Step one
Complete Loan Exit Counseling at studentaid.gov.
If you have borrowed federal loans, exit counseling is required when leaving school, graduating or dropping below half-time enrollment.
If you have completed Exit Counseling in the past, doing so again will be helpful to review updated repayment estimates for your loans.
Even if you have not borrowed student loans to date the information about loans, financial planning information can be helpful.
- Log in at studentaid.gov. This counseling includes four steps:
- Confirm your contact information.
- Understand your loans: Your student loan records will be imported into the counseling. You will need to add any future federal loan disbursements and information about any loans not included in NSLDS.
- Prepare to Repay. Learn about who your loan servicer is, repayment options, and avoiding default.
- Determine your repayment strategy.
You may also view the Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guide at studentaid.gov.
Step Two
Register or log in as a student at CashCourse.org to fully use budgeting basics, 3 tips for finding a part-time job, and top 10 ways to protect your identity.
Budgeting Basics
- Click on the name to begin.
- Starts with a short quiz to test your knowledge, moves through slides that discuss the topic, and ends with an action plan and a short post-test to test how much you've learned.