate limit, excluding undergraduate loans | $138,500 including all undergraduate loans |
All Borrowers- a total of no more than $257,500 in lifetime loans (excludes Parent PLUS Loans)
Loan Default Rates
Federal Direct Loan Default Rates
| Cohort Fiscal Year | Official Default Rate | Number of Borrowers in Default | Number of Borrowers in Repayment | Enrollment Figures | Percentage Calculation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 2765 | N/A | N/A |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 2897 | 17,883 | 16.20% |
| 2019 | 0.5 | 18 | 3009 | 17,966 | 16.75% |
ENROLLMENT NOTE: To provide context for the Cohort Default Rate (CDR) data, we include Enrollment Figures (students enrolled at any time during the year) and the corresponding Percentage Calculation (borrowers entering repayment divided by that enrollment figure). There is no direct relationship between the timing of when a borrower entered repayment and any particular enrollment year; we have chosen to use the academic year ending on the 30th of June before the beginning of the cohort year.
Cohort Default Rate (CDR) data is not displayed when Number of Borrowers in Repayment (number of borrowers entering repayment in cohort) includes 10 or few borrowers.
Source: Official Cohort Default Rate Information at Federal Student Aid, NSLDS as of May 9, 2025.
Perkins Loan Default Rates
| Year | Percent |
|---|---|
| As of June 30, 2023 | 5.36% |
| As of June 30, 2022 | 4.13% |
| As of June 30, 2021 | 1.41% |
| As of June 30, 2020 | 3.93% |