US Students Loans Guidance Notes
Direct Loans (FAFSA) – Government Funding
Applying for a Federal Loan to Study at Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University participates in the William D. Ford Federal
Direct Loan programme
Our Financial Services office will start looking at new
applications for new students from the end of May, and new
applications for current students from the beginning of July
for our September intake.
Application Procedure
To receive student financial aid the first step is to complete a Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); this will determine
your eligibility for a loan. You can apply online from the FAFSA
website. In order to sign your FAFSA online you'll require a PIN, and
the FAFSA website provides details on obtaining a PIN if you don't
already have one.
School Code
One of the steps in completing the FAFSA is supplying the
appropriate School Code for Anglia Ruskin University. This is
G34353.
What Happens Next
Once your FAFSA has been completed and processed you'll be sent
a Student Aid Report (SAR) which you can view, print out and keep.
This document lists the information you and your family have
provided and tells you what your Expected Family Contribution
(EFC) is for the year you are applying. The EFC is used to determine
eligibility for needs based financial aid. Please check your name,
social security number, date of birth and all other information to
make sure that it is accurate. It is important that you check the
comments section on your SAR, as there may be issues that
you need to address and any unresolved issues may delay
the processing of your loan You will need to send us a copy of
your FAFSA application form once completed to Financial Services.
Page 1
Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Students taking a federal Direct Loan are required to sign a Master
Promissory Note (MPN). If taking both direct (Stafford) and PLUS
Loans a separate MPN is required to be signed for each loan. The
MPN is a legal document through which you promise to repay your
Direct Loan. The MPN details the conditions of your Direct Loan and
the terms under which you agree to pay it back. You will need to
complete a new MPN for each academic year that you take out a
Direct Loan. You can complete a Direct Loan MPN online at the
StudentLoans.gov website. You will need your FAFSA PIN.
Applying for a Direct PLUS Loan
If you are taking a Direct PLUS Loan in addition to the Direct
Stafford Loan you will need to complete a Direct PLUS Loan
application which will also be found on the StudentLoans.gov
website. Please take a screen shot print of the credit check and
send it in with your application as we will require proof that the
PLUS Loan has been approved.
After you sign-in on the StudentLoans.gov website, select Anglia
Ruskin University. You cannot complete your MPN(s) until you
have been accepted. We will require a copy of your Direct
Stafford MPN, and Direct PLUS MPN and credit check if the Direct
PLUS Loan is also being taken, and also keep a copy of the MPNs for
your reference.
Please send all your documentation to the following address:
Anglia Ruskin University,
Financial Services,
Chelmsford Campus,
Bishop Hall Lane,
Chelmsford.
CM1 1SQ
Or scan and email to Carol Saward (carol.saward@anglia.ac.uk)
Page 2
Entrance and Exit Counselling
Entrance Counselling
It is a US legal requirement for all students who take out Direct
Loans to undergo entrance counselling. Whilst this may sound
daunting, it is simply a process to make sure that you understand
the responsibilities and the terms and conditions of your loan.
Please complete entrance counselling on the StudentLoans.gov
website. You'll need your PIN - the same one you used for your
FAFSA. If you are just taking a Direct Stafford Loan the Direct
Stafford Loan entrance counselling will need to be completed. If you
are also taking a PLUS Loan please complete the PLUS Loan
entrance counselling. In addition you'll need to print out the
counselling confirmation and send it in with your application as we
require proof that the counselling session(s) have been completed.
Please complete entrance counselling - this is required even if
already completed at another university. Not required by current
students if you have already completed the relevant entrance
counselling for us.
Please note: we will not be able to proceed with completing
and certifying your loans until we have a copy of the
counselling confirmation.
Exit Counselling
US regulations also stipulate that you must complete exit
counselling by the time you finish your studies at Anglia Ruskin
University. This has to be done before you graduate, drop below
half-time attendance, or withdraw, regardless of whether you plan
to transfer to another University or re-enroll at Anglia Ruskin
University at a later date. The counselling session will help you
understand your rights and responsibilities as a student loan
borrower and provides useful tips and information to help you
manage your loans.
Please complete exit counselling on the National Student Loan Data
System website:
You'll need your PIN - the same one you used for your FAFSA and it
will take you approximately 30 minutes. Once completed, we will
retrieve your results from NSLDS. We'll then update your records to
confirm that you have met the requirements of Exit Counselling.
Page 3
Cost of Attendance
We have to adhere to US regulations, which state that the
maximum you can receive in loans cannot exceed the yearly cost of
attendance less any other financial aid you may be receiving. For
1st year graduate students the conditional offer letter you receive
once you have been made an offer details your cost of attendance.
Graduates cannot apply for a Direct PLUS Loan without having first
applied for a Direct Stafford Loan, and although undergraduate
dependent students do not have to apply for a Direct Stafford Loan
before their parents apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, it is
recommended that they do so.
Only apply for the amount that you will need, a loan is a financial
burden that has to be paid back with interest, and interest is
charged on all your loans.
Undergraduate Students
In order to calculate your Direct Stafford loan amount please refer
to: 'What Type of Loan and How Much You Can Borrow'.
If you are a dependent undergraduate and one of your Parents is
taking a PLUS loan note that US regulations require that we have
confirmation from the Parent when a Parent PLUS is taken that all
the Parent PLUS loan is to be paid towards
fees/charges/accommodation with any remainder being given to the
student towards their living expenses. If one of your parents is
taking a PLUS loan we will require written confirmation of the above
from your parent included with your loan paperwork.
Current undergraduate students - before proceeding with your loan
request we will need to confirm that you are making satisfactory
academic progress.
Stafford Loans
Subsidised loans are awarded to students based on financial need
– the loan is subsidised because the US Government pays the
interest while you are in University. It also pays the interest during
any authorised period of deferment of the loan, and for the sixmonth grace period after you leave University.
Page 4
Unsubsidised loans are not based on financial need and you are
responsible for paying the interest from the time the money is
disbursed. The interest may be paid as it comes due, or it may be
postponed and allowed to accumulate while you are in University,
during any authorised period of deferment, and for the six-month
grace period after you leave University. If you choose to postpone
the interest payments, you won’t make any payments while you are
in University, but this option adds to the amount you will have to
repay on your loan when you leave University.
The proportion of subsidised loan that you are eligible for is
dependent on your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) which is on
your Student Aid Report. We calculate your eligibility by subtracting
your EFC from your costs of attendance. In most cases the majority
of students will be eligible for the full subsidised amount.
Dependent
Undergraduates
Subsidised
Stafford
Loan
Unsubsidised
Stafford Loan
Annual
Loan
Limit
Year 1
$3500
$2000
$5500
Year 2
$4500
$2000
$6500
Year 3 and above
$5500
$2000
$7500
Independent
Undergraduates
Subsidised
Stafford
Loan
Unsubsidised
Stafford Loan
Annual
Loan
Limit
Year 1
$3500
$6000
$9500
Year 2
$4500
$6000
$10500
Year 3 and above
$5500
$7000
$12500
Page 5
Graduates or
Professionals
Subsidised
Stafford
Loan
Unsubsidised
Stafford Loan
Annual
Loan
Limit
Each Year
$8500
$12000
$20500
Dependent or Independent Student
A student’s dependency status is determined from information
provided on the FAFSA. It affects the Expected Family Contribution
(EFC) and the aid that you may be eligible to receive.
For purposes of Title IV aid, a student is considered independent if
he or she meets one or more or the following criteria:
the student is at least 24 years old by December 31 st of the
award year
the student is an orphan or ward/dependent of the court, or
was a ward/dependent of the court until he or she reached age
18
the student is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
the student is working on a master’s or doctorate programme
at the beginning of the award year for which the FAFSA is
completed
the student is married as of the date the FAFSA is completed
the student has at least one child who receives more than half
of his or her support from the student
the student has a dependent, other than a spouse or a child,
who lives with the student and receives more than half of his or
her support from the student at the time the FAFSA is
completed, and through June 30 of the award year
the student is currently serving on active duty in the U.S.
Armed Forces for purposes other than training.
The student is considered dependent if he or she does not meet any
of the preceding criteria for an independent student, unless the
financial aid administrator determines that the student is
independent on the basis of special circumstances and performs a
dependency override.
Graduate Plus: These types of loans are available to graduates,
and borrowers should first apply for the Stafford before applying for
the Grad Plus. The Grad Plus can be the difference between the
Stafford and the cost of attendance less any other financial aid. You
may defer principle and interest payments on this loan whilst you
Page 6
are enrolled. There is no six month grace period after completion of
the course.
Parent Plus: Parents of dependent undergraduates can take out a
Parent Plus loan under their name to pay the entire cost of
attendance less any additional financial aid. If a Stafford Loan has
been taken, the maximum Parent Plus can be the difference
between the Stafford and the cost of attendance less any other
financial aid. We will require a statement from parents who apply
for a PLUS loan without first completing a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid to confirm that the student and parent will use
the PLUS loan funds for educational expenses. Payments are
normally due within 60 days after the loan has been fully disbursed,
and deferment of payment may be available through selected
lenders.
Private Loans: These are not part of the Federal Loan programme.
The type of loan offered will depend on your credit rating, and a cosigner may be required. The maximum Private Loan can be the
yearly cost of attendance less any other financial aid (loans,
awards, bursaries, scholarships etc.).
We do not process PELL grants, this is only for domestic country.
Aggregate Federal Loan Maximum Amount
Subsidised Aggregate Maximum
Dependent Undergraduate
$23000
$31000
Independent Undergraduate
$23000
$57500
Graduate
$65500
$138500
*Please note, there is no maximum amount for unsubsidised loans,
and the total subsidised and unsubsidised loans cannot exceed the
aggregate maximum.
Disbursement
If you are taking a Federal Direct Loan note that we have to adhere
to US regulations regarding disbursement. There will be 3
disbursements.
Page 7
Disbursement dates:
September intake the disbursements will be in September,
November and January
January intake the disbursements will be in January, March and May
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Anglia Ruskin University is required by US regulations to
ensure that all students applying for, or receiving, Federal
Aid (subsidized, unsubsidized and PLUS) are making
satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in order to remain
eligible to receive US loan support. The SAP review will be
conducted at least once annually, typically whenever a
current or continuing student submits an application for
Federal Aid. For students about to start a course, SAP is met
by being accepted to Anglia Ruskin. In order to be making
satisfactory academic progress a student should also not
exceed 150% of the published time frame for the course and
should remain at least half time.
Undergraduates: for new undergraduate students about to start a
course as above, SAP is met by being accepted to Anglia Ruskin.
Current undergraduates on submission of an application for federal
aid we will contact your college to confirm that you are making
satisfactory academic progress. In order to be making satisfactory
academic progress your college should confirm that you are making
good or satisfactory academic progress or at the very least confirm
that your progress to date is anticipated to be sufficient for you to
obtain a pass when you take your exams.
Graduates: for new graduate students about to start a course as
above, SAP is met by being accepted to Anglia Ruskin. Current
graduates on submission of an application for federal aid we will
check your supervisor's most recent comments on our computer
system. If there are either no comments or no recent comments we
will e-mail your supervisor requesting confirmation that you are
making satisfactory academic progress. In either case in order to be
making satisfactory progress your supervisor's comments SITS or
received by e-mail should confirm that you are making good or
satisfactory progress or at the very least confirm that your progress
to date is anticipated to be sufficient for you to obtain a pass when
you take your exams. Continuing graduate students e.g. MPhil
students continuing to PhD. In order for you to meet satisfactory
academic progress we will require confirmation that you have
Page 8
passed your current course and that you have met the conditions to
be accepted onto your new course.
If we have been advised that you are not making satisfactory
academic progress you will be placed on probation for six months. If
this has happened and you subsequently meet the requirements in
the next term you will be placed back into good Financial Aid
Standing (SAP).
Any student who has been placed on probation and does not meet
the requirements applicable to degree level will be suspended and
ineligible to receive aid until such a time as they achieve the
required standard.
Students who transfer into a new academic programme will also
transfer with any SAP warning or sanction and will still need to meet
the specified criteria in the new programme before re-establishing
eligibility to receive aid.
As mentioned above in order to meet satisfactory academic
requirements a student should not exceed 150% of the
published time frame for the course and should remain at
least half time.
Please also refer to the University's ‘Rules and Regulations’ which
outline a series of regulations which will affect your time at Anglia
Ruskin. It contains all the relevant rules and regulations that should
be observed over the course of a student or staff member's
involvement in the University community.
Further information:
Student Rules and Regulations
In School Deferment Forms
If you have any loans outstanding or have taken Grad Plus for the
current year you will need to advise your lender that you are ‘inschool’, and request that they send you a deferment form. Please
complete your details and either send it or drop it in to us in order
that it can be certified. Please provide us with an email address if
you would like it emailed to your lender, or an address in order that
we can forward it on your behalf.
Leave of Absence
Leave of absence is where a student applies to intermit for
medical or non-medical reasons.
Page 9
If you have taken Federal Aid during your current year and intermit
then you will need to read the following information carefully.
Your Federal Loans will be affected if you intermit and do not meet
the criteria required by US regulations relating to Federal Aid. We
will have to follow the procedure relating to a student that has
withdrawn.
Withdrawing
The total period of intermission must not exceed a total of 180 days
in any 12-month period and this includes weekends and scheduled
breaks - we will count the number of days between the start and
end date of the period of intermission including weekends and
vacation.
A student must apply in advance to intermit unless unforeseen
circumstances prevent the student from doing so. See 'Intermission'
for further information.
Intermission
Undergraduates please speak to individual faculties to apply to
degrade.
Disbursement of proceeds of Federal Aid funds cannot be made
whilst a student is in intermission. Please advise us if you are
planning on applying or have been granted leave to intermit and are
currently receiving Federal Aid.
Withdrawing and Return to Title IV Policy
If you withdraw from your course or ‘intermit’, then you
must inform the International office, the lender, and
guarantee agency within one week in writing.
If you have taken federal loans and completed less than 60% of
your studies, Anglia Ruskin University has to comply with US
regulations and recalculate your Financial Aid eligibility using a
'Return of Title IV' form based on the period of the year you
attended. As a result you may be required to pay back money to
your lender from the Federal loans (Direct Stafford Subsidized,
Direct Stafford Unsubsidized and Direct PLUS) you have received. It
may also be possible that Anglia Ruskin will have to repay funds to
your lender for tuition fees, and that you will be requested to make
an additional fee payment to us to replace these funds.
Pro-rata refund calculations apply for any student who
withdraws within 60% of the payment period.
Page 10
Contact us
Please do not hesitate to contact this office if you have any further
questions:
Anglia Ruskin University,
Financial Services Office,
Chelmsford Campus,
Bishop Hall Lane,
Chelmsford.
CM1 1SQ
Page 11