Student Loans

Please note that these pages provide information about both federal and supplemental (private) student loans, credit, and debt counseling. Some of these links will take you to other sites outside of the HGSE Financial Aid Office. The HGSE Financial Aid Office is not responsible for the contents of any external sites.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education, like all of Harvard University, participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program offered through the U.S. Department of Education. The only lender we list is Direct Lending, however you are free to research and borrow from any lender.

When considering a supplemental loan, we remind students that there are many options in addition to those listed in these materials. We encourage students to consider all of their borrowing options to ensure the best possible choice for their individual needs. Remember, only Federal Perkins, Federal Direct Unsubsidized, and Graduate PLUS Loans are administered by the HGSE Financial Aid Office; supplemental loans are available from numerous lenders and you are welcome to explore those that interest you. Harvard University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education have no financial interest in which supplemental loan you choose to borrow.

Federal Loan Requirements

Loan Entrance Counseling & Promissory Notes

New borrowers of Federal Perkins and/or Direct Loans (Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS) must complete online Entrance Counseling in addition to electronic loan promissory notes for each loan. These requirements can be completed by visiting MyGSE and following the links listed in the Financial Aid Section. Incoming students will be notified in summer when it is time to complete this requirement.

Loan Exit Counseling

Graduating students who borrowed a Federal Loan (Perkins, Direct or Grad PLUS) while enrolled at HGSE must complete Loan Exit Counseling. This can be completed online by starting at the Loan Exit Counseling page.

Federal Perkins & Direct Loans

• Federal Perkins & Federal Direct Loan Programs and Related Information
• Federal Student Aid (FSA) Loan Calculators
• Your Federal Student Loans: Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt- this is a comprehensive guide developed by the U.S. Department of Education that addresses all aspects of federal student loans.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS & Supplemental Loans

Supplemental loans, like the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, can be borrowed in addition to your Federal Loans to help meet the cost of education.  Please note: students pursuing a supplemental loan should apply for the amount they wish to borrow for the entire academic year.

• Supplemental Education Loan Programs

Loan, Credit and Debt Management Information

• HGSE Loan Exit Counseling and Loan Information- This page is particularly useful for students who have graduated or are nearing graduation. Loan contact information, repayment information and more is found on this page.
• Federal Student Aid- You can find information on all Federal Aid programs and loan repayment resources here.
• MyMoney.gov - The U.S. Government's site dedicated to teaching financial literacy
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau- This site presents information and assistance on a range of consumer financial products, including student loans.
• Student Loan Borrower Assistance- This is a comprehensive and very useful website that covers almost all the basics regarding past, present or future student loans of all varieties.
• Understanding Your Credit
• Debt Management Tools