TITLE IV DIRECT LOANS

Application Guidance

The University of Bath
Federal School Code:  G11679
OPIED Code: 01167900

Due to changes to origination fees, Universities may not submit Direct Loan applications for the academic year 2013/14 to US systems until 1 July 2013.  This delay is to allow for US systems modifications to be made as a result of an increase to the origination fee (from 1.0% to 1.051% for Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised loans and from 4.0% to 4.204% for Direct PLUS loans).  As a result, we will not able to submit your loan to the US loan approval systems until early July 2013. 

Applications for 2013/14 will be processed from the beginning of July 2013 and a new Cost of Attendance will be available from Friday 21 June 2013.  We recommend that you do not complete and send any other documents before this date to reduce the risk of receiving expired documents which might make our input fail. If you completed your PLUS loan credit check before April, you will need to do it again just before sending your completed loan application documents.

1. Apply online at Federal Student Aid to obtain a PIN Number and to complete your FAFSA.  After the Department processes your FAFSA, you will receive an electronic copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). Be prepared to provide us with a copy of your SAR if we ask for one.

2. If you are male you should have registered for Selective Service, before your 26th birthday.  If you have not done this then your application for Student Aid will be rejected. If you are exempt or became an eligible citizen after your 26th birthday then we will require proof of this.

3. You MUST complete the Cost of Attendance Spreadsheet (available 21 June 2013) on our web pages and email this to us.  Please read the information on the Introduction tab to guide you through this process and don't forget to answer the questions in Tab 5 (checklist) of the spreadsheet.

If you are unsure about costs you will find some budget guides on our web pages. Adapt to suit your expected personal needs. We have a right to question or refuse any costs which we think unreasonable. Ensure you include any funding you will be receiving from other sources such as sponsorship, University scholarships etc.

Applicants may borrow up to the Cost of Attendance limits which are set by the University.
You can only apply for costs for the period studying e.g. postgraduate 12 months or undergraduate 9 months.

Alongside returning your Cost of Attendance we need you to return the following documents:

• Your Plus Loans credit check (if you are taking this type out)
• Your completed Master Promissory Notes (e-MPNS). Please note that you will need to complete a new MPN for each academic year that you receive student loans at a Foreign School. This is a legal document through which you promise to repay your Direct Loans and any accrued interest/fees. It also explains the terms and conditions.
• Completed Entrance Counselling

You or your endorser will be required to have a credit check for PLUS Loans before you can be an approved borrower.  If you or your endorser fails the credit check then you will not be eligible for a PLUS Loan. This can be all be completed at: www.StudentLoans.gov.

Please forward all of these documents to us at USLoans@bath.ac.uk when completed.

What we will do

Once you Email us your Cost of Attendance Spreadsheet we will send you at the following times:

No later than mid July:
An initial entitlement award letter (not for visa purposes) which you need to sign and send back to us to confirm your requested loan amounts. This letter is subject to change if you subsequently are awarded any other type of scholarship/sponsorship funding or your loan eligibility changes.

No later than the end of July:
Your loans request will then be originated in the US Loans system

We will then post to you a Visa Letter which is specifically written in a format approved by the UK Border Agency. We cannot email this letter.

These timescales are subject to us receiving documentation from you in a timely manner and the US Loans online systems being available to us (on occasions they are out of service for maintenance/updates).

Once you are here

You must complete Registration Online.  You will be sent an email notifying you when you can do this by the University’s Student Records Office.

Upon arrival you must attend any sessions where you are required to submit any documents for verification such as your passport, visa and evidence of qualifications. 
You will receive notification of this via Applicant Tracker / information on the Induction web-pages. 

Failure to complete these matters may delay the disbursement of funds to you.

At the end of your studies

You must complete Direct Loan Exit Counselling before we release the final loan disbursement in your final year.  You may complete Direct Loan Exit Counselling electronically at the studentloans.gov website.  You must complete Exit Counselling for each type of loan you borrow.   Email us to notify us that you have completed your Exit Counselling.

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