Federal Direct Loan Entrance Counseling

If you are borrowing for the first time through the Federal Stafford Loan Program or the Direct Loan Program, you must complete entrance counseling before we can disburse your loans.

Cuesta College has developed an online loan workshop intended as an enhancement to the federal loan counseling available online at www.studentloans.gov. First-time borrowers must complete both counseling sessions before they can receive a Direct Loan at Cuesta.

If you have borrowed before, you are encouraged (but not required) to complete Cuesta’s online workshop.


Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling

If you drop below six units enrollment, graduate, petition to graduate, or leave Cuesta College (even if you plan to transfer to another school), Cuesta will flag you as someone who needs student loan exit counseling. 

We will send you an email to your Cuesta email address within three weeks of this flag being set that will provide you a link to the exit counseling on the studentloans.gov site. When you receive that notice, you must do the following:

  • Log onto www.studentloans.gov and choose the exit counseling option;
  • Complete the exit counseling training; AND
  • Update your contact information;   

Student loan exit counseling helps you understand your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower.  Completing this process will help inform you of your options and give you the means to ensure that you avoid going into default. Defaulting on a student loan has serious consequences including poor credit ratings, loss of repayment option, wage garnishment, and legal action.

If you have any trouble making payments, contact your servicer immediately! If you do not know who your server is, log onto www.nslds.gov or contact Cuesta and we’ll help you find that information!