Fill Out Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan MPN Online
Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans
Federal Student Aid
Legal agreement in which a student borrower promises to repay Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans and any accrued interest and fees.
Reviewed July 2026
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The Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans is the legal agreement in which a student borrower promises to repay federal student loans, plus interest and any fees, to the U.S. Department of Education. One signed MPN can cover multiple loans across multiple school years, so most students sign it once at the start of borrowing rather than for every disbursement.
Most borrowers complete the MPN electronically on StudentAid.gov, and the paper PDF exists as the fallback for schools and situations where the online signing is not used. If your school has asked for a paper MPN, you can fill it out in the Universal PDF editor, then download, print, and sign it before returning it as your school directs.
What signing the MPN means
The MPN is a promissory note, not an application. By signing, you promise to repay every loan made under it, along with accrued interest and applicable fees, and you agree to the terms and conditions summarized in the note and detailed in the Borrower's Rights and Responsibilities Statement that accompanies it.
Your school determines the loan types and amounts you are eligible to receive each year, within the annual and aggregate limits set by federal law, and you receive a disclosure statement for each loan before or at its first disbursement. You can decline a loan or ask for a lower amount even after signing, and you can cancel all or part of a disbursement within the time frames explained in the disbursement notice.
Subsidized versus unsubsidized loans
Both loan types are made through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and are covered by this single MPN. Direct Subsidized Loans are based on financial need, and the government generally covers the interest while you are in school at least half time, during the grace period, and during deferment.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not need based, and interest accrues from disbursement. You can pay that interest as it accrues or let it be added to your principal balance through capitalization, which increases the total you repay. Your FAFSA results determine which mix of the two loan types your school offers you.
How to fill out the paper MPN
The paper note asks for the same information as the online version. Complete it carefully, because it becomes a binding legal document once signed:
- Borrower information: your name, permanent address, SSN, date of birth, driver's license state and number if you have one, and contact details.
- School information: the name and address of the school where the loan will be used, which your school's financial aid office can confirm.
- References: the names, addresses, and phone numbers of two people who have known you for at least three years and live at different addresses, used only to locate you if your contact information is lost.
- Read the Borrower Request, Certifications, Authorizations, and Understandings section. Your signature certifies that the information is true, that you will use the loan money only for authorized educational expenses, and that you understand more than one loan may be made under the note.
- Sign and date the note by hand, then return it to your school or its designated processor. Do not sign before reading the entire MPN, a step the note itself makes you promise.
How long the MPN stays active
A signed MPN can support new loans for up to ten years. It stops accepting new loans on the earliest of three dates: when the Department or your school receives your written notice that you want no more loans under it, one year after you signed if no disbursement was ever made, or ten years after signing or receipt of the note.
If you do not want the multi-year feature, you can notify your school or servicer in writing that you want a new note for each loan. First-time borrowers should also expect to complete entrance counseling before the first disbursement, a requirement your school administers separately from the MPN itself.
Frequently asked questions
Usually not. One MPN can cover multiple loans for up to ten years at schools authorized to make multi-year loans under it. Your school will tell you if a new note is ever needed.
Most borrowers sign electronically on StudentAid.gov, which is the standard route. The paper PDF is the fallback for borrowers or schools that cannot use the online process. Check with your financial aid office before choosing paper.
No. Signing sets the terms for loans you may receive, but your school determines eligibility, and you can decline a loan, request a smaller amount, or cancel a disbursement within the time frames described in your disbursement notice.
The two references, people who have known you for at least three years and live at different addresses, help the Department locate you if your contact information becomes outdated. They are not cosigners and take on no repayment obligation.
Subsidized loans are need based and the government generally pays the interest during in-school, grace, and deferment periods. Unsubsidized loans accrue interest from disbursement, and unpaid interest can capitalize onto your principal. The same MPN covers both types.
Related forms
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