Loan Next Steps

Check your UC email account regularly as that is where all official UC communications will be sent.

All loan borrowers should take the time to understand the annual interest rate set for your loan and the origination fees taken out before the loan is disbursed to your bill.

For any loan awards, you will need to take action to accept them.

• Log on to the Bearcat Portal at bearcatportal.uc.edu.
  
• Click on the "My Finances" tile.
  
• Use the "Manage Financial Aid" to choose the appropriate aid year and accept or decline as you wish.
• Be sure to hit "submit" after taking any action.

Also, please alert us if you anticipate any aid that is not showing as part of your award offer. Aid arriving on your behalf later can adjust your loan eligibility.

In addition to accepting your federal loans on your award offer, you have to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN), the legal electronic paperwork to secure your loan.

To complete the MPN, you will need your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID that you used to sign your FAFSA. If you do not have it, you will be able to create an FSA ID when visiting most U.S. Department of Education websites.

• Go to studentaid.gov.
• Sign in using your FSA ID.
• Select "Complete Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note)."
• Select “Start” to the right of "MPN for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans."
• Fill in required information (including items listed below) and submit.
  • Permanent address and telephone number
  • Contact information
  • School information
  • Two personal references (including complete name, address, and telephone number)

Additional information is available on the MPN process.

Additionally, all new UC loan borrowers have to complete Loan Entrance Counseling to help you understand your rights and responsibilities related to your student loan.

• Go to studentaid.gov.
• Sign in using your FSA ID.
• Select "Complete Loan Counseling (Entrance, Financial Awareness, Exit)."
• Select “Start” to the right of "Entrance Counseling."
• Add the University of Cincinnati on the left side of the screen.
• Select the appropriate loan entrance counseling requirement option based on being an undergraduate or graduate student and your loan program.

Counseling requires successful review of and answering key questions regarding your loan. The counseling session usually takes 20 minutes.

More information is also available on the loan counseling requirement.

This additional federal counseling is to help new borrowers understand the conditions of their loan and for existing borrowers to acknowledge their current balance on federal loans prior to taking out additional loans. It is not a requirement but can be very helpful for borrowers.

The annual student loan acknowledgement is available to complete at studentaid.gov/asla/.