Steps to Borrow a Student Loan

To borrow a student loan, you must:

• File your FAFSA, and complete your financial aid file at ACTC;
• Meet all ACTC Admission requirements;
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and;
• Enroll (and remain enrolled) for at least 6 credit hours in the term for which you are borrowing the student loan.

Steps to Process a Student Loan:
1) Complete the Online Loan Entrance Counseling at www.studentloans.gov if you have not done so previously for ACTC.

2) E-sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN) at www.studentloans.gov using the same PIN you used to sign your FAFSA, if you have not done so previously for ACTC.

3) Once your financial aid file has been completed at ACTC, to borrow student loans you will complete the following steps:

• Go to http://www.ashland.kctcs.edu
• Click on the Student Self Service link in upper right hand corner of page.
• Login using KCTCS Username and Password (This is the same Username and Password used for your KCTCS Student Email.)
• When logged in, you will be at the Student Center.
• Click on the Accept/Decline Awards link on the Student Center homepage, under the Finances heading
• Click on the year that you want to view.
• Check the Accept Box to the right of the award amount. 
  • Loans are offered at the maximum eligibility amount. If you wish to accept less than the maximum amount, you may do so after submitting the information.
  • Accepted loans WILL NOT process until you have completed the Loan Entrance Counseling and MPN for ACTC!
• Click Submit, followed by clicking Yes to continue.
• The awards will now appear on the screen.
  • At this time, you can change the loan amount that you want to accept. Accepted Award Boxes will activate and you can now enter new amount. Please note, you can only reduce the amount, not increase it as the award is already offered for the maximum amount you are eligible to receive.
• Click Submit
• Click Yes to continue

If you need addtional information on how to borrow a loan, please see our Direct Loan Steps to Borrowing.

*You can view the Department of Education publication "Your Federal Student Loans: Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt" for more information on borrowing loans. This booklet will help borrowers understand the federal student loan process and help make informed decisions about student loans. This booklet is available in hard-copy in the ACTC Office of Financial Aid.

*The Terms and Conditions and the Rights and Responsibilities of Federal Student Loans are listed on the Master Promissory Note (MPN), which is signed by the borrower who is accepting the loan. If you would like to review this information before borrowing a loan, you can view a sample MPN for Federal Stafford or Federal PLUS loans at www.direct.ed.gov/mpn.html. This MPN also provides a sample loan repayment schedule and the necessity for repaying any loans you borrow. (Please note: If you want to borrow a student loan, and need to sign your MPN, please see the website in step 2 above.)

Loan Exit Counseling
Once you have graduated, dropped below half-time status, or have stopped attending school, a loan borrower is required to complete Loan Exit Counseling at www.studentloans.gov. Please note: even if you do not complete Exit Counseling, you are still responsible for re-paying the loan, as detailed in the Master Promissory Note.