School of Dental Medicine

Student Loan Application Process

Students who are US Citizens or Permanent Residents who have completed the financial aid application process will receive an award packet containing the Award Notification Letter and Student Loan Handbook which provides detailed instructions for completing actual loan application requirements. Completion of the Award Notification Letter and returning it to the Financial Aid Office in a timely manner is very important.

The Award Notification Letter is the tool the student will use to communicate which types of financial aid awards/loans they’re accepting and provides the dollar amount of each loan the student wishes to borrow to pay for their educational costs. Upon receipt, the Financial Aid Office will update the student’s financial aid record which will trigger additional requirements the student must complete in order to obtain the student aid which they have accepted.These additional requirements will be viewable online through your SIS account. The links at the bottom of this page will provide further instruction so that you complete all requirements for loans which you’ve decided to accept.

You should evaluate your student loan borrowing needs in light of personal financial resources available to you. Completing the Loan Disbursement Worksheet will help you determine exactly what you might need to borrow. It is suggested that DMD/DIS students complete the Loan Disbursement Worksheet. Note that post-graduate students applying for Federal Direct Grad PLUS or a Private Education Loan are REQUIRED to complete the Loan Disbursement Worksheet and return it to the Financial Aid Office.

US Citizens/Permanent Residents as well as foreign students are also welcome to pursue Private Education Loans with a lender of their choice. We suggest that all students who are interested in learning more about their financing options review our Guide to Supplemental Loans for additional information on the pros and cons of borrowing these types of loans.

To complete loan application requirements for loans that you’ve been awarded (and have accepted per your Award Notification Letter), click on the appropriate drop down(s) below. 

  • HPSL and LDS Borrowers

    Recipients of Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL) or Loans for Disadvantaged Loans (LDS) are required to return the Award Notification Letter to the Financial Aid Office. The borrower will receive email instructions shortly after July 1st directing them to USA Connect to complete an electronic master promissory note (MPN) and/or to electronically accept their loan award along with a Self-Certification Form. Note that only first time borrowers at TUSDM will be required to complete the MPN. As the borrower completes their MPN, they receive required online student loan entrance counseling. First time borrowers as well as repeat borrowers will receive certain disclosure information online which should be reviewed carefully.

    Tufts Loan Borrowers

    Tufts Loan recipients are required to return their Award Notification Letter to the Financial Aid Office. The borrower will receive an instructional an email shortly after July 1st instructing them to complete their Tufts Loan promissory note, Self-Certification Form and review disclosure information available at USA Connect.

  • All first time borrowers of William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans are required to complete a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) and, if applicable, a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan MPN if borrowing either these loan programs. In addition, first time Federal Direct Loan or Federal Direct Grad PLUS loan borrowers at TUSDM must complete student loan entrance counseling (see following dropdown).

    Complete the MPN:

    Complete an MPN electronically for Federal Direct Loan and/or Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan on this page and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. Note that you do not provide loan amounts when completing the MPN process for either the Federal Direct Loan or Federal Direct Grad PLUS. You must communicate the amount you wish to borrow from the loan programs on the completed Award Notification Letter which you must return to the Financial Aid Office. Students who prefer to complete a paper MPN may contact the Financial Aid Office.

    It may not be necessary for students to complete Federal Direct or Grad PLUS MPN if one was completed either previously while in attendance at a school other than TUSDM AND the MPN is considered ACTIVE AND VALID.

    If the student previously completed a Grad PLUS MPN yet no funds were subsequently borrowed (100% of loan proceeds were either returned or the loan was cancelled prior to disbursement), a new Grad PLUS MPN must be completed. Additionally, if the student was required to add an endorser to their prior Grad PLUS MPN in order to obtain credit approval, the student must complete a new Grad PLUS MPN.

    To check the status of your previously completed MPN for either Federal Direct Loan MPN or Grad PLUS MPN on record the Federal Direct Loan program, contact the Federal Direct Loan Originations Center at (800) 557-7394.

    When completing the Federal Direct Grad PLUS MPN, the borrower is providing authorization for the Federal Direct Loan Originations Center to run a credit check. If the borrower’s application is denied, the borrower may pursue an appeal and, if necessary, add an endorser to the loan.  If appeal is successful or the Grad PLUS loan is approved with an endorser, the borrower will be required to complete additional student loan entrance counseling.  The Federal Direct Loan Originations Center will explain the appeal and endorser addition processes. Credit checks for subsequent Federal Direct Grad PLUS loans will be performed if the existing credit check on record is older than 90 days.

  • If you’re borrowing Federal Direct Loans or Federal Direct Grad PLUS loans for the first time at TUSDM, you are required to complete entrance counseling before the Financial Aid Office can certify your eligibility for either of these loans.

    Complete student loan entrance counseling for Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct Grad PLUS loan.

  • Refer to the instructions contained in the Student Loan Handbook to determine if additional forms are required of you. These may include the Title IV Authorization Form or, if you are a post-graduate student, the Loan Disbursement Worksheet. These forms, along with the Student Loan Handbook and a Student Loan Application Checklist are contained in the document list below.

    Additional Loan Application Requirements and Print Forms