MMUF Loan Repayment

Eligibility

MMUF students entering PhD programs in Mellon Designated Fields (see section on Eligibility) are eligible for repayment of their undergraduate loans up to a maximum of $10,000. Only undergraduate debt accrued through Perkins, Stafford, or college loan programs qualify for repayment. However, if a student has undergraduate debt totaling less than $10,000, the balance loan repayment funds may be used to repay graduate student loans. Graduate students loans may only be repaid upon completion of the PhD. The total amount of loan repayment funds will not exceed $10,000 and may only be used toward designated educational loans from recognized lenders for graduate study.

Procedures

All MMUF Fellows are required to participate in an exit interview, during which time the MMUF Director discusses loan repayment procedures and provides necessary information to apply for repayment.

For each of the first four years for full-time graduate study, the Mellon Foundation, through students’ undergraduate institutions, will repay one-eighth (up to $1,250) of the fellows’ undergraduate debts. Thus, if students pursue full-time graduate study for four years, they will receive $5,000. When students complete the doctorate, they will qualify for an additional $5,000. Students are required to submit a Graduate Study Verification Form (see form on right) when requesting payments.

How to Arrange for Debt Repayment by the MMUF Program

• Before graduation, Mellon Fellows should meet with their financial aid adviser to receive an accounting of their outstanding Perkins and Stafford loans. Please ask your adviser to complete a copy of the Statement of Loans Eligible for Repayment Form. Retain a copy of this form for your records.
• Fellows should then meet with the MMUF Director to discuss the Mellon loan repayment procedures and provide a copy of this form for the program records.
• At the end of each academic year of graduate study, Fellows should complete their section of the Graduate Study Verification Form and then submit the Form to your graduate school registrar for verification of your completion of the year.

Checklist

Fellows must complete the Loan Repayment Form for every loan repayment request and provide the following information:

• Official Verification of Enrollment
  Enrollment verification must be obtained from your Graduate School’s Registrar’s Office. The official document must verify your enrollment during the academic period for which you are requesting loan repayment (maximum one academic year).
• Institutional Letter from Graduate School
  You must ask your graduate institution to submit a letter certifying that you have satisfactorily completed your course work. This letter must be submitted at the end of each academic year and it must be specific to the academic year cited in #2. This letter does not necessarily need to accompany this form. Note: An academic transcript will NOT suffice.
• PDF Statement from Loan Provider

Other Loan Information

• MMUF Fellows are responsible for any normal loan repayment during periods when they are not enrolled in graduate school.
• MMUF Fellows cannot default on my student loans.
• All Mellon Program loan repayments will be made directly to the lender of record unless the MMUF Fellow have already repaid the loans themselves, in which case the repayment will go directly to the student.

Loan information is also found through the Federal Direct Student Loan Servicer on studentaid.gov or by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

Additional resources and information may be found at “Who’s My Student Loan Servicer?”