U.S. Federal Aid (Title IV)
The University of Winchester participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Federal Direct Loans). These provide funding to Students from the USA to cover tuition fees and living expenses, subject to approval by Student Services. Please be aware we are unable to support funding for every course. Please refer to the U.S. Federal Aid Policy for full details on eligibility criteria.
We calculate and approve the level of federal student loans available to you through the U.S. Dept of Education. This is calculated in line with regulations using a cost of attendance calculation, in advance of you arriving at the University of Winchester.
Once you have arrived and enrolled, the funds will be disbursed to you, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
All US Federal Aid Policies can be accessed via our website, including your right to cancellation.
Important: If you require a Student Route Visa and you are in receipt of any amount of US federal loans, your CAS will not be assigned until your US federal loans documentation has been completed. Although you can borrow the visa fee amount, your loan cannot be used to pay for visa fees as you will need to have been granted your visa to enrol onto your course at the University.
Applying for U.S Federal Aid
How to apply
- Complete your FAFSA
The first step in applying for a US Federal Direct Loan is to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). To apply electronically, you must have an FSA ID. Start the application process.
Once your FAFSA is completed and processed, it will generate a Student Aid Report (SAR). This is used by University of Winchester to determine your eligibility for a loan as stipulated by the U.S. Department of Education.
University of Winchester School Code: G21497
- Cost of Attendance (COA) is calculated
Once we have received your SAR, we will complete your COA for you and confirm the amount of loans you may be eligible for through a Funding Notification Letter, sent via email. You will be required to sign and return your Funding Notification Letter to confirm the amounts you wish to borrow.
- Complete your Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Once you have accepted and returned your Award Letter, you can go on to complete the applicable Master Promissory Notes (MPN). The MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loans and any accrued interest and fees to the US Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loans.
The MPN is a binding legal document that you must sign when you get a federal student loan. It lists the terms and conditions under which you agree to repay the loan and explains your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. It is important to read and save your MPN because you’ll need to refer to it later when you begin repaying your loan or at other times when you need information about provisions of the loan, such as deferments or forbearances. Complete MPN
- Complete your Entrance Counselling
Except for parent Direct PLUS Loan borrowers, if you have not previously received a loan, you must complete entrance counselling before University of Winchester can make the first disbursement of your loan. This helps you to understand your responsibilities regarding your loan. You will be able to complete your entrance counselling online. Complete Entrance Counselling
Once all the required documents have been received and are correct, your loan will be originated. Once your loan has been originated, a Funding Notification Confirmation (FNC) will be emailed to you to confirm the dates and amounts of disbursement.
Entrance Counselling and Exit Counselling
Entrance Counselling
Before your loan application can be completed, you must complete Entrance Counselling. This ensures that you understand the terms and conditions of your loan and your rights and responsibilities.
Exit Counselling
Before you withdraw, graduate, or drop below half-time attendance (regardless of whether you plan to transfer to another school), regulations require that you complete an exit counselling session for your Direct Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans. The counselling session provides information about how to manage your student loans.
Loan Disbursement
According to US regulations, University of Winchester is required to disburse your loan funds in multiple instalments that coincide with scheduled semester start dates. If your loan period is based on enrolment for two semesters, you will receive two disbursements, one at the start of each semester. For a September start:
| 1st Disbursement | 2nd Disbursement | 3rd Disbursement (PG only) |
|---|---|---|
|
October |
January |
May |
If you have not already paid your tuition fee, once the University has received the amount of the disbursement from the US Federal Government, this will be deducted before any excess balance is forwarded to you.
Generally, loans cannot be disbursed until the semester has officially started and you must be enrolled onto your course before loans will be disbursed to you. Although you can borrow the visa fee amount, your loan cannot be used to pay for visa fees as you will need to have been granted your visa to enrol onto your course at the University.
Before each disbursement, you will be contact via email by the International Student Success team requesting whether you accept/reject your disbursements. You must confirm acceptance of your disbursements via email before your loan can be disbursed.
To receive any surplus funds, you must have your provided your bank account details via Student Bank Details (office.com).
Origination Fee
The origination fee is a charge made by the US Department of Education (USDE) to cover the administrative charges related to your loan and is subject to change by the USDE. For information on origination fees charged by the USDE please see Student Aid.
The University of Winchester does not charge any loan fees. The USDE funds received by the University are converted into the equivalent GBP according to the exchange rate. Fluctuations in exchange rates cannot be used to increase the Cost of Attendance.
Interest Rates
Please visit the Federal Student Aid website for details on current interest rates for direct loans.
U.S. Private Loans
The University of Winchester can accept funding for students from private loans company such as, Sallie Mae. Other private lenders are also available.
To receive these funds, the University must ‘certify’ the loans for each student. You can request any amount, but this amount must not exceed your Cost of Attendance (COA).
Generally, loans cannot be disbursed until the semester has officially started and you must be enrolled onto your course before loans will be disbursed to you. Although you can borrow the visa fee amount, your loan cannot be used to pay for visa fees.
If you have any questions about your U.S. Federal Loans and how they are processed, please contact International Student Success via email: international.support@winchester.ac.uk