Loans

Taking Out a Student Loan

Undergraduate students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)—unless they are unable to do so—and Institutional Financial Aid Application before we will process a loan.

Additional requirements are:

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Completing Southeastern’s Pre-Certification Form
Enrolling in at least one course during any semester in which you intend to receive student loan funding

Southeastern’s standard policy is to certify no more than $9,000 in loans per semester and $18,000 per academic year.

All students who request amounts that exceed the policy will need to request approval from the the Scholarship Committee by sending an email to [email protected] with details regarding their financial situation and why they are requesting funds above what the standard policy permits.

Students are encouraged to use wisdom when thinking about interest rates, payback options, and the long-term effects of taking out loans. Student loans should only be taken out with careful consideration.

There are multiple options available for students to receive loans depending on the lending company the student chooses to go through. The Financial Aid office encourages students to use wisdom when considering interest rates, payback options, and the long-term effects of taking out loans.
Before taking out student loans through any private loan company, please consider the following:
- What is your total need per semester?
- How much of your income can be used towards your tuition?
- How much are you expecting in financial aid and/or other scholarships?
- What are the current interest rates?
- What are your repayment options?
Please allow a 3-week minimum turn-around for your loan to be processed and certified.
While there are no official cut off dates for loans, the loan application must be complete by the dates below to ensure that the student’s loan is disbursed before their billing date:
- Fall Semester: July 15th
- Spring Semester: December 15th
Southeastern does not currently accept federally subsidized loans (e.g. Stafford, PLUS).
1. Apply for a student loan through a private loan company (Sallie Mae, College Ave, Discover Student loan, etc.). Students should research interest rates and repayment options to decide which company to choose before submitting an application through their website.
2. Fill out the Pre-Certification Form with the amount requested and the time period you want the loan for. Please also see the Cost Estimator to calculate cost per semester.
3. Once the student has been approved by the private loan company and submitted their Pre-Certification Form, the Financial Aid Office will be able to certify the student’s loan. Please note, the Financial Aid office will only certify the amount that the private loan company has approved. Please note: it will take a minimum of 10 days for the loan to be disbursed to the student’s account after certification.
4. Students who desire to use their loan money for books or other educational expenses that are not charged to their student account must request a check from the Accounting Services office after the funds have been disbursed and all tuition and fees have been paid.
Pre-Certification Form

Taking Out a Student Loan

ABOUT STUDENT LOANS

ITEMS TO CONSIDER

DEADLINES

HOW TO APPLY