Registry

Eligibility

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Am I eligible for a US Federal Loan?

To be eligible for a Federal Loan, you must:

• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security number.
• Be enroled or accepted for enrolment in an eligible program at our institution.
• Have a high school diploma.
• Be enroled at least half-time for the period of the loan.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually.
• Comply with the University's satisfactory academic progress policy.
• Not be in default on an educational loan or owe a repayment on an adjusted federal grant.

Please be aware that eligibility for loans is affected if you have defaulted on federal loan repayments from previous years. Defaults are reported on the FAFSA application, and certification of new loans cannot proceed until arrangements to repay arrears have been made with the Loan Servicer. Documentary evidence indicating that the Loan Servicer now considers your loans to be in good standing will be required by the University of Glasgow.

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Are there any programs ineligible for a US Federal Loan?

The following programs are ineligible for Federal Loans. This list is not exhaustive, and if you have any concerns regarding the eligibility of your intended program, please contact Pamela McNair at usloans@glasgow.ac.uk for further assistance:

• BA Community Development (Hons)*
• All Distance Learning programs*
• Diploma and Certificate programs*
• Undergraduate MBchB*
• Bachelor of Nursing*
• Bachelor of Dental Surgery*
• International Masters Erasmus Mundus programs*
• MSc in Conservation Management of African Ecosystems*
• MSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology*
• BSc Honours in Statistics*
• Language programs with a language year abroad*
• Master of Global Business (MSB)*
• Any program that is taught or part-taught with another institution*
• Students attending the Glasgow International College (GIC)
• Students studying at the Edinburgh Theological College Edinburgh
• Incoming Study Abroad/Exchange students (please apply for loans through your home school)

* Please note that for these programs, you can apply for a private education loan as an alternative funding option.

Points to Consider

• For Postgraduate Students: If you plan to return to the US before the end of the academic year to complete your dissertation at home, you will become ineligible for federal loans. Depending on your departure date from the UK, funds from your previous disbursement may need to be returned to the US Department of Education, and any subsequent disbursements will not be released to you.
• For PhD Students: Conducting periods of research in the USA may render PhD students ineligible for federal lending. For further discussion on this matter, please contact Pamela McNair at usloans@glasgow.ac.uk.
• Study Abroad: If you intend to participate in a Study Abroad program while at Glasgow, this may impact your eligibility for federal loans. It is essential to check with Pamela McNair before accepting a Study Abroad place to understand how it might affect your loan eligibility.

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When will I hear if I'm eligible?

Please notify Pamela McNair via email at usloans@glasgow.ac.uk once you have completed or renewed your FAFSA. Upon receipt of your notification, Pamela will proceed to download your Student Aid Report (SAR), calculate your entitlement for Federal Loans, and provide you with your Eligibility Letter. Typically, this process occurs in June for new students and July for continuing students.

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Applications

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How do I apply for a US Federal Loan?

The U.S. Department of Education initiates the opening of FAFSA applications in October of the preceding year for the upcoming academic year. Students are encouraged to complete or renew their FAFSA during this period. However, the financial aid process, including the certification and confirmation of loans, commences in June/July for new students, coinciding with the updating of the USDE Loans systems.

New students:

→ Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online using the school code G08383 (or 008383).

→ Notify Pamela McNair at usloans@glasgow.ac.uk after submission.

Continuing students:

→ Renew your FAFSA annually using the same FSA ID from previous years.

What documentation do I need to complete after submitting my FAFSA?

New students:

→ Please visit the Student Aid website to complete the following documentation:

• Entrance Counselling
• For Direct Subsidised and/or Unsubsidised Loans: A Master Promissory Note
• For Graduate/Parent PLUS Loans: A Master Promissory Note AND a PLUS Loan Request application (Note: For Parent PLUS Loans, the parent completes the Master Promissory Note and application under their own FSA ID.)

→ After completing the required documentation, return the Loan Information Form attached to the first letter we send you.

Continuing students:

→ Follow the same process as new students without Entrance Counselling.

What happens after I've completed all relevant documents?

Once all required documents are completed, we will certify your loans and provide you with a letter confirming loan amounts and approximate disbursement dates. Tuition fees are deducted from disbursements, and the remainder is deposited into your bank account.

Note: As per the Direct Loan Regulations, any scholarship awards should be deducted from a student's Cost of Attendance, thereby reducing the loans available. If this applies to you, please contact usloans@glasgow.ac.uk to provide details of the scholarship awarded.

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What is the University's 'School Code'?

The school code for FAFSA applications is G08383, which may also appear as 008383.

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What is the deadline for US Federal Loan applications?

The deadlines for late loan applications are 30 April 2024 for Undergraduate and Veterinary students, and 30 June 2024 for Postgraduate students.

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I'm seeking a Canadian student loan. How do I move forward with this?

For Canadian student loans, submit your loan forms and any enquiries to the Student Services Enquiry Team.

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Loans

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How does loan disbursement work for Federal Loans?

Convera (formerly Western Union) will disburse funds for Federal Loans to students on our behalf.

A Financial Aid Award for the amount of your tuition fees will be applied to your student account. If the loan is insufficient to cover the full fee, an estimate of what we will receive will be applied. The funds come in dollars directly to the University's account with Convera. We will convert the amount received into sterling using the exchange rate applicable on the date the funds were received. Half (undergraduates/PHDs) or one-third (postgraduate taught students/4th year vets) of your tuition fees will be deducted, and any remaining funds will be deposited into your bank account.

If your loans are insufficient to meet your tuition fees, you will need to arrange to make up the shortfall immediately or by bank direct debit over 8 instalments.

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How does loan disbursement work for Sallie Mae or Earnest Private Loans?

Once you are registered, we will request the loan funds from Salliemae. A Financial Aid Award for the amount of your tuition fees will be applied to your MyCampus student record. If the loan is insufficient to cover the full fee, an estimate of what we will receive will be applied. The funds come in dollars directly to the University's account with Convera. We will convert the amount received into sterling using the exchange rate applicable on the date the funds were received. The full tuition fee or estimated amount will be deducted from your disbursement if there are sufficient funds. Any excess funds will be refunded into your bank account.

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How will I know if I've been accepted for a loan?

Your Financial Aid Award Letter confirms the certification of your loan(s). However, it's important to note that at the beginning of each academic year, we cannot request the first disbursement funds of your loans until you have completed all stages of registration on MyCampus. This includes Academic Registration and Financial Registration.

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When can I expect to receive the funds?

Below are the approximate dates for loan disbursements in the 2023/24 academic year. Please note that it may take a few days for the funds to reach your bank account.

Undergraduates; Veterinary students years 1, 2, 3 and 5; Professional LLB:

• 25 September 2023
• 15 January 2024

Fourth Year Veterinary students; Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students starting in September:

• 25 September 2023
• 15 January 2024
• 20 May 2024

PhD students:

• 2 October 2023
• 1 April 2024

Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students starting in January:

• 15 January 2024
• 20 May 2024
• 9 September 2024

PhD students starting in January:

• 15 January 2024
• 20 May 2024

For the first disbursement to be released, you must be fully registered on your MyCampus record. Please refer to the Loan Disbursement Tab for details on what is required from you.

Subsequent disbursements require confirmation that a student is attaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.

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What exchange rate is used for calculating the Cost of Attendance (CoA)?

We use a theoretical exchange rate of 1.35 for the calculation of the 2023/24 Cost of Attendance. This rate is an estimate of the value of dollars required to purchase the pounds needed, with an additional buffer to accommodate potential fluctuations in the currency market.

At each loan disbursement, funds are exchanged from dollars to pounds using the rate applicable on the day we receive the funds from the US Department of Education.

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How much can I borrow?

You can borrow up to an amount equal to your Cost of Attendance (COA) minus any scholarships that you have been awarded from any source. Please inform Pamela McNair of any internal or external scholarships you have received.

The Cost of Attendance comprises two main elements: tuition costs and living expenses. You will receive details of the Cost of Attendance in your Financial Aid Letter, which will be sent to you once you have completed your FAFSA and notified us via email.

For the academic year 2023/24, the cost of attendance exchange rate will be set at 1.35. However, please note that this is an estimated rate only, and the actual rate on the day of your disbursement will be used. Your tuition payment will be deducted from your loans in two instalments. However, accommodation and other living expenses are the responsibility of the student, and we do not deduct any funds for accommodation. After deducting tuition fees, the remaining amount will be deposited into your bank account.

We recommend having a UK Bank Account opened prior to the start of the term for smoother transactions.

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Does the University participate in the Veterans Affairs Benefits programme?

Yes, the University of Glasgow participates in the Veterans Affairs Benefits programme.

How to Apply:

If you believe you may be eligible for these benefits, you should first contact the Department for Veterans Affairs online or via telephone at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

Please note that the University does not have access to an individual's eligibility, remaining benefits, or the amount the VA will pay.

Once your eligibility for benefits is confirmed, please email Pamela McNair at usloans@glasgow.ac.uk with your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA and your SSN. We will check if your chosen programme of study has been previously approved for the University of Glasgow by the Veteran Affairs.

If the programme has been previously approved for another student, that approval applies to all subsequent students enrolling on that particular programme.

If the programme has never been approved, we will apply to the VA for approval. Please be aware that the Department of Veteran Affairs currently has a backlog of approving requests, and it may take up to 318 days to receive a response.

Online Distance Learning programmes at foreign schools are not eligible for VA Benefits.

Please note: When applying for admission to the University of Glasgow, you must clearly state on your application that you will be applying for Veterans Affairs Benefits as an American student.

Enrolment Verification:

The Veteran Affairs requires certification of enrolment before paying benefits to students. The University will confirm your enrolment to the VA in late August.

Payment of Benefits:

Housing Benefits and book stipends, if applicable, are paid directly to the student.

Payments for tuition fees will be sent directly to the University. The maximum amount that the VA will pay out in tuition fees for attending a foreign school in 2023/24 is yet to be confirmed.

The VA selects an exchange rate on 1st July each year, which is applied to the GBP tuition fee confirmed by us. The rate remains unchanged throughout the year.

The funds are sent in USD, and we convert them back to GBP using the exchange rate applicable on the day we receive the funds. Due to exchange rate variances, this may result in receiving more or less than estimated. Any excess is refunded to you when the final VA instalment is released to us. If we receive less, you will be asked to make up the shortfall.

If your Certificate of Eligibility confirms your entitlement to benefits, we can process a financial aid award onto your MyGlasgow student record before the academic year begins, in anticipation of receiving funds from the VA. We estimate the amount, and if it doesn't cover your entire fee, you'll need to arrange to pay the difference.

The funds are received in 2 instalments for Undergraduates/PhD students and 3 for Postgraduate Taught students. Upon receipt, we convert them into pounds. Carol Barnett will inform you via email of the amount received at each benefits disbursement.

Upon receiving the last payment from the VA, we calculate the total amount received. If there's a surplus over the estimated figure, it will be credited to your bank account. If we receive less than estimated, you'll be asked to make up the difference.

Please note: The University has no control over the timescales for payment of your benefits from the Veterans Affairs.

Accreditation of Prior Learning Policy:

The University of Glasgow has a separate Accreditation of Prior Learning Policy specifically for VA students.

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Deferring Payments, Exit Counselling & Withdrawing

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Can I defer loan repayments?

In early October, the University of Glasgow will register US students' enrolment details onto the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Lenders and Loan Services utilise NSLDS to defer loan repayments for the duration of your attendance at the University of Glasgow. It is important to note that Loan Servicers should not require paper-based In School Deferment Forms.

If you are not seeking a loan for the 2023/24 academic year but require previous loans to be deferred, please inform Pamela McNair of your Social Security Number (SSN), and we will ensure your enrolment details are added to the NSLDS system.

Please be aware that the end date recorded on NSLDS corresponds to the conclusion of your studies and may differ from the date of your graduation ceremony.

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What is Exit Counselling and how does it apply to me?

Upon conclusion of your enrolment at the University of Glasgow, it is mandatory to undergo exit counselling. This applies to various circumstances, including graduation, withdrawal from the University, transferring to another school, or transitioning to less than half-time study. Please ensure compliance with this requirement.

You will be prompted to complete your counselling session on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) site. This session typically lasts approximately 30 minutes and offers valuable information on your rights and loan repayment. Access the counselling session here.

Please note that you will need your FSA ID, which was used for your FAFSA application, to complete the counselling session.

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How do I withdraw from my programme of study?

Withdrawal is the formal process for leaving your programme of study and the University. Please refer to our withdrawl guidelines.

If you are in receipt of a US Federal Loan, please contact Carol Barnett at carol.barnett@glasgow.ac.uk to discuss the impact of withdrawal.

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