Responsible Borrowing

Borrow Smart: Make Informed Student Loan Choices

Responsible borrowing means only taking out the loans you truly need to pay for school. Borrow smart by budgeting carefully, understanding your loan terms, and planning ahead for repayment.

We'll notify you via your Hawkeye email and your Financial Aid Self-Service if you need to complete a Responsible Borrowing Worksheet.

Plan Your Borrowing

The Responsible Borrowing Worksheet will help you:

• Find out how much federal student loan debt you currently have.
• Estimate how much you may need to borrow in the future.
• Calculate what your monthly loan payments could look like.
• Decide whether those payments fit your future budget.
• Explore other ways to pay for school so you can reduce how much you borrow.

To complete your Responsible Borrowing Session, fill out the Responsible Borrowing Worksheet [PDF] and submit it to the Financial Aid office.

Additional Resources

In addition to completing your Responsible Borrowing Session, check out these helpful videos:

• Your Guide to Student Repayment Plans: Learn about repayment options, selecting a plan, and the role of loan servicers.
• Responsible Borrowing: Understand responsible borrowing, loan repayment, and how to weigh the costs of college against potential income after graduation.