Office of Student Financial Services

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are non–need-based guaranteed educational loans. The maximum amount in Unsubsidized Loans that a student may request in one academic or calendar year is $20,500 ($12,500 for postbaccalaureate students). The only two conditions that would preclude a student from eligibility for this loan would be (a) if a student has reached his or her maximum lifetime aggregate limit (currently $138,500), or (b) if a student is in default status for a previously awarded federal loan. Federal origination fees and interest rates are outlined in the tables below.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this loan, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
2. Be accepted, and have matriculated, into a degree program within GPS;
3. Be enrolled in at least two courses (six credits) in the term for which they want the loan;
4. Have a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with Brandeis University and a completed Federal Direct Stafford Loan Application for GPS on file with Student Financial Services.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is a student educational loan. It is not based on need. Loan capital is supplied directly by the federal government, which also serves as the guarantor. Interest begins to accrue the day of disbursement and may be deferred and capitalized.

View the Current Year's Interest Rate

Federal Direct Loan Application Instructions

1. Register for a Federal Student Aid ID. Your will need your FSA ID to electronically sign your FAFSA.
   • FAFSA and FSA ID Tutorial
   • How to create an FSA ID
   • FAFSA FAQs
2. Complete the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year of enrollment, with the  25-26 FAFSA opening in December 2024.
   
3. The federal code for Brandeis University is 002133. This number is required on the FAFSA. Be sure to electronically sign your FAFSA using the FSA ID.
   • Master’s and PhD students are considered independent and do not need to provide their parents’ financial information. Master’s and PhD students may request up to $20,500 in Federal Direct Loans per year ($41,000 for MAT). Postbaccalaureate students may request up to $12,500 in their first year only ($5,500 for dependent postbaccalaureate students).
4. After submitting the FAFSA, the Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). When the SAR arrives, carefully check it for accuracy and make any necessary corrections. The SFS office will receive this information electronically.
5. If you are selected for verification, you may be asked to complete additional paperwork or submit supporting documentation such as proof of citizenship or income tax forms. You will be notified by SFS you be required to do so.
6. Complete Entrance Counseling. To begin your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Entrance Counseling session online, and click the green "Sign In" button at the top left of the screen. You will need your FSA ID in order to sign in.  If you have not yet created your FSA ID, you should do so first.
7. Sign Master Promissory Note (MPN). Once you have completed Entrance Counseling, you will need to sign your MPN.
   • Please select "Brandeis University"; Do not select "Brandeis University-Graduate School of Arts and Sciences" on the Department of Education's website. Failure to sign your MPN will result in cancellation of this loan under federal regulations. If the cancellation of this loan causes a balance due on your account, a hold will be placed on your account.
8. Complete a Stafford Loan Application. The application can be found by logging in to Workday and clicking the Financial Aid Dashboard from your homescreen. Please note that in order to receive a loan for a particular term, you must enroll in at least two courses that term. The loan amount will be divided evenly among each term you select unless you instruct otherwise. 
   • Once you have been approved for a Federal Direct Loan, SFS will send a loan letter to you outlining the amount and disbursement schedule for your loan.
   • Once you have fulfilled all loan and course registration requirements, you may then file for a refund of your credit balance through your student account. The earliest loan credit can be released from your account is 10 days before classes begin.

The other type of federal loan for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents is the Graduate PLUS (GPLUS) loan. Students again will need to fill out the FAFSA as mentioned above and must use their Unsubsidized Stafford Loan eligibility first. Eligibility requirements for the GPLUS loan are the same as the Stafford Loan with an additional credit check requirement. If you are denied for this loan and choose to pursue an appeal of this decision and/or add an endorser, please notify the Office of Student Financial Services so that they can monitor the status of your loan.

View the Current Year's Interest Rate

Students may borrow up to their cost of attendance per academic year minus all other forms of financial aid received. Repayment begins six months after a student has ceased at least half-time enrollment (six credits) in a degree program. You should exhaust all federal eligibility through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program before applying for a PLUS loan.

Grad PLUS Loan Application Instructions

Alternative loans are available from private lenders such as banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions. These loans are not guaranteed by the federal government. Before applying for a private loan, students are advised to first exhaust all of their federal loan eligibility.

More information about taking out additional loans is available on the Education Loan Programs page.

Please note that loans may be adjusted if additional monetary awards are granted to the student.

The following definitions and explanations are provided in the context of your PhD financial assistance package.

What is a scholarship? - A scholarship is a sum of money given to help cover the costs associated with enrollment in an academic program. Scholarships from Brandeis are typically applied in the form of credit on your student account. 

What is a fellowship? - A fellowship is a stipend (fixed sum of money) paid semi-monthly and intended to help defray living expenses during the course of your studies. Amounts paid as fellowship are NOT associated with any work (services in return for compensation) requirement.

Are fellowships taxable? - Yes, fellowships stipends are considered taxable income. Reporting and tax withholding is dependent upon your citizenship status. See Guidelines for Processing Payments to Brandeis Students for more information.

What does “when working as a research assistant or fulfilling any required teaching components of your degree, the fellowship amount may be replaced by compensation” mean? 

• As mentioned above, amounts paid as fellowship are not associated with any work requirement. Therefore, when paying compensation for required teaching assignments, the associated amounts must be paid separately in the form of wages.
• In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement between Brandeis University and Service Employees International Union - Local 509, the base amount ($3,200) of a required teaching assignment is considered to come from your annual fellowship award.Therefore, when fulfilling a required teaching assignment, the fellowship stipend is reduced by $3,200 and the full negotiated rate (currently $4,176 for Teaching Assistants) for the teaching assignment is then paid in the form of wages.
• If you elect to take on an additional teaching assignment beyond your program requirement, the full negotiated rate for the teaching assignment will be paid in the form of wages with no impact to any fellowship stipend that you may otherwise receive.
• When working as a Research Assistant, any amounts paid for Research Assistantship will be in the form of wages and replace an equal amount of fellowship dollars.

As an international student are there any special considerations that I should be aware of?

• As mentioned above, the reporting and tax withholding of fellowship stipends do vary depending on your citizenship status.
• Your country may have a tax treaty that impacts the treatment of your fellowship stipend and/or wages. For more information, see General Tax Treaty Information.