There have been important updates for prospective Fellows and new federal loan borrowers beginning July 1, 2026. Please read the One Big Beautiful ACT (OBBA) section on the Applying for Aid page for more information.听
Fellows may be able to meet their full cost of attendance with a combination of funding which may include federal or private education loans, 51黑料 or private outside scholarships, and personal financing.
Federal student loans听are available to domestic Fellows who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. To qualify for federal financial aid, domestic Fellows must:
Federal student loans are not need-based and are available to students regardless of income.听The two types of loans available are as follows:
The section below provides details about both the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.
*The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan will be phased out beginning July 1, 2026, and is only open to existing borrowers.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not need-based and generally available to all domestic Fellows. Interest accrues on the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan as soon as the first disbursement is made to the school. Fellows may opt to pay the interest while in school or allow the interest to capitalize and begin repayment of interest and principal after leaving school.
Direct Loan Amounts
The maximum eligibility for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for graduate students is $20,500 per academic year and a $100,000 lifetime borrowing limit (excluding undergraduate loans).
Loan Fees
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is subject to a loan origination fee of 1.062%, which is deducted by the federal government before the loan is disbursed to the school. Fellows must repay the total amount of the loan, including the origination fee,听plus interest, upon leaving school.
Interest Rates
Interest rates are set by the federal government every July 1 for the upcoming academic year. The interest rate for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2020, and before July 1, 2021, is 5.30%.
Federal Graduate PLUS Loans will be phased out beginning July 1, 2026. After this date, Graduate PLUS Loans will not be available for new borrowers.
Graduate students initially enrolled in or prior to the 2025-26 academic year have an additional federal loan option to assist with the costs of a graduate education. These students may borrow a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan to cover their cost of attendance less the amount of their Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and any other financial aid, including scholarships. The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan requires credit approval or an endorser with good credit.
The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan accrues interest as soon as the first disbursement is made to the school. There is no grace period for repayment.
Loan Fees
The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is subject to a loan origination fee of 4.24%. Borrowers must repay the total loan amount, including the origination fees,听plus interest.
Interest Rate
The interest rate on Federal Graduate PLUS Loans disbursed between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021 is 5.30%.
Fellows will have a six-month grace period before loan repayment begins on the Federal Direct听Unsubsidized听Loan.听There is no grace period on the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.听There are several repayment options available to borrowers. For complete information on student loan repayment, visit听. To calculate an estimate of your student loan payment and various repayment options visit听.
Tracking Your Federal Student Loans
Fellows are encouraged to track and monitor their student loans using the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)听(), a centralized database of borrowers鈥� federal loan history and interest rates.
FSA Ombudsman
The Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman听() is available to assist federal loan borrowers resolve disputes regarding their loans. While the Ombudsman cannot reverse a decision made by another party, they will assist borrowers as neutral third-party position that can recommend solutions. If they determine that you have been treated unfairly, they will work on your behalf to fix the problem with other agencies.
There are several U.S. based educational loans available to international students with a U.S. co-signer. These loans generally require a co-signer who is a legal resident of the United States with good credit.
You can compare private loans from multiple lenders using the听听tool, which displays a neutral list (in random order) of private lenders that 51黑料 Fellows have borrowed from within the past three years.鈥�51黑料 does not prefer, recommend, promote, endorse or suggest any of these lenders.
You are not required to use any of the lenders listed on听. 51黑料 will process loans from any eligible lender a Fellow chooses. 51黑料 may not deny or otherwise impede the borrower鈥檚 choice of a lender or cause unnecessary delay in loan certification for borrowers who choose a lender not listed on听.
Some states offer alternative student loan options specifically for their residents. If you are a resident of one of these states, click on the name of the site to research available opportunities or call the number provided.
| State | Telephone Number |
| (800) 441-2962 | |
| (800) 935-2275 | |
| (800) 243-7552 | |
| (800) 228-3734 | |
| (800) 266-0243 | |
| (800) 657-3866 | |
| (800) 472-2166 | |
| (800) 792-8670 | |
| (800) 758-7562 |
Private scholarship funding opportunities may be available in your home country or from private organizations. For a list of some scholarship resources for international Fellows, visit our scholarship page听here.
