Office of Student Financial Services

Entrance counseling & master promissory note

If you accepted a Federal Direct Student Loan and are a first-time loan borrower, you are required to complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) on StudentAid.gov. Your loans will not be credited on your account until these two things have been completed. This is a two-step process; Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) must both be completed before your loans are credited.

Students are notified by Student Financial Services when you can complete these requirements.

What is Entrance Counseling? Entrance Counseling aims to help you better understand the student loans you have chosen to accept.  It educates you about your rights and responsibilities as a federal student loan borrower.

What is a Master Promissory Note? The Master Promissory Note is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education. This document is valid for ten (10) years.

If you borrowed previously while enrolled at MCLA, you will not need to complete this requirement again.

Want to learn more about student loans? Please review our Federal Student Loans, Alternative Student Loans and our Student Loan Frequently Asked Questions! You may also contact Student Financial Services at 413-662-5230 or finaid@mcla.edu.