Student loans can come from the federal government or private lenders. The loans offered by the University of Colorado Denver are federal student loans. The federal student loan program is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program.

Loans offered by the federal government usually have more benefits than loans from banks or other private sources. The terms and conditions include fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans, not typically offered with private loans. Learn more about the differences between federal and private student loans.

If you or your parent plan to borrow a federal loan, you’ll have steps to complete each year you borrow the loan. Whether you are beginning your college journey, continuing forward, or getting ready to leave school, we have outlined the steps for you to complete the loan process.