Graduate students at The George Washington University may borrow up to $20,500 in Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan funds per academic year based on the number of credit hours for which they plan to enroll and the number of months in their selected loan period.  Students who feel they need more than the $20,500 maximum may wish to seek a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan or private alternative loan to further finance their educational costs. Students working on a Graduate Degree in Public Health or Health Administration, or a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology may have higher annual and aggregate Federal Direct Stafford loan limits.  More information regarding this additional eligibility is available online here.

To be eligible for Federal Direct Stafford or Federal Direct Graduate PLUS, a student must be attending at least half-time, and admitted to a degree seeking graduate program, or a graduate certificate program which their school has deemed eligible under federal Gainful Employment regulations.  If your certificate program is not eligible, we can certify private alternative loans only.  Please see section on Private Alternative Loans. 

The student is responsible for the interest which accrues at 6.8% on an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan while they are in school. 

All first-time borrowers at GW must complete a Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Interview regarding their rights and responsibilities.  These can be completed online. 
 
Federal regulations further require that all borrowers complete an Exit Interview before they graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time enrollment.  Exit loan counseling is completed online  online.

Students in Health Professions

Students working on Graduate degrees in the health professions fields displayed below are eligible to borrow up to a total of $37,167 in Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford funding per Academic Year. The amount you are eligible for is determined by the number of credits for which you plan to enroll and the number of months in your selected loan period as stated on your Loan Questionnaire.

Eligible Programs:

Master of Science in Public Health Microbiology & Emerging Infectious Diseases

Master of Health Services Administration

Master of Public Health: Biostatistics

Master of Public Health: Community Oriented Primary Care

Master of Public Health: Environmental Health Science and Policy

Master of Public Health: Epidemiology

Master of Public Health: Global Health

Master of Public Health: Global Health Epidemiology
 
Master of Public Health: Health Policy

Master of Public Health: Health Promotion 

Master of Public Health: Maternal and Child Health
 
Master of Public Health: Physical Activity in Public Health

Master of Public Health: Public Health Communication and Marketing

Master of Public Health: Public Health Management 

PhD in Public Health: Environmental and Occupational Health
 
PhD in Public Health: Global Health

PhD in Public Health: Health Behavior

PhD in Public Health: Health Policy
 
PhD and PsyD in Clinical Psychology

Please note that if you are in the Physician Assistant program, you are eligible for these limits ONLY IF you are in a joint MPH program with one of the above majors. Physical Therapy students are NOT eligible.