Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP)

The Federal Direct Student Loan is a low interest loan to help you pay for educational expenses.

The U.S. Government is the lender and sets the interest rate and fees. Loans are determined by your year of study, federal limits, financial need, and other types of aid awarded.

There are two kinds of Direct Loans:

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (FDSL)
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (FDUL)

Graduate students can only receive unsubsidized loans.

For the Subsidized Loan (FDSL), the government pays the interest while you are in school for at least 6 credits. 

To be awarded the Subsidized Loan, a student must:

• Be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits)
• Be undergraduate students and demonstrate financial need

For the Unsubsidized Loan (FDUL), interest will accrue while you are in school.

The Unsubsidized Loan is available to students who:

• Enroll at least 6 credits (5 graduate credits for graduate students)

The loan proceeds are transmitted to ISU Financial Services Office and paid directly to the student's school account. Any balance remaining will be disbursed to the student from Student Financial Services at (208) 282-3000.

Plain Language Loan Disclosure Information is available for students.