Applying for US Federal Loans to study at St George's

Applying for US Federal Loans to study at St George’s, University of London

Direct loans

St George’s, University of London (SGUL) has participated in the William D Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program since September 2010. Students from the United States who attend St George's previously received loans through the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. US students can now borrow through the Direct Loan Program.

The Direct Loan Program offers the same types of loans as the FFEL Program, and Direct Loans generally have the same terms and conditions as FFEL Program loans. However, instead of a bank lending the money, the US Department of Education (the Department) lends the money directly to students through the student's university. There are also some differences in the names of the loans. The FFEL Program's Federal Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) are called Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans in the Direct Loan Program and the FFEL Program’s Federal PLUS is called a Direct PLUS loan in the Direct Loan program.

Eligibility for Direct Loans
SGUL’s (listed with the USDE as St George’s Hospital Medical School) University School Code is G22666

You will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), just as you did under the FFEL Program. We will use the information from your FAFSA to assist in determining your eligibility for a Direct Subsidized Loan and/or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Parents applying for PLUS loans do not need to complete the FAFSA.

Please complete the FAFSA electronically via the FAFSA website.

To complete the FAFSA electronically, you must have a Federal Student Aid PIN. To apply for a PIN if you do not already have one, or for customer service regarding a previously assigned PIN, visit the Federal Student Aid PIN website.

After the Department processes your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Please retain the SAR for your records and forward a copy to St George's, University of London at the contact details below.

In addition to completing a FAFSA, you will need to be accepted in a degree-granting programme at St George's on at least a half-time basis. You must also meet other eligibility requirements such as maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and being within the borrowing limits for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Students may not take longer than 150 per cent of the published length to complete their studies.

After we determine your eligibility for a Direct Subsidized Loan and/or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, we will notify you of the loans and amounts for which you are eligible. Depending on your status you may be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan award. If you are a graduate/professional student, you may be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan; if you are a dependent undergraduate student, your parent may be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan.

In addition PLUS or private loans can be taken up to Cost of Attendance. These loans are subject to credit references.

Direct Loan MPN Completion

You must complete a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). Although you may have previously signed an MPN to receive FFEL or Direct Loan Program loans, a new MPN is required to make Direct Loans at St George's.

The MPN is the legal document through which you promise to repay your Direct Loans and any accrued interest and fees to the Department. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loans. In some cases, a Direct Loan MPN can be used to make loans for up to ten years. However, you will need to complete a new Direct Loan MPN for each academic year that you receive a Direct Subsidized Loan and/or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan at SGUL.

You can complete a Direct Loan MPN electronically via the United States Student Loans website.

To complete a Direct Loan MPN electronically, you must have a Federal Student Aid PIN. This is the same PIN used to complete the FAFSA.

After you complete your MPN, you should print and retain it for your records. We will need a copy of this before we can process your loan application.

Note: You also have the option to complete a paper Direct Loan MPN. To do so, call the Department’s Applicant Services staff at 800/557-7394 and then return the completed paper MPN to the Department at the address included in the instructions that will be provided to you.

Direct Loan Entrance Counselling Completion

If you are an undergraduate or graduate/professional student and have not previously received a Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Direct PLUS loan, you must complete Direct Loan Entrance Counselling before you can receive a Direct Loan.

• To complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling electronically, you must have a Federal Student Aid PIN. This is the same PIN used to complete the FAFSA.
• You may complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling electronically via the United States Student Loans website.

After you complete entrance counselling, we will be notified electronically.  We ask you to send us a confirmation that entry counselling has been completed.

Withdrawal Procedure

If you withdraw from your course, SGUL with advise the US Department of Education. The unearned part of your loan must be repaid immediately according to the terms of the Master Promissory.

Consolidating FFEL Program Loans into the Direct Loan Program

If you already have FFEL Program loans and will now be receiving Direct Loans, you can consolidate your FFEL and Direct Loan program loans together into a Direct Consolidation loan to make loan repayment easier. If you consolidate, you will have just a single monthly payment. Consolidating your FFEL Program loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan may also allow you to take advantage of certain benefits that are offered only in the Direct Loan Program, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and the Income Contingent Repayment Plan.

To learn more about when you may consolidate, the pros and cons of doing so, and the application process, visit Direct Consolidation Loans website or call 800/557-7392 (TDD/TTY: 800/557-7395).

For more information please visit the Direct Loans website.

Additional information

SGUL looks forward to participating in the Direct Loan Program and offering the benefits of Direct Loans to our U.S. students. For additional information on the Direct Loans website or contact:  

Student finance and policy officer
Registry,
St. George's, University of London,
Cranmer Terrace,
Tooting, London
SW17 0RE

Tel: 0208 725 0962
Fax: 0208 725 0841
email: jobrien@sgul.ac.uk

Please also check our general money advice for international students.