Understand how interest is calculated and the fees associated with your federal student loan.

Remember, you may find that interest rates and fees are lower for federal student loans than private student loans.

Interest Rates and Fees

If you receive a federal student loan, you will be required to repay that loan with interest.  It is important that you understand how interest is calculated and the fees associated with your loan.  Both of these factors will impact the amount you will be required to repay. 

What is interest?
What are the interest rates of federal student loans?
Who sets interest rates for federal student loans?
How is interest calculated?
What is the interest rate factor?
How can I determine how much of my payment will go toward my outstanding principal balance?
Are there any other fees for federal student loans?


What is interest?

Interest is money paid to the lender in exchange for borrowing money. Interest is calculated as a percentage of the unpaid principal amount (loan amount) borrowed. 

Top 


What are the interest rates of federal student loans?

The following table provides interest rates for each type of federal student loan.

Loan Interest Rates by Disbursement Dates

Loan Type

First Disbursed between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013

Direct Subsidized Loans (Undergraduate Students)

Fixed at 3.4%

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Fixed at 6.8%

 

Direct PLUS Loans (Parents and Graduate or Professional Students)

Fixed at 7.9%

 

Perkins Loans

Fixed at 5%

 

Additional Interest Rate Information:

top 


Who sets interest rates for federal student loans?

Interest rates on federal student loans are set by Congress.

Top 


How is interest calculated?

The amount of interest that accrues (accumulates) on your loan from month to month is determined by a simple daily interest formula. This formula consists of multiplying your loan balance by the number of days since the last payment times the interest rate factor.

Simple daily interest formula:
Number of days since last payment
x outstanding principal balance
x interest rate factor
= interest amount

Top 


What is the interest rate factor?

The interest rate factor is used to calculate the amount of interest that accrues on your loan. It is determined by dividing your loan's interest rate by the number of days in the year.

Top 


How can I determine how much of my payment will go toward my outstanding principal balance?

Your loan servicer can provide you information about how much of your payment is applied to your principal balance. Find out more about loan servicers.

Top 


Are there any other fees for federal student loans?

Most federal student loans have loan fees that are deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement you receive. This means the money you receive will be less than the amount you actually borrow. You're responsible for repaying the entire amount you borrowed and not just the amount you received.

Here are the current loan fees for federal student loans:

  • 1% for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans
  • 4% for Direct PLUS Loans

There are no loan fees for Perkins Loans.

Top 


What are the interest rates on federal student loans first disbursed prior to July 1, 2012?

The following table provides interest rates for each type of federal student loan first disbursed prior to July 1, 2012. 

 

Loan Interest Rates by Disbursement Dates

Loan Type

First Disbursed Between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 2006

First Disbursed Between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2012

Direct Subsidized Loans and Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans (Undergraduate Students)

The interest rate is variable (adjusted annually on July 1st) and will not exceed 8.25%.

Between 7/1/12 and 6/30/13, loans in repayment or forbearance have an interest rate of 2.39%, and loans in an in-school, grace, or deferment period have a lower rate of 1.79%.

7/1/06-6/30/08: Fixed at 6.8%

7/1/08-6/30/09: Fixed at 6.0%

7/1/09-6/30/10: Fixed at 5.6%

7/1/10-6/30/11: Fixed at 4.5%

7/1/11-6/30/12: Fixed at 3.4%

Direct Subsidized Loans and Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans (Graduate Students)
and Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans

Fixed at 6.8%

Direct PLUS Loans
(Parents and
Graduate or
Professional
Students)

The interest rate is variable (adjusted annually on July 1st) and will not exceed 9.0%.

Between 7/1/12 and 6/30/13, the interest rate on these loans is 3.19%.

Fixed at 7.9%

FFEL PLUS Loans
(Parents and
Graduate or Professional
Students)

Fixed at 8.5%

Top