Graduate Student Loan Programs

How To Set Up Your Student Loans
Step 1: Accept Terms and Conditions

On Trailhead (trailhead.mines.edu) review and accept terms and conditions in the Eligibility tab. Make sure to complete any outstanding requirements if you have any because the aid will not disburse until complete.

Step 2: Accept Direct Loans

In Trailhead go to the Award for Aid Year tab and select your current aid year. Once you have reviewed the amount offered you may accept/reject/accept partial amount. Any amounts accepted will be split evenly between the fall and spring terms.

Step 3: Complete Entrance Counseling

Complete online Entrance Counseling using your FSA ID and complete loan counseling. After this is done the requirement will update after 3 days to your account.

Step 4: Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Complete a subsidized/unsubsidized Master Promissory Note (MPN) using FSA ID again and complete your loan agreement for either/both your subsidized or unsubsidized loans. This will update on your account in 3 business days, and aid will not disburse until 3 days prior to the start of classes.

FEDERAL DIRECT UNSUBSIDIZED LOAN

Eligibility

  • Student must complete the FAFSA.
  • Student must be enrolled at least half-time; 4.5 credits or 4.0 credits if you are advanced to candidacy.

Origination Fees
1.059% origination fee for loans with a first disbursement date before October 1, 2022.

Interest rates

Annual Loan Limits

  • Minimum: $100.00
  • Maximum: $20,500.00

Loan Counseling
All first-time borrowers must complete loan entrance counseling prior to the disbursement of funds

Repayment Terms
Repayment begins six months after graduation or dropping below half-time enrollment. Minimum payment: $50/month, maximum of ten years to repay.  Complete terms of the loan can be found on Disclosure Statement for Federal Direct Loans.

Graduate students are only eligible for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan; they are not eligible for the Direct Subsidized Loan.

Loan repayment estimator

FEDERAL GRADUATE PLUS LOAN

Eligibility

  • Student must complete the FAFSA.
  • Student must be enrolled at least half-time; 4.5 credits or 4.0 credits if you are advanced to candidacy.
  • Student must be able to pass a credit check.  This loan is a credit-worthy loan. Students with adverse credit may apply, but must have a co-signer.

Origination Fees
4.236% origination fee for loans with a first disbursement date before October 1, 202.

Interest Rate

Annual Loan Limits

  • Cost of Attendance minus all other aid
  • Minimum: $100.00

Repayment Terms
Repayment of the PLUS loan begins 60 days after the second disbursement, which is approximately late February for full academic year loans for Mines students.  Minimum monthly payment is $50.00, maximum of ten years to repay.  Loan deferments are available; contact your loan servicer for additional information.

Loan Application

ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OPTIONS

Scholarships:  You are encouraged to continue applying for outside scholarships throughout your education career.  Mines will accept scholarships as long as you are enrolled.

Private Loan: You may borrow a private education loan for education-related expenses.  Generally this loan would come from a bank or from an education loan provider and may require a creditworthy cosigner.  Mines does not have a preferred provider list.

Payment Plan or 529 College Savings Plan:  Our Bursar’s Office offers a payment plan where monthly payments can be made for your bill.  View the Bursar’s Payment Option site for more information.

Keeping your financial aid

Graduate Students A student must make satisfactory progress toward the completion of their course of study in order to maintain eligibility for financial assistance in future semesters. A student is considered to be making satisfactory progress if he or she has:

  • successfully completed a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester, not including Field Term or Summer Session:
  • if enrolled for less than 9 credit hours, they must pass all of the credit hours for which they have enrolled;
  • maintained a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.

As stated in the Mines Graduate Catalog, PRG and NC grades count toward successful completion of credits.

Upon completion of a graduate degree program and enrollment in another degree program, students will begin a new SAP status of "pass," e.g., MS to PhD program.

If a student does not meet the two requirements, he or she will receive a warning via Mines email and will have one additional semester of eligibility in which to return to satisfactory standing. If the student has not returned to satisfactory standing after this additional semester, he or she will be ineligible for further financial assistance until the satisfactory progress standards are met. In addition, if students withdraw from all courses during a semester, or receive grades of all F or PRU, their eligibility for further assistance will be immediately terminated.

Mitigating Circumstances
When mitigating circumstances occur, such as prolonged illness, a death in the immediate family, etc., the student may appeal in writing to the Office of Financial Aid. The Appeals Committee will act on the appeal in a timely manner, and if approved, financial assistance eligibility may be reinstated for one final probationary semester after which the student must have returned to satisfactory standing. If students who have previously been placed on termination subsequently fail to meet either of the two standards, future eligibility will be immediately terminated. The student may also appeal this termination. A student may appeal the termination of eligibility only twice during his or her career at Mines.

Contact Info

Mailing address:
Colorado School of Mines
Financial Aid Office
1301 19th Street
Golden, CO 80401

Office Location:
Ben Parker Student Center, E160
1200 16th St
Golden, CO 80401 

303-273-3301
Toll-free: 1-888-446-9489
finaid@mines.edu

For scholarship questions, email scholarship@mines.edu

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More information:

For billing issues contact: Bursar's Office 303-273-3158

For health insurance waivers contact: Student Health Insurance 303-273-3388

For College Opportunity Fund contact: Registrar's Office 303-273-3200

For information on Veteran Affairs contact: Registrar's Office 303-273-3200