Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans

Office of Financial Aid

All eligible students may apply for the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan for up to the amount shown on their financial aid offer.

How to apply


1. Request loan amount

Request your Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan amount online through Hamline's WorkDay by following the steps below:

  • Log into your Workday account and select the Finances icon
  • Select Accept/Decline Award found in the bottom right:
    • Complete Academic Unit as Hamline University
    • Choose Award Aid Year
  • Decide how much of your Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan you wish to borrow for the academic year:
    • Under the Decision field, select Accept, Accept Partial, or Decline. This must be done for all terms displayed.
    • If you select Accept Partial, you will need to indicate the dollar amount that you would like to accept. Keep in mind that you will need to accept the same dollar amount in each academic term listed. Any eligibility not accepted here will be repackaged in an Offered Status at a later date, if you wish.
    • Select "Done."
  • Do not make an online adjustment to a loan that you have previously accepted, as this may inadvertently reduce your loan differently than expected.
  • If you would like to reduce the loan amount that you have accepted for the fall 2022 term or later, please complete the 2022–2023 loan revision request form

2. Complete a master promissory note

First time Hamline borrowers must complete a new MPN on studentaid.gov. You will need your FSA ID to sign in and complete the MPN. Please pay attention to the different types of loan MPNs.

3. Entrance counseling

First-time borrowers must complete a Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Entrance Counseling online. The average Hamline Undergraduate student Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loan debt is $23,829. The average Hamline Master and Doctorate student Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loan debt is $29,573. You may use the Loan Simulator on studentaid.gov to determine your estimated loan payments.

4. Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement (OPTIONAL)

The Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement is for student and parent borrowers who are accepting Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, PLUS Loans for Parents, or PLUS Loans for Graduate/Professional Students. It will take around 10 minutes to complete the Acknowledgement. Within the Annual Student Loan. Borrowers can view how much they currently owe in loans, their progress toward aggregate loan and grant limits (if applicable), and access content surrounding smart borrowing, interest rates, and payments.

In order to fill out the Acknowledgement, you will need your Verified FSA ID.

If this is your first time accepting a federal student loan, you are acknowledging that you understand your responsibility to repay your loan. You will also need to know the school name, the degree name, and the field of academic program.

If you already have existing federal student loans, you are acknowledging that you understand how much you owe and how much more you can borrow.

Loan fees

The loan fee is a processing fee the lender takes out from the loan prior to each disbursement sent to Hamline. For loans with a first disbursement paid to Hamline between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2025, the fee is 1.057% of the amount requested.

Subsidized* versus unsubsidized

Subsidized* loans

  • Only available to undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, online bachelor's degree completion, undergraduate certificates, and licensure students
  • Loan amount dependent on income (need-based)
  • Interest-free until the repayment period
  • Repayment starts six months after student drops below half-time status
  • Interest rate for loans disbursed July 1, 2023 through July 1, 2024 is 5.50%

  • Interest rates for loans disbursed July 1, 2024 through July 1, 2025 is 6.533%

Unsubsidized loans

  • Available to undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, online bachelor's degree completion, undergraduate certificates, licensure, masters, graduate certificates, and doctorate students
  • Loan amount not dependent on income (not need-based)
  • Interest starts once loan has been paid to the student
  • Interest can be paid while in school or student can wait until repayment starts (talk to loan servicer for info about in-school payments)
  • Repayment starts six months after student drops below half-time status
  • Undergraduate interest rate for loans disbursed July 1, 2023 through July 1, 2024 is 5.50%

  • Undergraduate interest rate for loans disbursed July 1, 2024 through July 1, 2025 is 6.533%

  • Graduate and doctorate interest rate for loans disbursed July 1, 2023 through July 1, 2024 is 7.05%

  • Graduate and doctorate interest rate for loans disbursed July 1, 2024 through July 1, 2025 is 8.083%

Annual and aggregate loan limits by student type

Year Dependent undergraduate* students Independent undergraduate* students Master, graduate certificates, and doctorate students
First year $5,500 including a max of $3,500 in subsidized** $9,500 including a max of $3,500 in subsidized** $20,500 unsubsidized
Second year $6,500 including a max of $4,500 in subsidized** $10,500 including a max of $4,500 in subsidized** $20,500 unsubsidized
Third year and each year after*** $7,500 including a max of $5,500 in subsidized** $12,500 including a max of $5,500 in subsidized** $20,500 unsubsidized
Subsidized**/unsubsidized
loan lifetime limits
$31,000 including a max of $23,000 in subsidized** $57,500 including a max of $23,000 in subsidized**

$138,500 including a max of $65,500 in subsidized

The graduate debt limit INCLUDES loans received from undergrad.

*Online bachelor's degree completion follow the undergraduate aggregate loan limits

**Time limitation (150%): Students can only receive subsidized loans for 150% of the published length of the borrower's educational program (assuming the borrower hasn't reached their annual or aggregate limit listed above). For example, a student in a four year program can only receive subsidized loans for six years at most. Please view this on the Federal Student Aid website for more information.

***Post-baccalaureate students, including initial teaching licensure not in the MAT program, follow the undergraduate loan limits for third year.

To learn more about student loan repayment, please visit the Make a Student Loan Payment page under the "Manage Loans" tab on StudentAid.gov.

Enrollment status

Program types Enrollment status Credit requirement
Undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, online bachelor's degree completion, and teaching licensure Half-time* At least 6 credits per semester
Full-time At least 12 credits per semester
State grant At least 15 credits per semester for full award
Master, graduate certificates, and doctorate programs Half-time At least 4 credits per semester
Full-time At least 8 credits per semester

Half-time status is a requirement for all federal and some alternative student loans. Only courses required for your program count in the financial aid enrollment status.