Federal Direct Loans

Entrance Counseling

All federal Direct loan borrowers are required to complete an entrance counseling requirement.  We recommend that you complete this requirement online.  The entrance counseling session provides you with information about your rights and responsibilities as a borrower.  After reading the information, you will be quizzed on your knowledge. 

Note: If you completed the entrance counseling requirement in a prior academic year at Stanford, you do not need to complete the requirement again.

The Stanford Financial Aid Office will be notified when you have completed your online entrance counseling.  You will not receive any disbursements of your federal Direct loan until you have completed your entrance counseling requirement.  To complete the requirement, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Direct Loan website at http://StudentLoans.gov/. 
   
   
   


2. Click on the green “Sign In” button.
3. Log in with your Social Security number and FAFSA PIN number.  You will see a screen with these options:
   
   


4. Click on "Complete Entrance Counseling."  Follow the prompts until you reach the School and Loan Information screen.
5. For School State, select CALIFORNIA.
6. For School Name, select STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
   
   
   

   DO NOT select the STANFORD GSB, STANFORD LAW, or STANFORD MED options as these are meant for students at Stanford’s professional schools. Note: Ph.D. students at the Medical School should select STANFORD UNIVERSITY, not STANFORD MED.

7. Work through the entrance counseling information, responding to the quiz questions along the way. When you have finished, Stanford Financial Aid Office will be notified.
   
   If you have questions about the Entrance Counseling process, you can call Direct Loan Applicant Services at (800) 557-7394 or contact the Stanford Financial Aid Office.
   
   NOTE: If you have not already done so, please also complete your federal Direct loan Master Promissory Note (MPN).