Loan Counseling & Promissory Notes

All the federal loan programs have Entrance Counseling and/or Master Promissory Note (MPN) requirements for first time borrowers. Follow the instructions below for each loan program.

  • Entrance Counseling sessions explain the loan terms and conditions.
  • The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is your contract to repay the loan. First-time TU borrowers must complete a MPN the first time you borrow from that loan program at TU. In subsequent years, you can borrow additional loans without completing another MPN.

There are three types of MPNs for three federal loan programs:

  • Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan MPN
  • PLUS Loan MPN for Parents
  • PLUS Loan MPN for Graduate Students

Master Promissory Note (MPN) Tips

If you exit the online MPN process before you complete the submission process, you must start over when you re-enter. Please have the following information ready before you begin the MPN process:

  • Permanent address and telephone number
  •  E-mail address
  • Social security number and the full legal name listed on your social security card
  • Driver's license number
  • Complete names, addresses and telephone numbers of two personal references

For your personal references, choose two persons with different addresses in the U.S. who have known you for at least three years. The first reference should be a parent or legal guardian if available. These are not cosigners or credit references. They will be used to help contact you if you fail to report a change of address. Choose persons that you expect to remain in contact with for many years.

Subsidized & Unsubsidized Student Loans

To borrow federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans, every year, you must submit a new FAFSA, wait for your Award Notification and follow the instructions for accepting aid.

The first year that you borrow these loans at TU, you must also complete these new borrower steps:

  1. Complete Entrance Counseling
  2. Complete the Subsidized/Unsubsidized MPN

Parent PLUS Loans

Graduate Student PLUS Loans

  • Every year, you must submit a new FAFSA and complete the Graduate PLUS Loans application steps.
  • New Grad PLUS borrowers at TU must also visit studentaid.gov/mpn/ to complete a PLUS MPN for Graduate Students.

PLUS Loan Entrance Counseling

Most PLUS loans borrowers don't need to complete federal PLUS Loan Counseling. They only require it if you have an adverse credit history. If you need to complete it, the Department of Education will notify the borrower and we will add a request to the To Dos list on the student’s TU Online Services Dashboard. If you are need to complete it, visit PLUS Counseling.

Exit Counseling

Student borrowers must complete exit loan counseling when they graduate, stop attending the university, or drop below half-time enrollment. Before beginning your exit loan counseling session, you should have ready the names and addresses of two persons, each with a different address, who will know your whereabouts after you leave school (one can be a parent).