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US Direct Loans

Content under update for the a.y. 26-27

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program is the Federal student loan program under which eligible students and parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education at participating schools and enrolled in eligible programs.

To apply for a federal student loan, you must first complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form You must use the Bocconi School Code G30787. Be sure not to miss their deadlines, which are different from Bocconi University’s deadlines.

After completing this first step, and starting from September 24, 2026 (Opening at 10 am Italian time), you will need to complete the Bocconi University “U.S. Direct Loans 2026-2027” Application (LINK) on the Bocconi portal, following the steps listed on the webpage dedicated to the application process instructions.

Attention: 

Read very carefully all the information you find below. Please note that it is essential that you follow every step in order and provide all of the requested documents from every step, otherwise your loan application cannot be processed.
 

Basic eligibility criteria are available on studentaid.gov.

We remind you to carefully read this page dedicated to costumer disclosure information.

Please note that If you study in the United States for any part of your course, you will not be able to receive US Federal Loans through Bocconi. Please also note that if you take part in an internship in the United States, an exchange program or a free mover experience in the United States, you will not be able to receive US Federal Loans through Bocconi, except that it may permit students to complete up to 25 percent of the program by:

  1. Enrolling in the coursework, research, work, or special studies offered by an eligible institution in the United States; or
  2. Participating in an internship or externship provided by an ineligible organization as described in 34 CFR 668.5(h)(2);

Please also consider that if your program foresees an internship, an exchange program, a double degree or a free mover experience lasting more than 25 percent of the program duration in a foreign university, you will be allowed to receive US Federal Loans through Bocconi only if the partner university is Title IV eligible, hence is included in the list you can find on the FSA official website here. If the partner university is not included in the above mentioned list, you will be allowed to request US Federal Loans through Bocconi only if the duration of the experience abroad is up to 25 percent of the program.

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law, resulting in changes to federal student aid programs. 

On May 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education published a final rule about most of the loan-related provisions in the OBBBA. Starting from July 1, 2026, the changes came into force resulting in the elimination of the direct PLUS loans for graduate and professional students and the creation of new loans limits.

Please check out this page of our website for information regarding how much can you borrow following the new OBBBA limits: Post OBBBA loans limits.

ATTENTION
Some borrowers qualify for what’s called an “interim exception” regarding when some of the new loan limits will apply. If you do qualify for the interim exception, then some of the new loan limits won’t be enforced until the interim exception expires or until the 2029–30 award year.

If you are eligible for the interim exception, please check out this page of our website to know how much you are eligible to borrow: pre OBBBA loan limits

The Bocconi “U.S direct Loan application” will open every year at the end of September (opening at 10:00 AM Italian Time).

Please be informed that as soon as Bocconi starts the request, your loan will formally start. If you feel that you do not need the loan immediately, you can formally submit your application at a later stage, provided that you adhere to the deadlines established for your program. 

­Typically, your loan will be allocated for the entire academic year, and the school will distribute the funds in two separate payments, known as disbursements. 
Initially, the school will apply your loan funds toward tuition, fees, and, if applicable, your on-campus housing. Should there be any remaining loan funds, they will be refunded to you through a bank transfer to a European bank account (bank account with IBAN number). 

The timings of the disbursements are available in the "Download" section at the end of this webpage. 

IMPORTANT WARNING

It is important to note that if your first disbursement falls short of covering all tuition and fees prior to your second disbursement, you will be responsible for paying the installments by the deadlines set by the appropriate office. Receiving a loan does not automatically defer your obligation to pay tuition and fees. Therefore, we encourage you to ensure that you have adequate funds to cover your expenses until you receive any possible refunds from your loan for educational and living costs after the required fees have been deducted.

It is also important to note that the second disbursement can not in any way be anticipated. To be able to disburse your second disbursement, Bocconi University must verify that you meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

 

It is the student's responsibility to repay the loan.

Exit counselling provides important information to prepare you to repay your federal student loan(s). Further information can be found here.

If you have received a subsidized, unsubsidized or PLUS loan under the Direct Loan Program you must complete exit counseling each time you: 
 

  • drop below half-time enrollment
  • graduate
  • leave school

Downloands