An Unsubsidized Loan is a type of loan that the government does not pay the interest while the student is enrolled. The student has the option to either pay the accruing interest monthly or allow the interest to capitalize (to be added to the principal). Required payments do not begin until six months after graduation or six months after the student drops below half-time enrollment. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the interest rate on Undergraduate Unsubsidized Direct Loans is 5.50% for loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. For graduate students, the interest rate is 7.05%. There is currently a 1.057% origination fee that is deducted by the federal government on the loan proceeds.