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Professional Student Exchange (WICHE PSEP)

The WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program assists Alaskan students pursuing a career in specific healthcare fields.





  1. Contact ACPE and complete the certification process. Generally students will contact ACPE before October 15th of the year preceding admission
  2. Provide a copy of ACPE's certification letter to each PSEP institution to which you apply
  3. Send a copy of the institution's acceptance letter to ACPE
  4. Complete the promissory note and send it back to ACPE
  5. You're done!

Disbursement

Upon receipt of the institution's acceptance letter, ACPE will send the PSEP Master Promissory Note for completion. Your funds will be sent directly to your school's financial aid office, in accordance with their scheduled financial aid disbursement dates and procedures.

Repayment

Repayment begins six months after you stop attending school at least half time. The standard repayment period is ten years. Your monthly payment will be based on your total debt, subject to a minimum payment of $50.00 a month.


How can you keep loan costs low?

  • Develop a budget and pay bills on time
  • Prepay your loan before while in a non-payment status, such as in school or in grace
  • Choose a repayment plan and payment method that's right for your situation

  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, and an Alaska resident
  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
  • Enroll at an eligible PSEP institution in one of the following fields of study: Dentistry, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Physician's Assistant, Podiatry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy

To qualify for the PSEP, you must have a credit history that documents an ability and willingness to pay an extension of credit, or have an eligible cosigner. Visit our Understanding Credit page to learn more about credit reports and establishing good credit.


Interest Rate, APR, and Fees

The PSEP has a fixed interest rate of 7.00% (6.43% APR) in-school and in repayment. A "fixed" rate means the base interest rate will not change; however, it may be reduced by Borrower Benefits while in repayment.


What is APR?

APR stands for the Annual Percentage Rate and is the yearly cost of borrowing your loan, shown as a percent of the amount you borrowed. The APR referenced above assumes a 4-year student, principal loan amount of $10,000, no origination fee, and a repayment term of 15 years. The interest rate and APR do not factor in any reductions due to borrower benefits.


Fees

There are no origination or prepayment fees on the PSEP loan.


Tuition and Support Fee

The loan Alaska WICHE PSEP students receive through ACPE is specifically for the annual support fee to participate in PSEP. Alaska PSEP students generally pay a lower tuition at the institution they attend, and are encouraged to work with financial aid offices to determine their total cost of attendance.