Posted Date:June 6, 2018
| Author: | Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Changes to Availability of Paper Direct Loan Counseling Guides and Direct Loan Master Promissory Notes
In a May 23, 2018 Electronic Announcement posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website, we informed the community that after August 30, 2018, the Department of Education (the Department) will no longer print or deliver Federal Student Aid (FSA) publications. In some cases, printed materials may become unavailable prior to August 30, 2018; specifically, paper Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and Direct Loan Exit Counseling materials will be unavailable after June 30, 2018.
In this announcement, we provide additional guidance and important dates specific to paper Entrance Counseling and Exit Counseling Guides, as well as paper Direct Loan Master Promissory Notes (MPNs).
Paper Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guides
After June 30, 2018, schools will no longer be able to order Direct Loan Entrance Counseling or Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guides in paper form via the FSA Publications portal. If a school wants the current paper version of either Direct Loan counseling guide, it should order those items no later than June 30, 2018. We will continue to accept and fill orders received through June 30th (as inventory levels allow).
After June 30, 2018, schools will be able to download and print a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling Guide and/or Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guide from the StudentAid.gov website. We also encourage schools to have students complete entrance counseling and exit counseling electronically, via the StudentLoans.gov website.
Note: The requirement for entrance counseling can also be met by providing a PDF version of the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling Guide that includes a written form that the borrower can sign and return to the school. If a school is unsuccessful in having a student complete exit counseling using its standard processes before the student graduates or withdraws, the school can meet the requirement by providing the printed or PDF version of the Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guide to the last known email or physical address.
Paper Direct Loan Master Promissory Notes (MPNs)
After August 30, 2018, schools will no longer be able to order blank MPNs via the FSA Publications portal. If a school wants the current paper version of the Direct Loan MPNs, it should order those items no later than August 30, 2018. We will continue to accept and fill orders received through August 30th (as inventory levels allow). We encourage schools to have students complete MPNs electronically via the StudentLoans.gov website.
After August 30, 2018, schools that continue to use only paper MPNs may:
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Print a blank MPN from the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Web Site’s Services page or the IFAP website.
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Direct the borrower to print a blank MPN from the StudentLoans.gov website.
Produce or program the entire form. Schools that create their own MPN must submit a copy of the school-produced version to FSA for testing to ensure that it can be processed.
For detailed information about paper MPN testing and paper MPN processing, refer to the .
Contact Information
If you have questions about this announcement, contact the COD School Relations Center at 1-800-848-0978. You may also email CODSupport@ed.gov.