If you previously borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan (FSL) at Carnegie Mellon and completed a Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN), then you do not need to complete another Stafford MPN for each subsequent academic year.
To apply for your Federal Stafford Loan, all first-time borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). The earliest you can complete a Stafford MPN online for the 2008-2009 academic year is June 1, 2008. To complete your MPN online, please follow the instructions below:
CLICK HERE to go to the American Education Services (AES) Website.
Under Student Loans, click on Stafford Loans, then Apply Now. For best results, AES recommends using Internet Explorer 5.5 and Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 to complete the Stafford MPN.
Establish a username and password. Click on "Create an Account." Once you have logged into the secure Stafford MPN process, you will be provided with an instruction page. Review the instructions carefully.
Provide the following information:
The name of the school you plan to attend. Select Carnegie Mellon University from the drop down box. DO NOT select Carnegie Mellon Univ TSB or Carnegie Mellon Univ Heinz School.
Your lender. A complete list of Carnegie Mellon's recommended lending partners, including borrower benefits, is available HERE.
Necessary personal information.
Reference information.
Completion Options. We recommend that you choose the option which allows you to sign the Stafford MPN electronically using your U.S. Department of Education PIN.
Before you select the "Sign electronically using my US Department of Education PIN" option, you should be sure that you have already obtained a PIN.
PINS are normally provided to any student who has completed the FAFSA electronically. Those who have not completed the FAFSA can request a PIN by going to The PIN Website.
As an extra security measure, the Department of Education requires current PIN holders to provide a challenge question and answer at the PIN Website. If you attempt to eSign your MPN and have not registered your challenge question, the eSign transaction will result in a failure. Go to the U.S. Department of Education's PIN Website for instructions.
If you do not already have a PIN, select a different completion option for faster processing.
AES is required to ask for your consent in order to complete this electronic transaction. You will need to give your consent prior to proceeding.
Review your draft Stafford MPN carefully, then enter your US Department of Education PIN. You will also be asked to provide additional personal identifiers in order to confirm your identity.
Your identity is confirmed and authenticated using your PIN and personal data.
Review your signed Stafford MPN.
Enter your 4 character transaction code to continue. While reviewing the electronically signed Stafford MPN, you will find a unique 4 character alphanumeric MPN transaction code that you need to record. You will be required to enter this transaction code where requested prior to the submission of your electronically signed MPN to AES.
Submit your signed Stafford MPN.
Print a copy of your electronically signed Stafford MPN for your records.
You may view the status of your Stafford MPN through the AES Website, under Account Access. If you do not see your most recent Stafford MPN, return to the Account Access page and click on Your Loan Status.