College Access Loan (CAL)
The College Access Loan is a non-need based state loan program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The CAL loan is considered another type of Alternative loan that is intended to supplement traditional financial aid programs. The UTSA Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services encourages you to consider your options for Federal and State financial aid programs before applying for an alternative loan.
Who can apply?
- Any student who is currently enrolled at UTSA for the term they are requesting the funds for.
How do I apply?
1. Students must log in to the THECB website www.hhloans.com and complete the CAL Loan application.
- You will need to print out the CAL application and Master Promissory Note along with the Payment Guaranty page if necessary. Complete all documents and mail them to the lender THECB at the following address:
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
P.O. Box 12788
Austin, Texas 78711 - Do not submit, mail, or fax copies of your CAL Loan documents to UTSA. We will be able to view all pending certifications online with THECB, once you have submitted all documents to THECB.
2. Once you have mailed your completed application to THECB, then you must complete a CAL Request Form for the appropriate academic year and submit the form to Financial Aid & Enrollment Services at either the 1604 or downtown campus. Incomplete CAL Request Forms will not be processed and may further delay the processing time.
What are the requirements to receive a CAL loan?
- Students must be enrolled at least half-time per semester.
- Half-time for Undergraduate Students is 6 semester-credit hours for fall, spring, & summer terms.
- Half-time for Graduate Students is 4 semester-credit hours for fall & spring terms and 3 semester-credit hours for the summer term
- Students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) every semester.
- Students MUST be a Texas Resident or an HB 1403 student in order to be eligible to receive the CAL loan.
- Students must have completed a FAFSA and be packaged for Financial Aid for the academic year they are pursuing the CAL loan.
- Stafford Loans will be taken into consideration whether or not the student has accepted or declined the loans.
- Students need to be credit-worthy or have a credit-worthy co-signer in order to pursue a CAL loan.
What is the interest rate for the CAL Loan?
Students may choose either:
- The fixed annual interest rate which is currently 6.00%
- A variable rate that is re-set annually and will never be higher than 4 points above the rate at which the loan is made. Currently that rate is 3.91%.
What are the Cosigner Eligibility Requirements?
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must have a regular source of income
- May not be the borrower or the spouse of the borrower
- Must receive a favorable credit evaluation
- Must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident in the U.S. or in a U.S. territory
How does the CAL loan affect my financial aid?
- Students can borrow the difference between the university's cost of attendance minus the student's other financial assistance.
What is the origination fee for the CAL Loan?
- A 3% origination fee will be deducted from the proceeds of each loan if both the borrower and cosigner have a good credit standing
- A 5% origination fee will be deducted from the proceeds of each loan if either the borrower or cosigner, but not both, has a good credit standing
What is the CAL Loan repayment period?
- Repayment for CAL begins six months after the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled at least halftime.
- There is a ten-year repayment period, with minimum monthly payments of $50.00 for balances under $30,000; 20-year repayment for balances of $30,000 or more
- Postponements of loan repayment and income-sensitive or graduated repayment schedules are available. Students interested in postponing/deferring repayment will need to contact the lender, THECB.
What is the processing time after all required documents are submitted that are fully completed?
- The regular processing time is four to six weeks starting two days after the CAL Request Form has been submitted and imaged into the Financial Aid & Enrollment Services Office.
- Incomplete CAL Request forms will not be processed and further delay the processing time.
- Students who fail to submit their CAL paperwork to the lender, THECB, will delay processing even longer by an additional four weeks on top of our regular processing time of four to six weeks.
Note: It will be the student’s responsibility to inform the Financial Aid & Enrollment Services Office that they no longer want to pursue or were denied/rejected the CAL loan, so we can make the necessary changes to their Financial Aid awards