Entrance Counseling
Students who will be borrowing a federal loan for the first time (i.e., 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 recordkeeping. 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:
| Loan Type | Contact Information |
|---|---|
| Health Professions (HPSL) |
Billing Servicer: Heartland ECSI For more information, please contact 1 888 549 3274 option 2, 4, 1 Lender: University of California, Berkeley 510 642 2157 entrance_mpn@berkeley.edu (for your security, please do not send sensitive information to this e-mail address) |
| Federal Direct Loan |
Lender and Billing Servicer: US Department of Education Federal Student Aid For more information, please contact the Loan Servicing Center:
|
Exit Counseling
If you graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time registration status, and you have borrowed a Federal Direct, Health Professions, or Perkins loan, you must complete the Exit Loan Counseling requirement. This is an opportunity to remind yourself of your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower. In turn, you must provide your lender with certain information about your plans after you leave school (for example, your current address, your expected employer, two personal references, etc.).
Completing the Exit requirement is only one step in keeping your loans in good standing. Remember that student loan indebtedness is reported to credit agencies. Until your loan is paid in full, you should continue to communicate with your lender regarding any changes in your address, school enrollment status, or questions about making repayment.
If you do not know what type of loans you borrowed while in attendance at UC Berkeley, please visit the US Department of Education Federal Student Aid website. You may also call the Customer Service Center:
- (800) 4 FED AID (1 800 433 3243)
- TTY users (for the hearing impaired) can call 1 800 730 8913
Please refer to the information below for each type of loan that you plan to borrow:
| Loan Type | Contact Information |
|---|---|
|
Federal Perkins Health Professions (HPSL) |
Billing Servicer: Heartland ECSI Lender: University of California, Berkeley 510 642 2157 |
| Federal Direct Loan |
Lender and Billing Servicer: US Department of Education Federal Student Aid For more information, please contact the Loan Servicing Center:
|