Financial Aid - Federal Stafford MPN Completion
Completing your Federal Stafford Loan
Master Promissory Note (MPN)
If you previously borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan (FSL) at Carnegie Mellon and completed a Stafford MPN, you do not need to complete another Stafford MPN for each subsequent academic year.
First Time Borrowers:
To apply for your Federal Stafford Loan, all first-time borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). To complete your MPN on-line, please follow the instructions below:
- CLICK HERE to visit the American Education Services (AES) Website
- Click on Apply for a Loan. For best results, AES recommends using Internet Explorer 5.0 and Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 to complete the Stafford MPN.
- Establish a username and password. Click on "New User". 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 GSIA or Carnegie Mellon Univ Heinz School.
- Your lender. Select PNC Bank or Citizens Bank as the lender in the lending institution drop down box.
- Necessary personal information.
- Reference information.
- Completion Options. We recommend that you choose the option which allows you to sign the MPN electronically using your US Department of Education PIN. See below for important information.
Do you have your 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.
If you do not already have a PIN, select a different completion option for faster processing.
Do you consent to an electronic transaction?
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.
Final Steps
- 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.
Accessing your electronically signed Stafford MPN
You can view and print your completed MPN on-line at any time by visiting the AES Website.