Federal Stafford Loans are available to College of Coastal Georgia students for educational purposes. Parents may also borrow on their child's behalf with a Parent PLUS Loan.

All students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit any requested documentation before applying for a student loan. The College of Coastal Georgia participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program for federal Stafford Loans. Under this program, your lender is the US Department of Education. (College of Coastal Georgia is not a lender) You may apply for a loan by selecting the link at the bottom of the page. Please read the important information below before you apply for a loan.

Important Borrower Tips

Always seek other alternatives before borrowing. Options include a part-time job, scholarships, work-study programs, and state and federal government grants.
Manage your money � Make sure that you can afford your monthly payments once you have completed your studies. Also, remember that the minimum monthly payment is $50. The more you borrow, the higher your monthly payment will be.
Keep records of important documents. This includes your promissory note, disclosure statements, rights and responsibilities, determent requests, repayment schedule, or any other correspondence with your school or lender(s).
Keep in contact. Notify your lender if your name, address, or phone number changes. Also notify your lender if you transfer to another school.
Avoid default by not overextending yourself and by making timely payments. If you run into trouble, contact the Financial Aid Office or your lender for deferment options. You have many legal options available to you if you cannot make your payments.

How it works:

The Federal Direct Loan Program provides low-interest, long-term loans to students enrolled in eligible programs. (Students in Technical Certificate of Credit programs are not eligible to apply for loans.) The Department of Education determines if your loan is subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are interest free while you are enrolled at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans are charged interest at all times. To be eligible for Stafford Loans, students must be enrolled at least half-time. The interest rate on Stafford Loans is currently 6.8%. Repayment of student loans begin six months after the student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. The interest rate on PLUS Loans is currently 7.9%. Parent PLUS Loan borrowers have the option of beginning repayment either 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed or waiting until six months after the dependent student on whose behalf the parent borrowed ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. If needed, students or parents may temporarily defer repayment of their loans for a time.

CCGA Student Loan Policy:

Students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours. If at any time your enrollment drops below half-time status, all future disbursements will automatically be canceled an you may be required to repay any loan funds you were not eligible to receive.
Students who are borrowing for the first time will not receive their loan funds until 30 days after the first day of class.
Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as listed in the college catalog. For example, students must have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average and must have completed at least 67% of all classes attempted.
All students, regardless of income, must complete the FAFSA before a loan application can be processed.
The Financial Aid Office may refuse to certify a Federal Student Loan or reduce the loan amount requested. This determination is made on a case-by-case basis.
All students must complete Loan Exit Counseling at the end of each school year that they have a student loan.
Students may cancel any loans before receiving the funds by notifying the Financial Aid Office in writing.
Loans for one semester only will arrive in two disbursements � the first disbursement at the beginning of the semester and the second disbursement after midterm.

Helpful tips for completing the loan application:

The amount you are eligible to borrow is based on your classification. DO NOT borrow the maximum amount if you don't need to. Always remember these are funds that have to be repaid.
The loan period that you select determines how your loan will be spread. (Note that all loans must have two disbursements) For example, if you want to borrow for Fall and Spring, your loan period will be from August (beginning of the Fall Semester) until April (end of Spring Semester).
Make sure you have read all of the above information.

By clicking "Apply for a Student Loan" below, you are verifying that you have read and understand the College of Coastal Georgia's Student Loan Policy.

Apply for a Student Loan
Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan