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 "Login In" button.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Enter your FSA ID username and password. If you do not have one, click the link for "Create an FSA ID" and follow the instructions. Once you have successfully logged in, you will see a screen with these options:
   
   
   
   
   
4. Under "Choose Loan Counseling Type," find the "Entrance Counseling" item, and click the button for "Start Entrance Counseling":
   
   
   
   
   
5. In the "Select Schools to Notify" section, use the drop-down menus to select School State: CALIFORNIA and School Name: 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. Confirm that the correct School Code/Branch and School Address are displayed, then click "Notify This School":
   
   
   
   
   
6. Next, click the appropriate button under "Select Student Type," then click Continue:
   
   
   
   

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, 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).