Private Education Loan Information
With the signing of the Big Beautiful Bill on July 4, 2025, the Graduate PLUS Loan program has been eliminated nationwide. However, the federal unsubsidized loan is available, and, if they are eligible, students have been offered this loan option in their financial aid offer.
Students will now need to secure a private educational loan to cover remaining tuition, fees, and living expenses, after factoring in the unsubsidized loan amount and any scholarships received. Before proceeding with the steps outlined below, please ensure that you have submitted your and that you have received and can access your financial aid offer.
Private Loan Process for É«½äÖ±²¥
The steps below are for students who will utilize a private loan for the 2026–2027 academic year. Please follow the steps to ensure the loan is processed smoothly and on time.
1. Review the Financial Aid Offer
Start by ensuring the student’s official financial aid offer is readily available. The financial aid offer is in the student’s Admissions decision status page and in .
To view the official financial aid offer in É«½äÖ±²¥Hub, follow this navigation after logging in: Locate Financials and click View Financial Aid. Alternatively, the financial aid offer letter can be found in on the Communication History page under the My Information section. The financial aid offer will display the total amounts offered for the year and the disbursement breakdown per semester. This will be needed to complete Step 2.
2. Complete the Required Private Loan Tool Excel Spreadsheet
Select the spreadsheet for your program below and complete it with the requested information.
3. Submit the Private Loan Tool Spreadsheet to SON Financial Aid
Email the completed spreadsheet to SON_finaid@dm.duke.edu for review.
4. Search for Private Educational Loan lenders
Students may reference , but are not required to use any lender on that list. Students are free to use any preferred bank or private lender of choice.
5. Apply to Selected Lenders
Students should Apply to as many lenders as possible at once, as this allows for multiple rate options, and students will incur only one hard credit inquiry.
6. Compare Loan Offers
Review each lender’s approval carefully—interest rates, repayment terms, borrower benefits, and cosigner requirements—to determine the best option.
7. Complete the Lender’s Required Paperwork
Choose a lender and complete all forms and documentation required. Missing or incomplete paperwork can delay your loan certification.
8. Lender Sends Certification Request to É«½äÖ±²¥
After the paperwork is complete, the lender will send a loan certification request directly to É«½äÖ±²¥ University.
9. School Certifies the Loan
The financial aid office will certify the loan based on the Private Loan Tool Excel spreadsheet completed and submitted in steps 2-3. If the lender’s requested amount does not match the amount on the student spreadsheet, the office will contact you via email for clarification.
10. Accept the Certified PrivateLoan in É«½äÖ±²¥Hub
Once the loan is certified, students will receive an email prompting them to accept the loan in . After the loan is accepted,an email will be sent prompting the student to complete a Qualtrics certification form. This will need to be completed once a year. These steps are essential—your loan cannot be disbursed until it is accepted.
11. Bursar Receives Notification of Pending Funds
After the student accepts the loan, the is automatically notified of the pending funding and will not request payment of that amount.
Personal Finance Office
The Personal Finance Office provides comprehensive guidance to assist graduate and professional students in navigating the private loan process. Their resources are as follows:
- Research Private Lenders
- Identify Your Loan Options
- Access Additional Loan Resources
- For more information, please visit the .