Entrance Loan Counseling

Students who will be borrowing a federal loan for the first time (i.e., Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loan or Health Professions Student Loan) at UC Berkeley must complete an Entrance Loan Counseling prior to loan disbursement.  This requirement is mandated by federal regulation.

The Entrance Loan Counseling gives us and the Department of Education the opportunity to inform you of your rights and responsibilities as a recipient of a federal student loan.  Likewise, it gives you the chance to make sure you understand the terms and conditions of the loan and to seek answers to any questions you might have before incurring a debt.  So, even though it’s a federal requirement, we think it’s also a good idea!

As you go through the loan process, it’s a good idea to create a loan file for your personal record keeping.  Place a copy of the completed Entrance form in your file along with copies of your promissory notes and other loan information.  Use this file to store all future materials, documents and correspondences related to your federal student loans.

Please refer to the information below for each type of loan that you plan to borrow.