US Federal Loans

US Federal Loans

Direct Subsidized Loans (previously Stafford Subsidised Loans): For undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need, as determined by federal regulations. No interest is charged while a student is in school at least half-time, during the grace period, and during deferment periods.

US Federal Loans

Direct Unsubsidised (previously Stafford Unsubsidised Loans): Not based on financial need; interest is charged during all periods, even during the time a student is in school and during grace and deferment periods.

US Federal Loans

Graduate PLUS: Graduates with good credit histories may be able to borrow a PLUS loan to help with their education expenses. A graduate may borrow up to the total estimated cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received.

US Federal Loans

Parent PLUS: Parents, with good credit history, of dependent undergraduate students can borrow a parent PLUS loan to help pay for educational expenses. Parents can borrow up to the total estimated cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received. Parent PLUS loans are the responsibility of the parent and not the student.

Most full-time, on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses at Bath Spa University are eligible for Title IV Direct Loans, except for those listed as ineligible (below).

The following courses are currently ineligible for Direct Loan funding at Bath Spa University:

• Non-degree courses/programmes (Certificates, Diplomas)
• Online courses/programmes
• Distance learning or low residency courses/programmes
• Courses/programmes that are offered or taken less than half-time
• Foundation Degree courses offered through one of our partner colleges
• Teacher Training courses (PGCE - Postgraduate Certificate in Education)
• Any optional Placements or Study Abroad options 
• As per US federal regulations, as a foreign institution Bath Spa University is unable to allow student borrowers in receipt of Title IV funds to enrol in any course that includes study completed in the United States, including research, work, placements, internship, externship, or special studies. The only exception to this regulation is independent research done by an individual student in the United States for not more than one academic year, if it is conducted during the dissertation phase of a doctoral program and under the guidance of faculty, and the research can only be performed in a facility in the United States.

Your eligibility for US Title IV Direct Loans will be assessed based on the information provided on your FAFSA. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) must have no unresolved issues and to be eligible for a Federal Direct Loan, students must also:

• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security Number.
• If male aged 18-25, be registered for Selective Service (unless exempt).
• Be enrolled and continue to be enrolled at least half time on an eligible programme at Bath Spa University. If you suspend, withdraw or drop below half time enrolment you must email studentawards@bathspa.ac.uk immediately. (Note that while the Direct Loan programme stipulates at least half-time attendance, if you are on a Tier 4 student visa, full-time study is required).
• Be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as determined by the student’s enrolment status and progression at the point(s) of evaluation.
• Not be in default on an educational loan, must not owe a repayment on an adjusted federal grant and must not have exceeded any aggregate loan limits.

This list is not a definitive and eligibility for a loan must be checked for each individual student and their course.

For Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans, there are limits on the maximum amount you may borrow for an academic year (Annual Maximum Loan Limits) and also a maximum amount that you may borrow in total for undergraduate and postgraduate study (Aggregate Maximum Loan Limits).

The actual loan amount you are eligible to receive is determined by the University’s Cost of Attendance (CoA) and other factors such as the length of your programme, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), other financial aid you receive, and your remaining eligibility under the annual and aggregate loan limits.

Independent students

Your dependency status is determined from information provided on the FAFSA. An independent student is a student who is either:

• at least 24 years old,
• married,
• a graduate or professional student,
• a veteran,
• a member of the armed forces,
• an orphan,
• a ward of the court,
• or someone with legal dependents other than a spouse,
• an emancipated minor or
• someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. 

For further information to help you determine your dependency status, visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Dependent students

Your dependency status is determined from information provided on the FAFSA. A dependent student is a student who does not meet any of the criteria for an independent student, as described above. For further information to help you determine your dependency status, visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Dependent students (except students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS loans):

• Undergraudate year 1: $5,500, with no more than $3,500 subsidized + no more than $2,000 unsubsidized
• Undergraudate year 2: $6,500, with no more than $4,500 subsidized + no more than $2,000 unsubsidized
• Undergraduate Year 3 and up: $7,500, with no more than $5,500 subsidized + no more than $2,000 unsubsidized.

Aggregate career maximum loan limit:

The aggregate loan limit is the maximum you can borrow in Direct Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans throughout your entire education, including loans previously taken for undergraduate study. 

The aggregate loan limit for dependent undergraduate students is $31,000, with no more than $23,000 subsidized.

Independent students (and dependent students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS loans):

• Undergraudate year 1: $9,500, with no more than $3,500 subsidized + no more than $6,000 unsubsidized
• Undergraudate year 2: $10,500, with no more than $4,500 subsidized + no more than $6,000 unsubsidized
• Undergraduate Year 3 and up: $12,500, with no more than $5,500 subsidized + no more than $7,000 unsubsidized.

Aggregate career maximum loan limit:

The aggregate loan limit is the maximum you can borrow in Direct Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans throughout your entire education, including loans previously taken for undergraduate study. 

The aggregate loan limit for independent undergraduate students is $57,500, with no more than $23,000 subsidized.

Postgraduate students:

Year 1: $20,500 (unsubsidized only)

Aggregate career maximum loan limit:

The aggregate loan limit is the maximum you can borrow in Direct Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans throughout your entire education, including loans previously taken for undergraduate study. 

The aggregate loan limit for postgraduate students is $138,500, with no more than $65,000 subsidized.

Please note: As a result of legislative changes, with effect from the 2012/13 academic year, postgraduate students are no longer eligible to receive subsidized loans. However, postgraduate students may still qualify for up to $20,500 in unsubsidized loans for each academic year.

The application process described below applies to new and returning students.

While students can complete FAFSA applications after 1 January, we ask that you wait until after May to email your completed application documents, as we set exchange rates in May and will only be able to calculate your eligibility after this point. Origination of loans begins in July.

Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online.  

The Bath Spa University school code for the FAFSA is: G35333.

We recommend that you complete your FAFSA approximately five months in advance of your course start date (e.g. early May for an Autumn start) in order to allow adequate time to process your loan eligibility and for you to receive your CAS statement for visa purposes.

Once your FAFSA is completed, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be generated, which is used by the University to determine your loan eligibility. As we are a foreign school we do not automatically get notification that you have completed the FAFSA. There is no financial aid (such as PELL Grants) available from completing the FAFSA apart from Federal Loans so we do not provide a Financial Aid Letter. 

Note on grade levels

One common error on students' FAFSA applications is incorrect responses to the question “grade level in college in year”. Grade level in this instance does not refer to the number of years the student has attended college, but rather the grade level in regard to completing the student's degree:

• undergraduate students entering Year 1 at Bath Spa University will be either option 0 or 1,
• students entering Year 2 will be option 2 
• students entering Year 3 will be option 3
• postgraduate students entering the first year of their postgraduate master’s or doctoral programs will be option 6, and
• postgraduate doctoral students continuing with their studies will be option 7.

Each time you borrow a federal loan at Bath Spa University, you must complete the US Department of Education entrance counselling, to help you understand your responsibilities regarding your loan.

You can complete this counselling online. 

Parents borrowing a Direct Plus loan to pay for their child's education are not required to complete entrance counselling.

Students taking out a Federal Direct loan are required to complete and e-sign an MPN annually.

The MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loan and any accrued interest and fees to the US Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loan.

At present, MPN credit checks have an expiry of 90 days before loans are originated, so we ask that students refrain from completing this step until late June for Autumn starters.

• Undergraduate students: Complete an MPN for the subsidised and unsubsidised loans. If your parent will also be taking out a Parent PLUS loan, they must complete a separate MPN for PLUS loans.
• Postgraduate students (Masters/PhD): Complete one MPN for the unsubsidised loan and a separate MPN for the Graduate PLUS loan.

If you are intending to apply for a PLUS Loan, or your parent will be applying for a Parent PLUS loan, you, or the parent, will need to complete a PLUS loan MPN and credit check. If you are not intending to apply for a PLUS Loan, you can skip this step. As per the table in step 5 below, we will require evidence that you have passed a credit check for your PLUS loan.

As a 'foreign institution' to the USA, we are not automatically notified when a student has selected our institution on their FAFSA application.

Therefore, once you have completed all steps 1-4 you will need to contact Student Funding team by email studentawards@bathspa.ac.uk in order for us begin the process of determining your loan eligibility.

To reduce the risk of your application being rejected due to incomplete information, please make sure you have completed all steps in the application processes before getting in contact with us.

Please include in the body of your email:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number (last 4 digits ONLY)
• Course Name and Level (e.g. Undergraduate Year 1 – BA Creative Writing)
• Bath Spa Student ID number, if known (6 digits, as noted on your offer letter)
• Undergraduate Students – whether you intend to have your parent apply for a Parent PLUS loan in addition to federal direct subsidized/unsubsidized loans
• Postgraduate Students – whether you intend to apply for a Grad PLUS loan in addition to a federal direct unsubsidized loan

Cost of Attendance (CoA)

Once Student Funding team has received notification from you that you have completed all steps in the application processes and as long as you have an unconditional offer to study at Bath Spa University which you have firmly accepted, we will calculate your Cost of Attendance (CoA).

We will send you a draft CoA and loan offer for your approval.

The CoA loan offer will show you the amounts you are eligible to receive in subsidized, unsubsidized and PLUS/private loans, and there is also a column for you to indicate the amounts you actually wish to borrow (as you may not wish to borrow the full amounts for which you have been approved).

Award Letter

Once the CoA amounts are agreed, we will provide you with an Award Letter confirming your loan amounts.

If necessary, this document can be used as evidence of the amount of Direct Loan available to you when applying for your visa to study in the UK.

Please note that this will not replace your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) statement, which is still required for your visa application.

View our Tier 4 (General) Student Visa page for more information about the CAS.

The University will receive the Direct Loan funds in USD as confirmed on your Award Letter, but the amount in GBP will depend on the exchange rate at the time. 

The GBP funds will then be added to your university account and your fee instalment dates will be changed to correspond with your loan disbursement dates. 

The required fee amount is automatically deducted where necessary and, if applicable, any positive balances will then be paid by a transfer to the student's UK bank account. Please remember if your loan does not cover the fees owed then you will need to pay the remainder by the due date. 

Loans were disbursed in equal instalments:

Before beginning to repay your loan borrowers are required to complete online exit counselling.

You are also required to complete exit counselling if you drop below half time or withdraw from the university.

Exit counselling provides information about how to manage your student loan after completing your course including repayment methods, deferment and the consequences of defaulting.

Complete exit counselling on the NSLDS website.

Bath Spa University is required by US federal law to define and enforce standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) on students who wish to access US federal funds (subsidised, unsubsidised or PLUS Direct Loans).

The University's SAP policy has been established to encourage students to progress and successfully complete the academic programme for which aid is received. Guidelines apply to all federal loan recipients, including undergraduates, taught postgraduates, and research postgraduates.

Students should familiarise themselves with the University's SAP policy, including evaluation points, qualitative and quantitative evaluation criteria, the impacts of changes in enrolment status, and the consequences of failing to meet SAP.

Further information can be found in our policy document.

If you withdraw from your programme, suspend your studies, drop below half time, or otherwise become ineligible to receive US Federal Loans you must email studentawards@bathspa.ac.uk  immediately.

Under US law, the university is required to report any changes to your enrolment and, if necessary, may need to arrange for any “unearned” loan funds to be returned to the US Department of Education.

If your course becomes ineligible (for example, because you have taken a placement or study abroad option) this may mean all previous US Federal Loans received need to be returned and you are not eligible for any US Federal Loans in the future.

Students set to receive Federal Loans may request a copy of the University’s Default Management Plan (DMP) which provides an overview of the initiatives in place to help students understand their loan responsibilities.

If you require a copy of the DMP, please email studentawards@bathspa.ac.uk. 

The Direct Federal Loan programme offers loan repayment plans designed to meet the needs of borrowers and allows you to choose your repayment plan. These loans can be repaid within a period of 10 to 25 years depending on which repayment plan you choose. Repayments of your Direct Loans normally start six months after completion of your course, withdrawing or dropping below half-time attendance.

Before repayment starts you will be provided with Repayment Options and a Repayment Schedule from your loan servicer(s) for each type of loan you have borrowed. If you do not receive these schedules towards the end of your grace period contact your servicer because repayment begins whether or you are aware or not.

The repayment process will go smoothly if you plan ahead. Start by knowing all your options.

Additional information about repayment can be found at:

• Federal Student Aid

For repayment information, you can also you can contact the Federal Student Aid Center on 001-800-4-FED-AID (001-800-433-3243).

All non-degree educational programmes are referred to as Gainful Employment (GE) programmes. New US Department of Education regulations require institutions to inform current and prospective students of their prospects for 'gainful employment' when receiving federal financial aid for non-degree programs such as certificates and diplomas.

It is important to note that at Bath Spa University, Title IV Federal Loans are awarded to degree-seeking students only. However, University regulations stipulate that if a degree-seeking student terminates their programme early, they may receive an 'exit award' in the form of a certificate or diploma if they have fulfilled the appropriate credit requirements.

• Completion/Graduation Rates
• Retention rates
• Placements and Types of Employment
• Crime Rates Newton Park Campus, Sion Hill, Corsham Court and Locksbrook Road
• Withdrawing and Return of Title IV Policy
• Refund policy
• Loan Terms and Repayment Schedules Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans and Grad Plus Loans
• Academic Programmes Available at Bath Spa University Graduate and Undergraduate
• Degree accreditation
• Freedom of information (FOI)
• Student services and support
• Services and facilities for students with disabilities
• Code of conduct
• Text Book Information: Indicative basic reading lists can be found under the full module specifications
• Drug policy
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Staff and Students
• Transfer of Credit and Policies and Articulation Agreement
• Vaccination policy
• Net Price Calculator: The net price of your tuition fees is the price stated on the Undergraduate and Postgraduate table of fees. The cost of living including your tuition fees and conversion to US dollars is by use of the University's ‌ which you can download and complete.
• Security Report - Missing Person Notification
• National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
• Entrance and Exit Counselling for Student Loan Borrowers
• Copyright Infringement Policies and Sanctions
• Federal Copyright law does not apply in the UK. However the UK is covered by its own Copyright law.
• Privacy of Student Records - Data Protection and Freedom of Information
• Student Loan Information Published by Federal Student Aid