Direct Loans for Americans (postgraduate)

Am I 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 , 131kb)

Are all courses eligible for Direct Loans?

The following types of courses are not eligible for Direct Loans:

• 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 not eligible for a Direct Loans, you may be able to take out a private loan.

Direct/Title IV loans

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

Students enrolling on a postgraduate course which is eligible for Direct Loans 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 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(s) you choose, you can borrow up to your calculated cost of attendance. We calculate this based on your estimated living, study and travel expenses for the academic year, 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
• your choice of accommodation
• the total length of your course
• previous loans
• whether you are in receipt of any other financial aid, e.g. sponsorship, scholarships or bursaries.

Postgraduate fixed cost of attendance

The figures below are based on a postgraduate student living in either University on-campus accommodation or in private, off-campus accommodation. For 2025/26, the accommodation costs used in the Cost of Attendance for living in on-campus and off-campus accommodation have been calculated to have approximately the same average cost, this may change in future years. For students living with parents, their cost of attendance will vary.

Course duration	Year of study	Cost of attendance
1 year	1st	£24,640 + tuition
2 years (taught)	1st	£25,416 + tuition
2 years+ (research)	1st	£26,968 + tuition
2 years+	2nd+	£22,036 + tuition

These amounts do not include origination fees of 1.057 per cent on Unsubsidised Loans and 4.228 per cent on PLUS Loans for 2025/26. These are deducted by the US Department of Education before loans are disbursed. 

What other considerations are taken into account when calculating the cost of attendance?

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 - Professional Judgement Policy

In limited circumstances, you may be able to borrow more than the fixed cost of attendance. In situations where the Student Aid Index (SAI) and/or cost of attendance (COA) does not accurately reflect a student’s financial situation, the law allows the Financial Aid Administrator (FAA) to make reasonable adjustments on a case-by-case basis, to reflect a student’s situation more accurately.

This professional judgement (PJ) authority can be found in Section 479A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). This authority allows the FAA to use discretion to make appropriate, reasonable adjustments to reflect a student’s situation more accurately. 

If you have special or unusual circumstances in which you would like to be considered for PJ, please email the Student Financial Support Team at the University of York.

See the Professional Judgement (PJ) Policy - Direct Loan/Federal Aid for more information.

Your cost of attendance is calculated to cover your costs, including:

• accommodation 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)
• tuition fees
• loan origination fees (for Federal Loans only)

How we calculate fixed living costs

The below example is based on the costs for a first year student on a one-year course living in on-campus accommodation.

Expenditure	Weekly cost	Annual cost (51 weeks)
Food	£50	£2,550
Toiletries	£20	£1,020
Course related costs1		£1,020
Insurance2		£510
Laundry3	£11	£561
Social and sporting activities4	£37.50	£1,913
Mobile phone	£15	£765
Mid-range ensuite campus accommodation5	£209	£10,659
Travel to study (within York)6	£18	£918
TV license7		£170
2x return flights to UK		£1,950
Visa costs including flight to interview and NHS surcharge (first year only)8		£2,124
PC and printer (first year only)9		£480
Total cost of attendance (not including tuition fees or loan origination fees)10		£24,640
Total Cost of Attendance in $ (Exchange Rate $1.45 = £1.00)11		$35,728

Notes

1. Course related 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. 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).
6. 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.
7. 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 licence.
8. Visa costs and the cost of flights required to attend an interview are only included in cost of attendance calculations for the first year of your course. NHS surcharges vary depending on the length of your course.
9. The PC and printer 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. Loan origination fees are calculated based on your actual total cost of attendance including tuition fees, and takes into account your borrowing level and annual loan limits. 
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 should I complete my application/documentation?

Applications for FAFSAs are open so you can complete that now.

For Private Loans, the University of York online application form opens on 6 May 2025.

We will start to process US loan applications for the 2025/26 academic year from May 2025. Once we have reviewed your application, we will email you regarding the next steps.

Remember to keep us informed of any changes to your plans. 

Have you received my FAFSA?

Check to make sure you have added the University of York to your FAFSA application. If you have, it will take at least three working days before we are notified. We will begin processing applications for the 2025/26 academic year in May 2025, so you may not hear from us until then. Once we have reviewed your application, we will email you regarding the next steps.

When will you approve my loan?

Once we have received all the information and documentation we need. For the new academic year, we can start originating loans three months prior to the start of your course, which will be around the middle of June.

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.

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 three weeks after the start of the course so you must make sure you have sufficient funds for the weeks between your arrival and receiving your personal disbursement.

Information about your loan payments can be found on the Receiving your loans web page. 

Do I need a UK bank account?

A UK bank account is preferable as it reduces the number of 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 postgraduate research student, and in September, February and June if you are a postgraduate taught 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 fees (and university accommodation fees, if applicable), you are responsible for paying the balance. You can pay the balance at any time. Exchange rates fluctuate 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. 

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.

Any forms that need to be signed by the University for Canadian loans are dealt with by the student records team, student-records@york.ac.uk, You can email forms directly to the team and they will process these on your behalf. Please quote your nine digit University of York student number wherever possible on any emails you send the University.

Can I use VA/GI Bill benefits and what is the process?

Veterans/dependents who are entitled to VA benefits can use these at the University of York on a VA approved course. 

VA benefits 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. 

Information about using VA benefits at the University of York is available on our US Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits web page.

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 will need to email us to request this, more information is available on the changing your loans webpage.

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 us if this applies to you. Please see our studying outside the UK web page for more information. 

Can I complete any of my studies in the USA?

Periods of study in the USA during your course may adversely affect your loan eligibility for your entire course, even if you have academic approval. You must contact us if you intend to return to the USA for any period of study. Please see ourstudying outside the UK web page for more information.

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 an alternative option to consider.

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 are 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 us at sfsu@york.ac.uk, including your nine digit student number, 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.