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Student Loan Exit Interviews

Office of Financial Aid

The following information applies to students who have taken a Stafford Loan during heir attendance at Downstate.  Prior to graduation, you must complete the Stafford Loan Exit Interview.  If you have had a Perkins Loan, you must complete an exit interview for that loan in the Bursar’s Office, or according to instructions you will receive from the Office of Financial Aid.

You must be aware of the total dollar amount of Stafford Loan you have accumulated before you begin the Stafford Exit Interview.

  1. Summary information regarding your Stafford loans is available at your lender's website.
  2. If you have your federal PIN, you will also be able to retrieve information on your Department of Education sponsored lending at the National Student loan Data System website www.nslds.ed.gov. Select the link that takes you to "Financial Aid Review" and follow instructions.
  3. If you cannot obtain the loan summary information at the websites, personnel in the Office of Financial Aid can retrieve it for you.

    Once you know your current "Outstanding Principal Balance" in the Stafford Programs (total Subsidized and Unsubsidized amounts), you can complete the on-line exit interview.

When you go to the website, click on the link titled "Student Loan Counseling Interview." Be sure you do the STAFFORD EXIT interview.  Follow the directions carefully, read the text provided and answer questions regarding the text.  Provide all the demographic and contact information requested.

The Financial Aid Office at Downstate, your lender, and your guarantor will all automatically be notified that you have completed the Exit Interview.  No further paperwork is required.  However, if you have further questions, please make an appointment to talk to someone in the Financial Aid Office.

*The exit interview must be completed before you will be able to pick up your cap and gown prior to graduation.

Bursar's Office

All students who have borrowed through campus-based loan programs (Perkins, PCL, Wax & LDS) are required to go through the exit interview process prior to graduation. The Bursar’s Office handles the exit interview process for all campus-based loans. This can be done either through the mail or on an individual basis depending on your preference and the loans that are involved. If you have not heard from the Bursar’s Office by the end of March, or you will not be on campus during the spring semester, call (718) 270-1078 to arrange for an appointment.