Student loans are commonly used financing options that are available to both residential and part-time online applicants, and require a minimum enrollment of 6 credits per term in a degree-granting program. Please note these pages provide information about both federal and supplemental (private) student loans, credit, and debt counseling. Some links will take you to sites outside of the HGSE Financial Aid Office. The HGSE Financial Aid Office is not responsible for the content 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 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 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. Both Federal and supplemental loans are split and disbursed evenly across semesters for full-year students. 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 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 the HGSE Student Aid Portal and following the links listed on the "Your Documents & Requirements" tab. Incoming students will be notified in summer when it is time to complete loan requirements or if anything is missing.
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 Direct Loans
- Federal Direct Loan Program and Related Information
- Federal Student Aid (FSA) Loan Repayment Simulator - learn about your repayment options using this FSA resource.
- Federal Student Aid Loan Information
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.
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