William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program is the name of the program that allows every student who is eligible to borrow loans from Federal Government, the one that provides low interest rate in addition to beneficial repayment options.
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program is divided into some, as follows:
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: This one is described as a subsidized federal loan that is intended for every student who eligible to cover the costs at a four year institution, community college, or vocational school. The only ones who eligible are the students that have demonstrated financial. It should be noted that the amount is determined by the school. While the students are studying in school and they get a grace period of six months after graduating, the US Department of Education will be in charge of paying the interest on the loan.
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: When compared to the Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, it is different as it is no need for the students to demonstrate the financial need and they are the ones that responsible for paying interest on loan during all periods, instead of the Us Department of Education. In case one of the students refuses to pay the interest while in school, then the interest will accumulate and be added to the principal.
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan: The Federal Direct PLUS Loan is the kind of loan that is intended for the graduate or professional students and parents of undergraduate students. This one can be used to pay for the education expenses that are not covered by the financial aid. While credit is necessary, this loan is not based on the financial need. The ones who eligible are determined by the school. After signing, it means the students have entered into a legally binding agreement to repay all the loans. In the case of Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, the parents are able to authorize the school to use the loan for the other changes related to the education after tuition, room and board.
- Federal Direct Consolidation Loans: With the Federal Direct Consolidation Loans, the students have a chance to combine more than one loan into a single loan without having to pay additional fee. Basically, the students who have more than one loan can combine multiple monthly payments into one monthly payment at the average of the loans being combined. While it sounds good, there is a disadvantage, which is the inability to lower the interest rates. Talking about the interest rate, it is equal to a weighted average of the interest rates on the current federal student loans, rounded up to the nearest 1/8%.
If you want to be eligible for William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans, it is must for you to be a citizen of the United States. Actually, it is also possible for non-citizen to apply for this as long as you are eligible. Besides, you will also have to be admitted and enrolled as a matriculated student; have completed the FAFSA process; be registered for a minimum of six credits per semester in order to apply and you also have to maintain enrollment in a minimum of six credits at the time the check is disbursed; and be making satisfactory academic profess for federal student aid.
If you think that you are eligible, it is time for you to apply for William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans by following the instructions to do so. The method to apply for the loan may be a slightly different, depending on the university or college you are studying. If you are from New York City College of Technology or City Tech, here is step by step to follow to apply for William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans:
- The first thing that you need to do is to login to CUNYfirst.
- After logging in, you have to choose Campus Solutions from the left menu.
- Then, navigate to Self Service followed by Student Center.
- In the Finances section, do not forget to click on the Direct Loan Processing form link.
- The fifth step is to choose College (NYT01) Year (2022).
- It is time for you to indicate the amount that you want to apply for. You can do it based on your academic level and dependency status.
- The last thing that you have to do is to indicate the number of credits that you are taking for the semester that you want to apply for. Remember to not try to apply if you not enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits.
It is stated that a student will always be certified for their Subsidized loan maximum prior to being certified for an Unsubsidized loan. Usually, the loans will be paid in at least two equal disbursements.
It is worth noting that the application of the loans will not be awarded or originated if it is not submitted and all the issues are not resolved by the deadline dates or by the last day of the attendance within the academic year. If you have no idea about the deadline dates, here are them:
- Summer 2021 only loan: August 13, 2021
- Summer 2021 or fall 2021 loan: December 8, 2021
- Fall 2021 only loan: December 8, 2021
- Fall 2021 or spring 2022 loan: June 6, 2022
- Spring 2022 only loan: June 6, 2022
- Summer 2021 or fall 2021 or spring 2022: June 6, 2022
After submitting an application for William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans, please wait for 3-4 weeks for it to be processed. After getting sent, it will be reviewed, processed, and electronically transmitted to the federal processor to be approved. If you want to know about the status of your loan, you are suggested to check your CITY TECH email regularly.
If the information about William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and the method to apply for it explained above is not clear or not enough, please go to the official website of Federal Student Aid at www.studenaid.gov.
