Financial Aid for American Postgraduates 2023/24

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for a Direct Loan to study with us you must:

• be a US citizen
• be physically present at the University of York for your studies
• be continuously enrolled at least half-time at the University of York
• make satisfactory academic progress during your course: Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy (PDF , 124kb)

Courses ineligible for Direct Loans

We are not able to offer Direct loans for the following courses:

• courses which are less than half-time
• courses which are not degree-bearing
• courses at the Hull York Medical School (HYMS)
• courses in nursing or midwifery
• online courses
• distance-learning courses

If your course is ineligible for Direct Loans, you may be able to take out a private loan.

We don't recommend any one lender over another and can't advise on the suitability of any loan product. Make sure you carefully research the terms and conditions (including repayment obligations, interest rates, deferral options, etc) and consider the implications on your specific circumstances before going ahead with any loan.

Direct/Title IV loans

The Federal Student Aid website has detailed information on borrowing under the Direct Loans programme.

Students enrolling on postgraduate courses can be considered for:

1. An Unsubsidised Loan up to a maximum of $20,500 per academic year, subject to previous borrowing levels and limits. These are not based on financial need and their interest rate is reviewed annually.
2. A Graduate PLUS Loan from Direct Loans, to cover costs of attendance above $20,500. This is subject to a credit check.

Private loans

If Direct Loans are not available, or don't fully cover your costs of attendance, you may be able to apply for a private loan.

Regardless of the type of loan you choose, you can borrow up to your cost of attendance. We calculate this based on your estimated living, study and travel expenses, plus one year's tuition fees.

These figures are provided as an indication of the maximum amount available. Your cost of attendance will vary based on a number of factors:

• the tuition fees for your course
• which year of your course you will be studying
• the total length of your course
• previous loans
• whether you are in receipt of any other financial aid, eg sponsorship, scholarships or bursaries.

Postgraduate fixed cost of attendance

Course duration	Year of study	Cost of attendance
1 year	1st	£21,155 + tuition
2 years (taught)	1st	£21,625 + tuition
2 years+ (research)	1st	£22,565 + tuition
2 years+	2nd+	£19,050 + tuition

These amounts do not include Origination fees of 1.057 per cent on Unsubsidised Loans and 4.228 per cent on PLUS Loans. These are deducted by the U.S. Department of Education before loans are paid out. These are the fees for 2022/23 as the 2023/24 fees have not yet been released. They are unlikely to change significantly.

Part-time study

The costs of attendance quoted above are for students studying full time. If you intend to study part time please contact Student Financial Support for further information.

Borrowing more than the fixed cost of attendance

In limited circumstances you may be able to borrow more than the fixed cost of attendance. For example, you could have childcare costs for dependent children, or you may need to travel to undertake research.

To apply for additional funds, make a written request to Student Financial Support. You should explain your circumstances and include evidence of additional costs if available. Where possible you should make this request at the same time as you apply for your loan for the academic year.

Your cost of attendance is calculated to cover your tuition fees plus living costs including:

• accommodation (on campus) and college fees
• insurance for your possessions
• food, toiletries and laundry
• course-related costs such as field trips, textbooks, printing
• social and sporting activities
• mobile phone and TV licence
• travel to and from the UK and travel while at university
• visa costs and NHS surcharge (first year only)
• a computer and printer (first year only).

How we calculate your living costs

Expenditure	Weekly cost	Annual cost (51 weeks)
Food	£42.50	£2,168
Toiletries	£17.50	£893
Course related costs1		£765
Insurance2		£392
Laundry3	£11	£561
Social and sporting activities4	£32.50	£1,658
Mobile phone	£8	£408
Mid-range ensuite campus accommodation6	£185	£9,435
Travel to study (within York)7	£12	£612
TV license5		£159
2x return flights to UK		£2,000
Visa costs including flight to interview and NHS surcharge (first year only)8		£1,505
PC and printer (first year only)9		£600
Total cost of attendance (not including tuition fees)10		£21,156
Total Cost of Attendance in $ (Exchange Rate $1.35 = £1.00 )11		$28,561

Notes

1. Course costs can vary and include such items as text books, photocopying, equipment and field trips. Your academic department may be able to provide a more accurate estimate relating to your specific course. If you have a placement as part of your course costs may differ substantially, particularly due to travel costs.
2. It may be helpful for you to check whether you are covered by your parent's household insurance before taking out insurance of your own. If you live in University accommodation, you will be covered by our contents insurance policy (endsleigh.co.uk).
3. This covers two washes a week on campus.
4. Social costs are indicative only. The actual amount spent on social activities can vary widely in accordance with your lifestyle choices. See sample social costs.
5. You will need a TV licence if you watch television (whether through a television or on a computer or laptop) in your accommodation (even if living on campus). Find out more about getting a TV license.
6. For the purposes of the cost of attendance we have included an approximate cost for a mid-range ensuite room in University on campus accommodation. The actual cost of your accommodation will depend on your choice, the availability of rooms and whether you choose to live on campus or in private accommodation. These differences can be reflected in the amount you choose to borrow.
   
   We have many different room types and facilities available - see more about accommodation on-campus. Please email accommodation@york.ac.uk if you need advice on living on-campus or in the private sector. You can also have a look at help with private sector accommodation and specific advice for international students.
   
   In private accommodation it is often necessary to pay rent up to six months in advance. This is particularly so for international students and students with families. If you choose to live in private accommodation you may also need to provide a deposit of at least one month's rent on signing the tenancy agreement. You may also need to arrange a UK Rent Guarantor (doing so may reduce the requirement for payment of rent up front).
7. Student Bus Passes are available on the First York website. If you're living away from York, the costs for travel will be higher. Cost of travel between campuses is free, but this does not include travel for students studying at King's Manor
8. Visa costs are only included in cost of attendance calculations for the first year of your course. £800 is provided for visa costs and the cost of any flights required to attend interviews. NHS surcharges vary depending on the length of your course.
9. This amount is only included in cost of attendance calculations for the first year of your course.
10. Your cost of attendance includes the actual tuition fees for your programme of study for the relevant year. The cost of non-standard fees may be more or less than indicated here.
11. We determine a fixed exchange rate once a year and apply it to all cost of attendance calculations. We don't revise our calculations throughout the academic year to account for small fluctuations in the commercial exchange rate.

You will need to make a separate application for each academic year that you need a loan. Applications for each academic year usually open in May.

If you wish to apply for a loan for the current academic year please email sfsu@york.ac.uk.

You can also manage your loans and make any changes to existing ones.

When are applications open?

9 May 2023.

How much can I borrow?

That depends on many factors, such as whether you are studying undergraduate or postgraduate, how long your course is and whether you are receiving financial aid from elsewhere (e.g. a scholarship). You can see an example of how we calculate your loan above.

When should I complete my application/documentation?

Applications for FAFSAs are now open so you should complete this now. The University of York application form opens on 9th May 2023 so you should complete it as soon as possible after 9th May. 

Once you’ve completed the University of York application form, make sure you look out for emails requesting further information or documentation as we will need these before we can process your loan. Remember to keep us informed of any changes to your plans. 

Have you received my FAFSA?

We receive notification of when a student has completed their FAFSA and named the University of York on it. We begin processing for the new academic year on 9th May 2023, so you won’t hear from us before then. In the meantime, read our website carefully so you can be sure of the process and submit your application form as soon as applications open.

When will you approve my loan?

Once we have received all the information and documentation we need. We can only start originating loans from the middle of June as it can’t be more than 3 months prior to the start of your course. 

Do I need to borrow the full cost of attendance?

No - you can borrow any amount up to and including the maximum amount available to you. If you borrow less than the amount you owe the university in fees/tuition then you will be personally responsible for paying any balance owing.

What happens if I/my parents don't pass a credit check?

if you can find someone who is willing to act as your endorser (similar to a co-signer) that can pass a credit check then you/your parents can apply for a plus loan with an endorser. If you do have an endorser, please let us know. 

When will I get my first payment?

After the start of your course. Your loan won’t be released before you’ve arrived for the start of the academic year. The first personal disbursement is usually up to 3 weeks after the start of the course so you must make sure you have sufficient funds to keep going for a few weeks before you arrive. 

Do I need a UK bank account?

A UK bank account is preferable as it reduces the times your money will be subject to exchange rates.

How do I pay my fees/university accommodation? Should I set up a Direct Debit?

No, do not set up a direct debit if you are receiving US Federal Aid. After term starts, students receive an invoice for tuition/accommodation fees. This is for information only. If you receive US Financial Aid, you will put on an alternative payment schedule in line with the US Loan disbursement dates (so you will pay your fees in September and February if you are an undergraduate student, and in September, February and June if you are a postgraduate student). 

What happens if I don't borrow enough to fully cover my tuition/accommodation fees?

If you don’t borrow enough to cover the whole of your tuition/university accommodation fees, you are responsible for paying the balance.

You can pay the balance at any time. Exchange rates for each disbursement changes throughout the year so only after the final disbursement has been paid will we know exactly how much the balance will be.

Some students choose to pay an amount up front, using a best guess on exchange rates. If you inadvertently overpay (which will only be clear after the final disbursement in February/June) then any overpayment will be paid back to you once the exact amount is known. 

Can I receive a Pell Grant?

Unfortunately, Pell Grants are not available while studying at a ‘foreign school’ like the University of York. They are only available to American Students studying in America. 

I have been offered a scholarship/funding, will this impact my loans?

Any scholarship or funding from another provider will impact the amount of loan available to borrow dollar for dollar. You will be asked about this when you complete our application form and will need to provide us with evidence of the amount and source. Note that this relates to funding from scholarships, bursaries, Americorps (not VA) or other loan providers. It does not relate to funding you are receiving from your family or your own personal earnings. 

What about Canadian Loans?

We are not involved in the processing of Canadian loans and can only provide a brief overview. Canadian loans are means-tested, so you’re required to demonstrate financial need to qualify. Applications are made through the provincial/territorial student assistance office or website and the provincial/territorial student aid service then advises on what steps to follow.

What is the VA/GI Bill process and can I use it?

Veterans/dependents who are entitled to VA benefits can use these at the University of York on a VA approved course, in-person only and not for courses including a study abroad/placement year). 

VA Loans do not impact a student's ability to apply for or receive US Federal Aid and do not reduce the amount of US Federal Aid a student can borrow. 

Students must contact the US Department of VA directly to see if they are eligible; then contact us and submit their certificate. 

For approved courses, we can certify enrolment for term 1 once the student has attended. 

If we need to request course approval, please note that the VA currently has a very big backlog and it’s taking over 6 months for approvals. 

Can I adjust my loan mid year?

Yes - you can decrease your loans if you want to, you can cancel a disbursement altogether if it’s not needed and if you haven’t borrowed the maximum amount available to you you can increase your loan up to the maximum amount as well. You’ll need to email us to request this, find out more here.

Can I study or work outside the UK?

Any periods of study or work placements outside the UK can adversely affect your loan eligibility for the time you are away, even if you have academic approval. You must contact Student Financial Support if this applies to you.

Can I complete any of my studies in the USA?

Periods of study in the USA during your course will adversely affect your loan eligibility for your entire course, even if you have academic approval. You must email Student Financial Support if you intend to return to the USA for any period of study.

Can I use US Federal Aid for Online or distance learning courses?

No, unfortunately students cannot use US Federal Aid for courses held online or via distance learning. Private Loans may be available. 

Can I defer payment of my existing loans?

If you apply for a Direct Loan to fund your studies then repayments on existing loans will be deferred automatically while you're at the University of York. This is done after the start of the academic year in early November.

If you're studying at York but not applying for a new loan you can still defer your payments - email Student Financial Support and ask us to report your enrolment. 

We report your enrolment on the American National Student Loan Data System so you should direct your lender to that system after early November (if you are taking out loans this year) or once we have confirmed that we have reported your attendance (if you are not receiving loans this year) for confirmation of your enrolment so you can defer your loan repayments.