Navigating the borrowing process
Loans are a reality for most graduate and professional students, and we will help you navigate the borrowing process from application to repayment. We encourage you to be a responsible consumer and to borrow only what is necessary. We urge you to seek advice from our Student Financial Services team whenever needed.
Please keep in mind that with loans, lenders often deduct loan fees before monies are disbursed, which can impact the amount you need to borrow. You should calculate loan fees prior to finalizing loan requests. Please see for more information.
Repaying Your Loans
Be sure you're in touch with your at all times throughout your years of borrowing. It is even wise to pay interest while you're in school, if at all possible, on any loans that are accruing interest (i.e. every loan EXCEPT the Direct Subsidized Loan). Once you're ready to leave school, we recommend using the to determine which is the best loan repayment option for you. Note: You may switch plans as your income situation changes. Just realize this — the longer you take to repay your loans, the more they will cost you.
Federal Direct Loans
The U.S. Department of Education offers low-interest loans to eligible students to help cover the cost of graduate and professional degrees. These loans are available to cover your Cost of Attendance, which includes your direct costs (those that are billed to you) and may also include your indirect costs, such as living expenses and other education-related materials.
To apply for Federal Direct Loans you must and sign a . For all Federal Loans, you will also need to complete Exit Loan Counseling when you are no longer enrolled at least half-time. Both Entrance and Exit Counseling provide information about terms of borrowing, interest accrual and repayment options and can be completed .
All pertinent information regarding Title IV, HEA federal loans, including Direct Loans, will be submitted to NSLDS and accessible by authorized agencies, lenders, and institutions.
Unsubsidized Direct Loans
The is available to all graduate and professional students regardless of need. Â鶹´«Ã½will determine the amount you can borrow based on your Cost of Attendance and annual limits. Visit the Federal Student Aid website for information on and the most for direct loans.
Graduate PLUS Loans
The Graduate is a credit-based loan, subject to credit approval by the lender, that may be offered to you as part of your Financial Aid award. PLUS loans help pay for expenses up to the Cost of Attendance (COA) minus all other financial assistance (e.g. Direct Unsubsidized Loan and/or scholarships). After you accept any offered Graduate PLUS Loan funds, the loan will then be subject to lender approval. If credit is denied for the PLUS Loan, you can continue to pursue this loan with an endorser or you can appeal the denial.
Expected Time to Credential and Federal Student Loan Eligibility
Beginning July 1, 2026, new federal student loan limits apply to graduate and professional students, including the elimination of the Graduate PLUS loan. Some students may qualify for an Interim Exception (legacy provision) to these limits if they began their program of study and had a federal Direct Loan disburse for that program on or before June 30, 2026. Please see our Federal Loan Changes section of the website for more information.
This exception is limited to the student’s expected time to credential, which generally refers to the remaining time needed to complete their program, subject to a maximum of three academic years. The calculation may depend on the published length of the program and the portion of the program the student has completed. We are required to calculate your time to credential based on the applicable to your program.
Expected Time to Credential (ETC) is the limited period during which eligible students can continue borrowing under the federal loan rules in place before July 1, 2026. It is based on your program’s published length and how much you completed before that date, up to a maximum of three academic years. Your ETC may end before your actual graduation date. The table below defines the length of each program by semester.
Length of Program by Semester
| Program | Program Credits | Program Length (in semesters) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Education | 51 | 9 |
| Doctor of Clinical Nutrition | 48 | 8 |
| Doctor of Social Work | 45 | 8 |
| Graduate Certificate in Public Health | 18 | 3 |
| Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study | 30 | 5 |
| Certificate of Advances Graduate Study in Educational Leadership | 30 | 5 |
| Post master’s Certificate – Education | 15 | 3 |
| Master of Biomedical Sciences | 30 | 5 |
| Master of Business Administration | 30 | 5 |
| Master of Business Administration Concentration – Healthcare Management | 36 | 6 |
| Master of Public Health | 42 | 7 |
| Master of Science Applied Nutrition | 36 | 6 |
| Master of Science Applied Nutrition – Dietetics | 48 | 6 |
| Master of Science Climate Change Leadership | 30 | 5 |
| Master of Social Work | 60 | 10 |
| Master of Social Work – Advanced Standing | 30 | 5 |
To learn more about how these rules may affect your borrowing eligibility, contact Student Financial Services at sfs@une.edu or call (207) 602-2342.
Schedule of Reductions for Federal Student Loans for Less Than Full-Time Enrollment
Beginning July 1, 2026, federal regulations require a reduction in the annual amount of federal Direct Loans that students may borrow when enrolled less than full-time.
Under this Schedule of Reductions (SOR), your annual federal student loan limit may be reduced in proportion to your enrollment level. The calculation is based on the number of credits you are enrolled in compared with the number of credits considered full-time for the applicable academic year or enrollment period.
What does this mean for you?
- If you enroll less than full-time, you will qualify to borrow less than the usual annual loan limit. The amount you can borrow is calculated based on your enrollment credits and other applicable federal loan eligibility requirements.
- Your eligibility is reviewed and confirmed before each loan disbursement. Changes in enrollment may affect the amount available for a later disbursement within the same academic year.
- Withdrawal from coursework after receiving a federal loan disbursement for applicable charges may impact future loan disbursements in the same academic year.
- Students who qualify for an Interim Exception ("legacy provision") to federal loan limit changes are still subject to the Schedule of Reductions if enrolled less than full-time.
To learn more about how these rules may affect your borrowing eligibility, contact Student Financial Services at sfs@une.edu or call (207) 602-2342.
Private Loans
Private education loans, or alternative loans, are credit-based loans offered by private lenders and are not issued by the federal government. These loans can help bridge the gap between any other financial aid a student receives and the total cost of their education.
Students are strongly encouraged to complete the and utilize all federal and state aid options before pursuing a private loan. It is up to each student to determine the financing option that best meets their needs.
Eligibility for private loans is based on the lender’s credit review and specific terms and conditions. These loans are typically issued in the student’s name and often require a creditworthy cosigner. When exploring private loan options, borrowers should carefully compare interest rates, repayment plans, cosigner release policies, and available deferment or forbearance options, as these can vary from lender to lender.
If you are new to borrowing a private loan, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the application process before making a selection. Please also see list for a loan comparison tool and information on private loan options.
Contact
Student Financial Services
For information about the financial aid and billing process contact Student Financial Services at sfs@une.edu or (207) 602-2342. Our office hours are Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.