FAQ

Both students who are applying for the first time and students who have previously received WDJCLP loans are required to submit an application each year starting April 1. There are no automatic renewals for students who have received loans in the past.

WDJCLP provides interest-free loans through donations from individuals and foundations, which are recycled by payments on loans previously issued.

You are expected to apply for and accept all possible grants and scholarships and other loans before turning to WDJCLP. In addition, WDJCLP expects you to contribute to the cost of your education by working during the summer and, when possible, during the school year. We also expect that you will use earnings from past years, as well as money set aside in savings, to help finance your education.

FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the first step for students to apply for financial aid of all types. FAFSA is administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office. The FAFSA is available at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa starting in December for the upcoming school year. For help completing the FAFSA, contact your school’s financial aid office. The FAFSA is free; you should never pay to complete or submit your FAFSA.

The maximum loan amounts are $10,000 per year for undergraduate students and $15,000 per year for graduate students. WDJCLP subtracts your total financial resources from the total cost of attending school to determine the amount of the WDJCLP loan.

There is no age limit for loan applicants.  The majority of our loan recipients are in their late teens and 20s, but some are older students who are learning new skills or returning to school to get an additional degree or to change careers.

HFL does not run credit checks on students or their co-signers during the WDJCLP application and approval process.

Contact us immediately, before your loan becomes past due.  We will try to work with you to determine a possible solution.

Yes.  You are welcome to accelerate your repayment as much as you would like.  There is no penalty for paying back your loan early.

Students or their parents may be eligible for an education loan with Hebrew Free Loan. For information, go to www.hfldetroit.org or call (248) 723-8184.

If a student is continuing or resuming his or her education, he or she may be considered for loan deferment while he or she is enrolled as a full-time student. To be considered for deferment, contact the WDJCLP office.

If you are no longer a full-time student prior to graduation, please contact the WDJCLP office.

There is no fee to apply for a WDJCLP loan.

WDJCLP’s funding cycle is for one academic year.  WDJCLP accepts loan applications in the spring for the upcoming fall/winter terms.  There is also a second funding cycle for those who missed the first application deadline.  If you need assistance from WDJCLP for more than one year, you must re-apply each year that you need it.

You may borrow up to $100,000 total during your lifetime from WDJCLP.

WDJCLP considers the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and limited personal expenses. WDJCLP does not factor in social expenses, such as fees for sororities and fraternities.

Payments on Parent Plus loans begin immediately after the loans are issued. WDJCLP recognizes that many parents in need of assistance for their children’s education cannot meet that payment schedule. For that reason, WDJCLP does not require that parents take on Parent Plus loans.

Many of our applicants don’t know their exact financial needs when they complete their WDJCLP loan application, which is why WDJCLP requires that they submit their costs of attendance and financial aid award notice.  If you or the Loan Committee determines at some point that you have sufficient financial resources, we will withdraw your WDJCLP loan application from consideration.  You are welcome to apply for a loan for subsequent school years as needed.