What is a Direct Subsidized Loan?

A Direct Subsidized Loan is a federal student loan that is available to undergraduate and certain graduate students with financial need.

Checkout this video:

What is a Direct Subsidized Loan?

A Direct Subsidized Loan is a type of federal student loan that helps students with financial need pay for their education. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while the student is in school, during the grace period, and during deferment periods.

What are the benefits of a Direct Subsidized Loan?

The Direct Subsidized Loan is a need-based loan available to eligible undergraduate students to help pay for college or career school. These loans are provided by the U.S. Department of Education and they offer several advantages, including:
-Low, fixed interest rates
-No fees
-R deferred payment option

To be eligible for a Direct Subsidized Loan, you must:
-Demonstrate financial need
-Be enrolled at least half time in an eligible degree or certificate program at a school that participates in the Direct Loan Program
-Be a U.S. Citizen or National, a U.S. permanent resident, or have an eligible non-citizen status

If you are not sure if you meet the eligibility requirements, you can contact your school’s financial aid office for more information.

How do I qualify for a Direct Subsidized Loan?

A Direct Subsidized Loan is a federal student loan that is available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. To qualify, you must also be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree or certificate program.

You will not be charged interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while you are in school at least half-time, during your grace period, or during any deferment periods.

How much can I borrow with a Direct Subsidized Loan?

The amount you can borrow each academic year (annual loan limit) is determined by your grade level and dependency status.

#####Dependency Status#####
-If you’re a dependent undergraduate student, your annual loan limit is:
-$5,500—No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
-$9,500—No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
-$12,500—No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
-$20,500—No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
-If you’re an independent undergraduate student or a dependent student whose parents can’t get PLUS Loans, your annual loan limit is:
-$9,500—No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
-$12,500—No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. If you’re a first-year independent undergraduate student or a first-year dependent student whose parents can’t get PLUS Loans and you’re enrolled in a health professions program that lasts at least five years, the annual loan limit for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans combined is increased to:
-$20,500 for second-year students; with no more than $8,500 from Direct Subsidized Loans; or
-$21,250 for third-year and fourth-year students; with no more than $8,750 from Direct Subsidized Loans.

Applying for a Direct Subsidized Loan

A Direct Subsidized Loan is a type of federal student loan that helps undergraduate and certain graduate students pay for their educational expenses. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while the student is in school at least half-time, during the grace period, and during deferment periods.

How do I apply for a Direct Subsidized Loan?

To apply for a Direct Subsidized Loan, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. You can complete the FAFSA form online at fafsa.gov. Once you have completed the FAFSA form, your school’s financial aid office will determine whether you are eligible for a Direct Subsidized Loan based on your financial need. If you are eligible, your school will include the loan in your financial aid award package.

What are the eligibility requirements for a Direct Subsidized Loan?

To be eligible for a Direct Subsidized Loan, you must:
-Be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree or certificate program at a school that participates in the Direct Loan Program
-Demonstrate financial need, as determined by your school’s financial aid office
-Not be in default on any federal student loans or owe money on a federal grant
-Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen

What are the interest rates for a Direct Subsidized Loan?

The interest rate for a Direct Subsidized Loan is fixed and will not change for the life of the loan. The interest rate is set at the time the loan is first disbursed and will depend on the loan type and disbursement date. For loans first disbursed between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, the interest rate is 2.75%.

What are the repayment options for a Direct Subsidized Loan?

Repayment for Direct Subsidized Loans first begins six months after you graduate, fall below half-time enrollment, or leave school. You will have up to 10 years to repay your loan in full. During repayment, you can choose from the following repayment plans:

Standard Repayment Plan: Under this plan, your monthly payments will be a fixed amount each month for up to 10 years. This is the repayment option that will result in you paying the least amount of interest over the life of the loan.

Graduated Repayment Plan: With this plan, your monthly payments start out low and then increase every two years. Your payments will never be more than three times greater than any other payment during the life of the loan, and you will have up to 10 years to repay your loan in full.

Extended Repayment Plan: If you have more than $30,000 in outstanding Direct Subsidized Loans or Direct Unsubsidized Loans, you may qualify for this plan. Under this plan, you can extend your repayment period to up to 25 years. Your monthly payments may be fixed or graduated under this plan.

Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR): If you are having difficulty making your monthly payments, you may want to consider this plan. To qualify for IBR, your adjusted gross income (AGI) must be less than 150% of the poverty line for your family size and state of residence. Your monthly payment amount will never exceed what it would have been had you chosen the Standard Repayment Plan and repaid your loans over a 10-year period. Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if it is not fully repaid after 25 years under IBR.

Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE): This repayment option is similar to IBR; however, only borrowers who are new Direct Loan borrowers as of Oct. 1, 2007 AND who also have a partial financial hardship are eligible for PAYE. In addition, your AGI must be less than 10% above the poverty line for your family size and state or residency in order to qualify for PAYE. Like IBR, any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if it is not fully repaid after 20 or 25 years (depending on when you received your first Direct Loan).

Income-Contingent Repayment Plan (ICR): This repayment option is available for all federal student loans; however, only parent PLUS Loan borrowers and Consolidation Loan borrowers (including those with Direct Subsidized Loans or Direct Unsubsidized Loans) who do not qualify for either PAYE or IBR can choose ICR as their repayment option. Under ICR, both your monthly payment amount and repayment period are based on two factors – (1) the total amount of money you owe and (2) how much money you earn each year when making payments under ICR – so as your earnings rise or fall each year after graduation while making payments under ICR so does usuallyyour monthly payment amount goes up or down accordingly). Like PAYE and IBR , any outstanding balance on a Direct Consolidation Loan made under either ICR OR FFELP consolidation made under Standard Payment based upon weighted average interest rates at consolidation that is not fully repaid after 25 years of qualifying repayments will be forgiven .

Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness

The Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness program is a federal government initiative that forgives the debt of Direct Subsidized Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made. This program is available to borrowers who are employed full-time by a qualifying public service organization.

What are the requirements for Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness?

In order to qualify for Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness, you must make 120 on-time, full payments on your Direct Subsidized Loans after October 1, 2007. These payments can be made while you are in school, during your grace period, or during any type of deferment or forbearance.

How do I apply for Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness?

There are two ways to apply for Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness:

1. You can submit the application online through the Department of Education’s website.

2. You can print out the application and submit it by mail.

The mailing address is:

Direct Loan Servicing Center
P.O. Box 5609
Greenville, TX 75403-5609

What are the tax implications of Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness?

The tax implications of Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness depend on the particular program you are enrolled in. For example, if you are enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, any forgiven loan amount will not be considered taxable income. However, if you are not enrolled in a specific loan forgiveness program, the forgiven loan amount may be considered taxable income. You should consult with a tax advisor to determine the specific tax implications of Direct Subsidized Loan Forgiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Direct Subsidized Loan is a federal student loan that helps pay for your education. Eligible students can borrow up to $5,500 for the first year of study, and up to $8,500 for subsequent years of study. The interest rate is fixed and the repayment period is up to 10 years.

What is the difference between a Direct Subsidized Loan and a Direct Unsubsidized Loan?

A Direct Subsidized Loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. For a Direct Subsidized Loan, the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest that accrues while you are in school at least half-time, during your grace period, and during any deferment periods.

You are not responsible for paying the interest that accrues on a Direct Unsubsidized Loan during any of these periods; however, if you choose not to pay the interest as it accrues, it will be capitalized (added to your principal balance), and the total amount you have to repay will be greater.

Can I have both a Direct Subsidized Loan and a Direct Unsubsidized Loan?

Yes. You can have both types of loans at the same time.

How do I know if I have a Direct Subsidized Loan?

If you borrowed any federal student loans for the first time on or after July 1, 2010, they’re all Direct Loans.

If you’re not sure whether your federal student loans are Direct Loans or FFEL Program Loans, log in to “My Federal Student Aid” at https://studentaid.gov/h/manage-loans to find out.

I have a Direct Subsidized Loan from before July 1, 2010. Will my interest be subsidized?

Yes, if you have a Direct Subsidized Loan from before July 1, 2010, your interest will continue to be subsidized until you enter repayment or you reenter repayment after a period of deferment or forbearance.