Current Students - Heritage Christian University

Satisfactory Academic Progress Reminder

To be eligible for federal student aid, a student must show academic progress toward a stated degree goal. HCU checks academic progress at the end of each semester. Students who fail to meet the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress will be placed on suspension and will no longer be eligible to receive financial aid. Students may re-establish their eligibility for financial aid consideration through the appeal process or by improving their academic standing in subsequent evaluation periods to satisfy the qualitative and quantitative sections of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. It is highly advisable that all students familiarize themselves with the University’s policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Loan Entrance Counseling For Federal Direct Loans

Students borrowers must complete the mandatory Loan Entrance Counseling. It is the student’s (not the parent’s) responsibility to complete this process. When the loan entrance counseling session is complete, HCU will be sent an electronic confirmation. It normally takes 48 to 72 hours.

Steps to complete the loan Entrance Counseling. This must be completed in one sitting as there is not an option to save the session and return later.

Sign In using your FSA ID. Don’t have an FSA ID? Create one now.
Select Complete Entrance Counseling.
Select your grade level. (Undergraduate or Graduate/Professional)
Complete the session/quiz.
Keep a copy of the completion for your records.

*Contact the Office of Financial Aid for assistance, questions about financial aid, or to inquire about the current
status of your FAFSA® and/or awards.

Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)

The MPN is the borrower’s promise to repay all student loans granted under this MPN. Signing the MPN does not obligate the borrower to take out a loan. The borrower is only responsible for loan funds they “Accept” each year.

Who Must Complete a New MPN

Students borrowers attending HCU for the first time
First time borrowers
Parent PLUS loan borrowers (for their Undergraduate student)

Undergraduate students click HERE to Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Graduate students click HERE to Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Parent of Undergraduate students click HERE to Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).

The student borrower must log in using their own FSA ID
The parent borrower must log in using their own (not the student’s) FSA ID for the Direct Parent PLUS loan
Follow progress bar to complete and submit MPN

Always use your full legal name and SSN as it appears on your social security card for the FAFSA®, MPN, FSA ID, and any loan documents. You must update any name changes before completing these documents.

If your first or last name has changed, you should change it with the Social Security Administration (SSA) first. Once the change is processed, you can change your name by visiting “Personal Information” in your StudentAid.gov account Settings. Once the changes are submitted, you’ll receive this message: “By updating your name, date of birth, or SSN, your SSA verification status will be changed to “pending”. This will cause you to temporarily lose access to most of your account, including your Aid Summary, ability to make payments, and your past FAFSA® applications.”

Then you’ll have to wait one to three days for the SSA to confirm that your name change matches its records. Once this has been completed, you will regain full access your StudentAid.gov account.

Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling

If you were a student borrower of a Federal Stafford Subsidized, Unsubsidized loan, Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and are graduating soon, leaving school or dropping below half-time, you are required to complete the Loan Exit Counseling session. Click HERE to complete the Loan Exit Counseling.

You are not required to notify HCU when you have completed the loan exit counseling session UNLESS you are graduating. If you have filed an Intent to Graduate with the Office of the Registrar, completing the Loan Exit Counseling session is a required part of the intent to graduate process and you must notify the Office of Financial Aid when you have completed it.

Loan Repayment Options

Depending on your financial circumstances during repayment, you may want to consider different repayment options. There are several flexible options. Click HERE for Loan Repayment Plans, to access the Loan Simulator to compare different repayment plans and see estimates for how much you would pay monthly and overall.

NOTE: Never pay an outside company for help with your federal student loans. Your loan servicer (SEE BELOW) will help you for FREE. Contact your loan servicer to apply for income-driven repayment plans, student loan forgiveness, and more.

Public Loan Forgiveness Program

If you are employed by a not-for-profit organization, time spent on religious instruction, worship services, or any form of proselytizing as a part of your job responsibilities may be counted toward meeting the full-time employment requirement. In addition, some potential employers may also have loan forgiveness programs, be sure to add this item to the list of benefits you’re considering when accepting employment. Click HERE for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

Loan Consolidation Questions?

You may want to consider consolidating your loans. There is no application fee to consolidate your federal education loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan. A Direct Consolidation Loan allows you to consolidate (combine) one or more federal education loans into a new Direct Consolidation Loan for the purpose of lowering your monthly payment amount or gaining access to federal forgiveness programs. Click HERE for more information.

Loan Servicer

Avoid paying for federal student loan assistance. Do not pay to receive help with consolidating your federal student loans, setting up a repayment plan, or apply for the loan forgiveness program. These services and more can be completed by your Loan Servicer for free! If you are contacted by a company asking you to pay for these services, you should walk away. Click HERE to learn about the role that student loan servicers play in the repayment process and which servicer handles your federal student loans.

Cohort Default Rates

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) publishes cohort default rates based on the percentage of a school’s borrowers who enter repayment on Direct Loan Program loans during a federal fiscal year (October 1–September 30) and default before the end of the second following fiscal year. Click HERE to see the published cohort default rates for Heritage Christian University.