GRADUATE HRD AND MPA FINANCIAL AID PROCESS
GRADUATE ONLINE HRD AND MPA STUDENTS
Graduate students pursuing a Master of Science in Human Resource Development or a Master in Public Administration at Villanova University are eligible for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan through the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program.
Matriculated students in a graduate degree-seeking program are eligible to borrow up to $20,500 in the Direct Unsubsidized Loan each academic year. The annual loan limit for graduate and professional students is $20,500. The total lifetime aggregate limit is $138,500.
The Direct Unsubsidized Loans for graduate students accrue a variable-fixed interest rate. This means new rates are set each July 1st, but once established apply to the life of the loan. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the interest rate is 7.05%. Direct Unsubsidized Loans will disburse equally for each session a student is enrolled in the academic year. An origination fee will be deducted from the gross amount of loan borrowed from each disbursement. For loans first disbursed on or after 10/1/20 the fee is 1.057%.
If the Direct Unsubsidized loans do not fully cover a student's educational costs, students can consider a Direct Graduate PLUS loan. Direct Loans cannot be used to finance retroactive balances from previous sessions, semesters, or academic years. More information about the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program including fees, aggregate loan limits, repayment, and Direct Loan Consolidation is available on our website.
To apply for financial aid for the 2023-2024 academic year, a student will need to do the following:
Complete a 2023-2024 FAFSA online at studentaid.gov with Villanova’s school code 003388.
After reviewing your FAFSA information, matriculation status, and enrollment, the Office of Financial Assistance will notify you of your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan eligibility by sending an email to your Villanova University email account. The email will include instructions on how to view your awards in the MyNova student portal.
Once the Direct Unsubsidized Loan has been awarded, there are two requirements students need to complete in order for the loan funds to disburse:
- Complete Entrance Counseling at https://studentloans.gov
- Sign a Master Promissory Note for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan at https://studentloans.gov
Villanova University will be notified automatically once both requirements are complete.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds are required to pay directly to students’ Villanova University accounts in equal disbursements. A loan disbursement is scheduled to pay each 8-week session a student is enrolled. Please review your Direct Loan Disclosure Notice for your disbursement dates and schedule. Loan funds disburse directly to the student’s account at Villanova during the second week of each session, after the drop period has ended. Please view the Disbursements and Refunds webpage for additional information.
If a student "sits out" or misses two 8-week sessions in a row, all future disbursements will be cancelled. A student must then contact the Office of Financial Assistance in writing if she or he plans to re-enroll so the Office of Financial Assistance can review for a Direct Loan reinstatement.
Once a loan disbursement has arrived at Villanova, the Office of Financial Assistance will conduct a review of the student’s financial aid award. This review ensures the cost of attendance matches the student’s original plan of enrollment, and that any outside sources of aid, tuition discount, or employer tuition assistance, etc. have been included as resources for the student. The Office of Financial Assistance also reviews to ensure the student is enrolled for the specific session the loan disbursement was received.
**Please Note: The Office of Financial Assistance cannot accommodate requests for unequal disbursements.
To maintain financial aid eligibility from year to year, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress, or “SAP.” SAP is reviewed annually at the end of the Spring II term. Please review the SAP policy online.