A GUIDE TO FINANCIAL AID FOR US STUDENTS

Transcription

1 University of Brighton A GUIDE TO FINANCIAL AID FOR US STUDENTS Bursaries and Scholarships Team Registry Academic Year 2014/15 Updated March 2014

2 Contents 1. US Federal (Direct) Loan Funding (William D. Ford Program) Private Loan Funding Department of Veterans Affairs Funding... 4 Information applicable to all types of US loan/grant funding... 5 General enquiries about US loans/grants... 5 [email protected]... 5 CAS and Visa enquiries and minimum funding levels... 5 Payments ( disbursements ) of loans/grants and UK bank accounts... 6 Dates of disbursements/payments Federal (Direct) Loans... 6 Dates of disbursement/payments Private Loans... 7 Dates of disbursement/payments Department of Veterans Affairs... 8 Satisfactory Academic Progress... 8 Continued attendance and Student Status Confirmation Reports... 9 Change of plans? US Federal (Direct) Loan Funding through the William D. Ford Program at the University of Brighton (Federal School Code G35173) US Federal (Direct) Loans eligible courses at the University of Brighton Undergraduate Undergraduate Integrated Masters Postgraduate Federal Loans ineligible level of courses Federal Loans ineligible (subject-specific) courses Federal loans ineligible (partner college) courses Types of Federal Direct Loans Direct Subsidised Loan

3 Direct Unsubsidised Loan Direct Parent Plus Loan Direct Graduate Plus Loan Time Limit for Receipt of Direct Loans Checklist for applying for Direct Federal Loan Funding Method of Payment, Disbursements and Loan Limits US Federal Loan Funding How will my funds be paid? Sample Cost of Attendance for 2014/ US Federal (Direct) Loan funding is paid as follows Both undergraduate and postgraduate Origination Fees The Difference in Payments (Disbursements) for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students.. 25 Undergraduate Postgraduate Evidence of Loan Income Direct Loans Notification of Student Loan Letter Enquiries about outstanding tuition fees and balance payable to you Private Loan Funding Evidence of Income from Private Lenders Department of Veterans Affairs Funding (VA Funding) Who is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill? VA Course Approval Courses at the University of Brighton for which approval has already been granted by the Department of Veterans Affairs A student may enrol directly in a host school Who is eligible? Eligibility Criteria for studying at a Foreign School Education and training programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs

4 Can I transfer my entitlement to my dependents? Post-9/11 GI Bill: Transferability Eligibility criteria for transferability Eligible family member Nature of transfer Glossary of Terms... 1 Addendum 1: University of Brighton Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy Addendum 2: University of Brighton Refund Policy (for US Title IV (Direct) Loan funding) 3

5 A guide to financial aid for US Students for the academic year 2014/15 This document includes information on three main types of financial aid available for students from the United States of America to study at the University of Brighton: 1. US Federal (Direct) Loan Funding (William D. Ford Program) 2. Private Loan Funding 3. Department of Veterans Affairs Funding This guide covers areas such as course eligibility, student eligibility and the key rules and regulations that apply to the specific types of funding. The first section of this document aims to give you an overview of the funding opportunities available to you, followed by a more in-depth explanation of each type of funding in turn, and how to go about applying for your financial aid package, based on the various eligibility criteria applicable to you and to your chosen course of study. Please ensure you read the overview first, and then refer to the more detailed information on your chosen type of funding. Keep this document bookmarked or printed out, so that you have it to hand to refer back to as you go through the application process and after enrolment. 4

6 Overview of information applicable to all types of US loan/grant funding General enquiries about US loans/grants These should be addressed in the first instance to the US/Canadian Loan enquiries joint account: telephone If we need to refer your enquiry to another team, we will do so and advise you accordingly. CAS and Visa enquiries and minimum funding levels If you are classed as a Tier 4 student by the Home Office s UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), you will need to obtain a CAS number from the University of Brighton before you can apply for a visa. A Tier 4 entry clearance visa from April 2014 will cost 310. PLEASE DO NOT ARRANGE YOUR VISA APPOINTMENT UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE CONFIRMED YOUR LOAN AMOUNTS AND DATES OF DISBURSEMENT BY LETTER. Please refer to the visa advice on the University of Brighton website: You will also need to be able to demonstrate to the Home Office UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that you have a minimum level of funding available, made up of the total tuition fees for the year plus an additional 800 per month for a minimum of 9 months, ie tuition fees for the year plus 7,200 GBP. Once you have applied to the University of Brighton for a place to study on a course, and you have been given an unconditional offer of a place, you will automatically be sent a visa questionnaire by to complete and return to the CAS Enquiries Team. The CAS Enquiries Team will then assess your eligibility and, if appropriate, issue a CAS number, which you will need before you can make your application for a study visa. For enquiries about your CAS number, you can contact the CAS Enquiries Team [email protected] 5

7 Payments ( disbursements ) of loans/grants and UK bank accounts If your loan or grant includes an element of funding to be paid (disbursed) directly to you (ie in addition to the amount for tuition fees which is payable directly to the university), before this can happen, you will need to open a UK bank account, and provide your bank details to the University of Brighton s Finance Department Payments Team. You can send your UK bank account details to them directly via to [email protected] The information required by the Payments Team includes your name and University of Brighton student number, the name of the bank (eg HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, TSB, Co-operative, Santander, NatWest, etc), the name of the account holder, your bank account number and the bank sort code. Bank details should relate to an account in your name, and not the details of an account holder in a third party s name, such as a parent s account. Please do not send your bank account details to us; these will not be accepted from us by the Payments Team, as bank details must come directly from you to the Payments Team. The Payments Team cannot accept any bank details sent to them via a third party, even if it is via another Department within the university. Payments of loan funding to students from the university are made via automated bank transfer (called BACS payments). BACS payments are only made once a week on a Thursday. For a payment to reach you on a Thursday, your UK bank details will need to be with the Finance Department Payments Team by Friday of the previous week, to ensure that they have been applied to your university student account information in time for inclusion of your payment in the following week s BACS run. Dates of disbursements/payments Federal (Direct) Loans For Federal (Direct) Loans, the anticipated dates of disbursement will be included in your Student Loan Notification Letter, which is sent to you after your loan has been set up. Please keep this letter handy, as we do not send out automatic reminders. We will contact you 14 days prior to the first disbursement to notify you of your right to cancel, as this is a regulatory requirement for Federal loan funding. The anticipated payment dates will only be valid if you have enrolled in person and provided your UK bank account details to the Payments Team. The first instalment is generally two weeks AFTER the start of your course, so you will need to ensure you have sufficient funds available to cover the first two weeks of being here. The second instalment will be scheduled to co-incide with the start of semester 2, ie early February. 6

8 If you have a third instalment (if you are on a postgraduate course that lasts for 12 months), this will be scheduled for the beginning of June. If your loan is being used to cover tuition fees, for an undergraduate student we will deduct one half of your fees from the first disbursement, and one half from the second. For a postgraduate student we will deduct one third of your tuition fees from each of the three disbursements. Any available balance will then be paid to you. Dates of disbursement/payments Private Loans Your bank/lender should send you a Notice of Guarantee, which will set out your total loan amount. Once a loan has been set up, there is normally a cooling off period before a loan can be disbursed. This is to allow you to cancel the loan if you no longer require it. Private loans for first year undergraduate and new postgraduate students In order to meet the Home Office s UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements, your private loan will need to be disbursed in a single amount in advance of your in-person enrolment. This is because the Home Office s UKVI will not accept private loan funding due to be paid in multiple disbursements as evidence of income. We will therefore aim to disburse the private loan funding as a single disbursement two weeks prior to the start of the academic year, so that the cheque will be received by the university in advance of your arrival. It is therefore essential that if you have any change of plans in advance of arrival, you notify us immediately, so that cancellation arrangements can be made before funds are released on your behalf. Private loans for continuing undergraduate and postgraduate students Disbursement dates will be applied when the loan is set up and will generally follow the same pattern as for Direct Loans, ie two weeks after your course start date, the beginning of semester 2 (early February), and the beginning of June (if applicable). Before a disbursement/payment can be made, we will have to release it. Again, we will wait until you have enrolled in person, before we will release the first loan disbursement/payment. For Sallie Mae loans there is a minimum of nine working days between us releasing a disbursement in the loan system and the funds actually being released by Sallie Mae (this is to allow you time to cancel the loan if you wish to). Private loan income for new and continuing students Private loan funding generally comes in the form of paper cheques, which are sent to the University of Brighton on your behalf. These cheques are banked by the university s Finance Income Team, converted by the university s bankers to GBP (pounds Sterling), and then the resulting Sterling 7

9 amount is applied to your university finance account. A proportion of your tuition fees is deducted (as above, one half for a two-disbursement loan, or one third for a three-disbursement loan). The balance, if applicable, is then paid to you. There is normally a period of approximately two weeks between the receipt of the loan cheque and payment of the surplus funds into your bank account. Please ensure you have sufficient funds to cover the first two weeks after your course start date. Dates of disbursement/payments Department of Veterans Affairs The payments to cover your living costs will normally be made monthly by the Department of Veterans Affairs into your bank account. In your first year of study, we will normally wait for you to enrol in person before we send your Student Enrolment Form VA to the Department of Veterans Affairs, so you will need to ensure you have sufficient funds to cover your first three weeks after your course start date. Payments to you from the Department of Veterans Affairs for living costs will commence after we have sent in the VA Enrolment Certification form on your behalf. Payments for tuition fees will be made directly to the university on your behalf on a termly basis by paper cheque. We will notify you of receipt of tuition fees cheques, and the Finance Income Team will be able to advise you of any shortfall in tuition fee amounts. This sometimes occurs, for example, where there is a change in exchange rates after the VA Enrolment Certification has been sent at the beginning of the academic year (in September), or where you are not entitled to 100% of the costs. Satisfactory Academic Progress Whatever type of loan or grant funding you receive, you will be expected to make satisfactory academic progress in order to receive the second and (if applicable) third disbursement (payment). For US Federal Loans it is a formal requirement for you to make satisfactory academic progress, and we will contact your School Office (academic department) for confirmation of this via the Head of School and the School Office Administrator, who will forward the request to your Course Leader prior to the second (and third where applicable) disbursement. The University of Brighton has a formal Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, in line with the US Department of Education regulations, which is included as an addendum to this document. Satisfactory academic progress includes your attendance and submission of coursework as required, and ensuring that you will complete your course in no more than 150% of the standard duration, ie if 8

10 you are taking a full-time four year undergraduate degree course, the maximum time taken cannot exceed six years. If you are taking a full-time one-year postgraduate course, the maximum timeframe cannot exceed eighteen months. A student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress will be placed on probation for financial aid until the next disbursement, by which time their grades will be expected to be at the required level. If a student achieves the required standard, they will be placed in good standing for financial aid. If a student does not meet the required standard, their financial aid may be suspended. For private loans and funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, students are also expected to make satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive further disbursements of loan or grant funding. Continued attendance and Student Status Confirmation Reports We are required to confirm your attendance in the form of a Student Status Confirmation Report to the US National Student Clearing House. This applies to all forms of US loan/grant funding, and the data is then shared with your lender(s). We are required to confirm that you are attending on a fulltime or at least half-time basis for US Federal loan funding in order for you to continue to be eligible for funding. In the past these reports have been sent in October and March each academic year, although individual reports may be sent in between these dates if, for example, a student withdraws or intermits (suspends), or commences their studies outside of the normal September start date (for example some students commence their course in February). We have recently been advised of a new requirement for us to confirm attendance for loan recipients every two months. Once a student has been confirmed as having withdrawn, they will then be required to commence repayment of their loans. An intermission cannot be for more than 180 days in one twelve month period any longer than this, and you will be reported as withdrawn, in line with US Federal loan funding regulations, and your lender(s) will seek commencement of repayment. Change of plans? It is essential that you notify us of any changes in your plans to study here BEFORE we draw down your loan or grant funding, whether Federal, Private or VA. This will then enable us to avoid both you and the university losing a proportion of your funding as a result. 9

11 Private loans and VA funding come to the university in the form of paper cheques, which are paid into the university s bank account on your behalf. The university s bank negotiates the exchange from USD to GBP, which incurs an exchange fee. If we then have to convert funds back into USD to repay the monies, this will incur a further exchange fee in addition to overseas transactions fees. There may be a further loss due to change in exchange rate in the intervening period between receipt and refund. This will result in a shortfall of funds available to repay your lender. The rules for refunding Federal Loan funding are complex and set out in a separate addendum at the end of this document. 10

12 1. US Federal (Direct) Loan Funding through the William D. Ford Program at the University of Brighton (Federal School Code G35173) The University of Brighton has a current Program Participation Agreement with the United States Department of Education, which enables us to administer Federal (Direct) Loans on behalf of US students studying here. The Participation Agreement incorporates a number of regulations and eligibility criteria which will determine whether or not you can apply for Federal Loan funding for your chosen course of study. A list of eligible and ineligible courses for Federal loans purposes is included on pages 13 and 14. The US Department of Education provides loan funding for students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and may be taken out to cover part or all of your tuition fees and living costs, subject to certain limitations. (Please note that tuition fees do not include the cost of accommodation). US Federal (Direct) Loan funding is generally the better (ie most cost-effective) way of covering your tuition fees and living costs, in terms of interest charged and repayment terms. We therefore strongly recommend that you look to taking out US Federal loan funding within the limits available in the first instance, and then consider a private loan either as an alternative, due to your course being ineligible for Federal loan funding, or due to your financial requirements exceeding the maximum Federal loan amount available. Your level of study (undergraduate or postgraduate, and year of study), and whether or not you are independent or dependent will determine which type and what level of Federal (Direct) Loan funding you can take out. The detailed criteria are set out below. If you find that you or your course does not meet the eligibility criteria for Federal (Direct) Loan funding, you may be able to apply for a private loan through a US bank. Equally, if your level of Federal (Direct) Loan funding is not sufficient to cover your anticipated costs, you may take out a private loan in addition to your Federal Loan to fund any shortfall not covered by other financial aid (such as scholarships). US Federal (Direct) Loans eligible courses at the University of Brighton Courses must be award-bearing (ie leading to a qualification), so that students here for just one or two semesters as part of a study abroad arrangement must apply for Direct Loan funding via their home university in the US. The following courses are eligible for US Federal (Direct) Loan funding at the University of Brighton: 11

13 Undergraduate Courses taught at one of the University of Brighton s five campuses leading to a FdA (Foundation Degree in Arts), FdSc (Foundation Degree in Science), BA (Hons) (Bachelor of Arts), BSc (Hons) (Bachelor of Science), and LLB (Bachelor of Law) The undergraduate Bachelors courses may be three-years, or four-years, depending on whether your course is a sandwich degree, including a year of industrial placement, or if your degree is an initial teacher training course, which leads to Qualified Teaching Status (known as QTS ), or if your course is an integrated masters. Please note that if your course involves a study abroad year outside the UK, eg at one of the university s partner institutions in other EU Member States or in the US, then you would not be eligible for Federal (Direct Loan) funding for the study abroad year. Undergraduate Integrated Masters These are four-year undergraduate courses that lead to an integrated masters and include: MPharm (Master of Pharmacy), MComp (Master in Computing), MDes (Master in Design), March (Master in Architecture), MEng (Master in Engineering) Postgraduate Masters courses one or two-year courses that lead to an MSc or MA in a subject such as International Tourism, Occupational Therapy, Information Science, or an MRes (research degree). PhD Doctor of Philosophy 12

14 Federal Loans ineligible level of courses Post Graduate Certificate of Higher Education (PGCert), and Postgraduate Diploma of Higher Education (PGDip) courses, such as PGDip Pharmacy, and PGCE Teacher Training are not eligible for Direct Loan funding. Our current Program Participation Agreement with the US Department of Education specifically excludes all Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma courses. Federal Loans ineligible (subject-specific) courses BMBS Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery BSc Hons Nursing, BSc Hons Midwifery Any course provided by the Brighton & Sussex Medical School Courses run at the Brighton & Sussex Medical School are specifically excluded from our Program Participation Agreement. (This is because the Brighton & Sussex Medical School is a separate entity, formed jointly between the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, and our Program Participation Agreement only covers those courses provided and delivered by the University of Brighton). However, students taking any of the courses for which Federal (Direct) Loan funding is not available, may apply for private loan funding, provided they can find a US lender (bank) which will provide educational loan funding for study outside the US, such as Sallie Mae. Federal loans ineligible (Partner College) courses The University of Brighton validates a number of courses provided by our partner colleges, such as City College Brighton & Hove, Plumpton College, and Sussex Downs College (Eastbourne and Lewes campuses). Courses validated by, but not taught at, the University of Brighton are not covered by our Program Participation Agreement, and therefore no Federal (Direct) Loan funding is available for courses taught at any of our partner colleges. This is in line with the US Department of Education regulations. Types of Federal Direct Loans There are FOUR types of Direct Loans: Direct Subsidised Loan, attracting a lower rate of interest, as they are partly subsidised by the US Department of Education (available to undergraduate students only). The US Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidised Loan while you are in School (ie at university) at least half time, and for six months after you leave School (referred 13

15 to as the grace period, and during a period of deferment (a postponement of loan payments) Direct Unsubsidised Loan, available to undergraduate and postgraduate students, with no requirement to demonstrate financial need, attracting a higher rate of interest, as there is no subsidy from the US Department of Education you are responsible for paying the interest on a Direct Unsubsidised Loan during all periods. If you choose not to pay the interest while you are in School, and during grace periods, and deferment or forbearance periods, your interest will accrue (accumulate) and be capitalised, that is, your interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan. Direct Parent Plus Loan for undergraduate students classed as dependent * Direct Graduate Plus Loan for postgraduate students, all of whom are classed as independent. You must not have an adverse credit history to be eligible for the Plus Loan, although you may still be eligible with a negative credit history if you are able to provide a co-signer (someone without an adverse credit history) to underwrite your loan The University of Brighton Bursaries & Scholarships Team will determine the amount you can borrow, and the amount may not exceed your financial need. The amount of loan you can borrow is based on your Cost of Attendance (see pages 21 and 22), and any other financial aid you receive, such as a scholarship. Time Limit for Receipt of Direct Loans If you are a first-time borrower on or after July 1 st 2013, there is a limit on the maximum period of time (measured in academic years) that you can receive Direct Subsidised Loans. This time limit does not apply to Direct Unsubsidised or Plus Loans. If this limit applies to you, you may not receive Direct Subsidised Loans for more than 150 per cent of the published length of your programme. This is called your maximum eligibility period. Your maximum eligibility period is based on the published length of your current programme. You can find the published length of your programme of study on the University of Brighton website via the course finder database, which you can access from the home page, or via the current University of Brighton prospectus. 14

16 FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN LIMITS 2014/15 Year First-Year Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit Second-Year Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit Third-Year and Beyond Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit Dependent Students (except students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans) $5,500 No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $6,500 No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $7,500 No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. Independent Students (and dependent undergraduate students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans) $9,500 No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $10,500 No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $12,500 No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. Graduate or Professional Students Annual Loan Limit Subsidized and Unsubsidized Aggregate Loan Limit Not Applicable (all graduate and professional students are considered independent) $31,000 No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $20,500 (unsubsidized only) $57,500 for undergraduates No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans $138,500 for graduate or professional students No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The graduate aggregate limit includes all federal loans received for undergraduate study. Notes re Aggregate Loan amounts: The aggregate loan limits include any Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans or Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans you may have previously received under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. As a result of legislation that took effect July 1, 2010, no further loans are being made under the FFEL Program. 15

17 Effective for periods of enrollment beginning on or after July 1, 2012, graduate and professional students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized Loans. The $65,500 subsidized aggregate loan limit for graduate or professional students includes subsidized loans that a graduate or professional student may have received for periods of enrollment that began before July 1, 2012, or for prior undergraduate study. Origination Fees (fees deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement Subsidised and Unsubsidised Loans first disbursed on or after 1 st December 2013: 1.072% Direct Plus Loans (Parents and Postgraduate students) first disbursed on or after 1 st December 2013: 4.288% Current Interest Rates for Loan Repayments Loans first disbursed between July 1 st 2013 and 30 th June 2014: Undergraduate Postgraduate Subsidised Fixed rate 3.86% N/A Unsubsidised Fixed rate 3.86% Fixed rate 5.41% Plus (Parent or Graduate) Fixed rate 6.41% Fixed rate 6.41% For interest rates on loans first disbursed before 1 st July 2013, please see: For the benefits of Federal Loans versus private loans, please see: Definitions of dependent and independent students are as follows: Dependent Student less than 24 years old, unmarried, without any legal dependents Independent Student at least 24 years old, or married, or postgraduate, a Veteran, a member of the Armed Forces, an orphan, a ward of court, or having legal dependents other than a spouse. For the full definition of dependent and independent students, please see: 16

18 Checklist for applying for Direct Federal Loan Funding 1. Apply for your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which will give you your Student Aid Report (SAR) For how to complete your FAFSA, go to To complete your FAFSA electronically, you will need a Federal Student Aid PIN (if you don t already have a PIN, go to You can get help filling out the FAFSA either within the form s Help and Hints, or by phone at FED-AID, or The University of Brighton School ID Code to be included in your FAFSA choice of colleges is G Check and update your FAFSA if necessary Once FAFSA has processed your information, you will be ed a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). Please review the information carefully and ensure that it includes an EFC (expected family contribution) at the top, and the details of any previous Federal loans you have taken out at the end. If any information is missing, or there are comments stating that further information is required, you will need to make any necessary corrections and re-submit your application. If there is a C showing next to your EFC amount, this indicates that further information is required. Check the comments codes at the end of your Student Aid Report and make any necessary corrections through FAFSA. In some cases we may need to ask you to provide documentary evidence (eg proof of US citizenship). 3. Notify the Bursaries & Scholarships Team at the University of Brighton that you have applied for a SAR through completing your FAFSA us [email protected] and we will then be able to access this and download a copy for checking once this has been processed by FAFSA (processing by FAFSA before your SAR is made available can take a couple of days). 4. Agree your Cost of Attendance If you have been offered a place on a course at the University of Brighton and have not declined the offer, we will send you a Cost of Attendance spreadsheet, setting out the estimated total cost of tuition fees, living costs, and other elements of expenditure for 17

19 the full academic year. This will also take account of any information included in your SAR, such as previous Federal Loan funding, aggregate limits and the type(s) of Direct Loan funding to which you are entitled. There are set maximum amounts for each Direct Loan type, and maximum aggregate amounts. These vary, depending on whether you are dependent, independent, the level of your course (undergraduate or postgraduate, and the year of your course. (See detailed information below). Your Cost of Attendance is made up of the tuition fees for your chosen course of study, a weekly amount to cover room and board, return flights from the US to the UK, and an amount for study materials. You can check the international fees for your particular course via the Course Finder available on the homepage of our website From the Cost of Attendance, we will deduct any Other Financial Aid (eg scholarships), and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Expected Family Contribution The questions on the FAFSA are required to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC measures your family s financial strength and determines your eligibility for Federal student aid. Your EFC will be listed on your Student Aid Report (SAR). Using the information on your FAFSA and your EFC, we will determine the amount of financial aid you will need. We use your EFC to prepare a financial aid package to help you meet your financial need. Financial need is the difference between your EFC and your Cost of Attendance (which includes living expenses and tuition fees), as agreed between yourself and the University of Brighton. Applicants should have applied to a degree programme at the University of Brighton and have received a formal offer of admission before applying for any loan. We will await your agreement to us via for the proposed Cost of Attendance (COA) before proceeding to set up a loan/loans for you. The COA will be the maximum cost of attendance, and you may choose to borrow less, if you have alternative sources of funding, such as savings and/or scholarships. Only certain items of expenditure can be included in the COA, based on the US Department of Education regulations 18

20 5. Go to and complete your Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the subsidised and unsubsidised Direct Loans. The MPN is your Loan Agreement, setting out the terms and conditions stipulated by the US Department of Education. To complete an MPN electronically, you will need to have a Federal Student Aid PIN. This is the same PIN used to complete the FAFSA. Save the MPN as a PDF file, and send it to us as an attachment. A separate MPN is required for each year of study. 6. If you are taking out a Direct Plus Loan in addition to Subsidised and/or Unsubsidised Loans, we will need a further separate MPN for the Plus Loan. You can complete your Plus Loan MPN via the website and then send it to us as a PDF file. Please note that a separate MPN for Plus Loans will be required for each year of study. 7. Credit check If you are taking out a Plus Loan, we will also need confirmation of a positive credit check. As part of your Plus loan application process, the US Department of Education will check your credit history. To be eligible to receive a Plus loan, you must not have an adverse credit history. If you have an adverse credit history, you may still receive a Direct Plus Loan if you are able to obtain an approved co-signer (endorser) who does not have an adverse credit history. Save the result of your credit check as a PDF file and it to us. 8. Entrance Counselling We will need you to complete your Entrance Counselling and send us a copy of the confirmation of completion of entrance counselling as a PDF file or screenshot. To complete your Entrance Counselling, go to the website and work through the Entrance Counselling for each type of loan, ie Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised Loan/Direct Plus Loan as appropriate. To complete your Entrance Counselling, you will need a Federal Aid PIN. This is the same PIN as you used to complete your FAFSA. It is a formal requirement that all students who take out Direct Loan funding work through the entrance counselling. Entrance counselling is designed to ensure that you are fully aware of your rights and responsibilities in terms of making loan repayments. 19

21 We will NOT proceed to setting up the loan on your behalf until you have accepted an offer of a place to study at the University of Brighton, and you have supplied all the documentation listed above. NB: FAFSA When you have submitted your FAFSA, it is retrieved, processed, and stored by the US Federal Student Aid office. You can check the status of any application (in paper or electronic format) that has been received by Federal Student Aid but not yet processed. We (the University of Brighton) will only be able to check your Student Aid Report (SAR), if you have specifically included the University of Brighton as one of your choices of college on your FAFSA, and have included our Federal School Code (G35173). You will also need to notify us that you have submitted your FAFSA. As a foreign school we do not receive automatic notification. We may also require your US Social Security Number in order to access and check your Student Aid Report, as this information may not be available to us until later in the application process, due to up-dates scheduled for the Common Origination and Disbursement web portal, which is used for setting up Direct loans. 9. Loan certification We will confirm to you by letter the NET loan amounts and dates of disbursement. You will need the original hard copy of this letter to support your visa application. Notification of Student Loan letters are sent out by courier (DHL). However, you are advised to complete your loan application in good time to ensure that you have your Notification of Student Loan letter ready when you apply for a visa to study in the UK. We would recommend applying by 31 st July if possible. This letter will only relate to Federal Direct Loan funding. It will not include confirmation of any private loans this will be provided by your private lender. 10. Disbursement (payment of instalments) The university requests loan funding via the US Department of Education on your behalf. This is paid initially to the university in US Dollars. The funds are then converted to GBP pounds Sterling before being applied to your tuition fees and any surplus paid to you. From each disbursement we will normally deduct a proportion towards tuition fees (one half for undergraduates, and one third for postgraduates). Any balance will then be paid to you by automated bank transfer. See separate section on providing your UK bank account details. 20

22 11. Exit Counselling Towards the completion of your studies, you will also be required to complete exit counselling. You can do this via the website. You will need to save the confirmation of completion of exit counselling as a PDF file and it to us. This must be completed before the final disbursement of funds is made. It is a formal requirement for all US students in receipt of Federal loan funding to complete exit counselling. The purpose of this is to ensure you are aware of the obligations with regards to repayment of your loans. PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY FOR DIRECT LOAN FUNDING SEPARATELY FOR EACH YEAR OF STUDY, THIS IS NOT ADMINISTERED AUTOMATICALLY FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, AND YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE A NEW STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR) AND NEW MPN/MPN s FOR EACH YEAR OF STUDY AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. Method of Payment, Disbursements and Loan Limits US Federal Loan Funding and your Cost of Attendance The US Department of Education (Federal) Loan funding via the William D. Ford Direct Loan Programme is administered directly by the University of Brighton s Bursaries & Scholarships Team in liaison with the US Department of Education, using the Department s web portal ( COD ). For initial enquiries, please [email protected] How will my funds be paid? Once you have completed your FAFSA, and notified us by that you have done so, we will prepare a Cost of Attendance for you, which estimates the total cost of your attendance at the University of Brighton for the academic year 2014/15. The Cost of Attendance may include: Tuition fees (please note, this does not include costs of accommodation) Estimated cost of three return flights from the US to the UK Estimated weekly cost of accommodation (based on the average cost of accommodation in university halls of residence), this is shown as 39 weeks for undergraduates and 50 weeks for postgraduate, in line with the terms of our halls of residence 21

23 Estimated weekly cost of food and personal expenses Books and supplies Dependent care costs Costs associated with a disability Annual health insurance (optional) to be arranged directly by the student Visa application Weekly local travel (Unizone travel card) Co-operative education-related expenses (eg placement costs) Origination fees (deducted at source by the US Department of Education), if requested Additional items may be included, provided they fall within the US Federal government regulations on eligible items of expenditure, and provided that you supply an acceptable justification for additional expenditure, eg laptop, software, travel costs for placements (for courses such as Occupational Therapy) Sample Cost of Attendance for 2014/15 Academic year 2014/15 Weekly 39 weeks 50 weeks Room 139* 5,421 6,950 Board (food) 75 2,925 3,750 Books and study materials Local Travel unizone card Sub-total living costs , ,270 Annual Fees Undergrad Postgrad Tuition fees (Variable)** 13,220** 13,220** Flights (3 return flights) 2,250 2,250 Health insurance Visa Sub-total annual costs 16,080 16,080 Total Cost of Attendance (Sterling) GBP 25, ,350 Converted to US Dollars ( =1.70)*** $ USD 43,606 48,195 22

24 *Room based on average self-catered university halls. Catered halls will be more expensive and actual weekly rates vary between halls. See **Tuition fees will vary depending on your course of study. When we calculate your cost of attendance, we will include the international tuition fees applicable to your specific course. ***Exchange rate used is a worst case scenario for illustration purposes. Actual rate will be based on that current at the time of loan disbursement. Origination fees will be deducted from your gross loan amount by the US Department of Education. These can be added to your cost of attendance on request. Types of Direct Loan and Loan Amounts See page 15 US Federal (Direct) Loan funding is paid as follows: Both undergraduate and postgraduate Funds are drawn down on your behalf by the university in disbursements (instalments), and these are initially paid into the university s bank account on your behalf. A proportion of your Direct Loan funding is deducted towards the cost of your tuition fees. If there is a surplus amount, after the tuition fee amount has been deducted, this will be transferred to your UK personal bank account. Once you have agreed your total Cost of Attendance, and the amount of loan funding you wish to borrow, provided you have accepted an offer of a place to study here, we will set up the loan on your behalf. The Cost of Attendance will represent the total estimated COA for the year. If you have savings or additional income from another source, such as a scholarship, you may choose to borrow less than the maximum amount available. If you have a scholarship, you will need to confirm this to us by . We use the US Department of Education Common Origination and Disbursement web-based tool ( COD ) to set up the total loan amount for each type of loan, the number of disbursements, and the anticipated dates of disbursement to you, if applicable (ie if you have a surplus of funds available after the deduction of a proportion of your tuition fees). 23

25 Once the loan has been set up and released in the COD system, we then have to draw down the funds from a second US Federal government system, G5, after the funds have been transferred from COD to G5, which usually takes two days. The transfer from G5 to the university s bank account then takes another two to three days. Once the funds have come into the university s bank account, they will then be converted from US dollars USD to pounds Sterling GBP. In order for the university to transfer any surplus funds to you, you will need to have set up a UK bank account (see introductory section to this document for the details you need to supply to the university s Finance Department s Payments Team). Any delay in the provision of your UK bank account details will have a knock-on effect on the release of your first loan disbursement/instalment. The first disbursement of Direct Loan funding is not made until AFTER you have enrolled IN-PERSON at the university (ie not just enrolled on-line). Provided you have given the Payments Team your bank details in time, the first disbursement will normally be paid to you approximately ten days after the start of the academic year. This is to ensure that you are in attendance at the university prior to any payment being made. The procedure for refunding loan payments to the US Department of Education is complex, and can be costly for you, and for the university, so we have to be sure that you have enrolled in person before any funds are transferred to you. The university has a Refund Policy for the refunding of Direct Loan monies, and this is attached as an addendum to this document. Please bear in mind that you will need to have sufficient funds available to cover your first two weeks at Brighton (or three weeks, if you attend the International Orientation Programme, which is held the week before term starts). Origination Fees The US Department of Education will deduct an origination fee at source, so that the amount of loan funding released on your behalf will be a net amount, rather than the gross amount borrowed. This is like an administrative charge from your loan amount (a percentage deducted from each disbursement), which reduces the net amount that the university will receive on your behalf. You may choose to add/include the Origination Fee in your Cost of Attendance, so that the net amount represents the total you wish to borrow. 24

26 The Difference in Payments (Disbursements) for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students Undergraduate Direct Loan funding will be paid in TWO disbursements (instalments), 1) Approximately two weeks after your course start date (provided you have supplied your UK bank account details in time to the university s Payments Team); 2) In early February, at the start of Semester 2 Postgraduate Direct Loan funding will be paid in THREE disbursements (instalments), 1) Approximately two weeks after your course start date (provided you have supplied your UK bank account details in time to the university s Payments Team); 2) In early February, at the start of Semester 2; 3) In early June, at the start of the summer period, which is when many postgraduates are writing up their dissertation. Evidence of Loan Income Direct Loans Notification of Student Loan Letter Once a loan or loans have been set up on your behalf, based on the agreed Cost of Attendance, we will send you a Notification of Student Loan letter via DHL to your address in the United States (unless you specify a different address). This sets out the net disbursement amounts, and the scheduled dates of payment to you. Remember the first disbursement of US Federal Loan funding will only be transferred to your UK bank account if you have supplied the bank details to the university s Finance Department s Payments Team ([email protected]) at least four days before the anticipated date of disbursement (ie the Friday before the week in which loans are due to be disbursed). If your bank account details are supplied late, then this will affect the date of the first disbursement of funds to you. The University of Brighton Finance Department Payments Team process BACS (automated bank transfers) on Tuesdays each week, for payment into your bank account on Thursday of the same week. Bank details supplied late will incur a delay of at least one week after your original first disbursement date. The Notification of Student Loan Letter is an important document you will need the original signed and stamped copy as evidence of income for the Home Office UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration). You 25

27 should also keep it to hand after you have secured your visa, as it sets out the net loan amounts to be paid to you and the scheduled dates of payment. Please note that we do not automatically send out reminders for payment of your second and (where applicable) third loan disbursements. Enquiries about outstanding tuition fees and balance payable to you For any information regarding your outstanding tuition fees amount, and any balance payable to you, please contact the University of Brighton Finance Department s Income Team [email protected] Withdrawal and Refund Policy If you receive Federal aid and withdraw from your course, we will need to recalculate your entitlement to Federal aid based on your actual period of attendance. This could mean that you are required to pay back a proportion of the funds received via the Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised and Direct Plus Loan programmes. The university may also have to repay funds received for tuition and/or accommodation to the US Federal Government. In this case you may become liable for additional fee payments to the university in order to replace these funds. Any calculation will be undertaken in line with the rules stipulated by the US Department of Education. The university s current Refund Policy is set out on our website: In addition to the university s Refund Policy, there is a Refund Policy specifically relating to the return of US Loan funding (Return of Title IV Funds Policy), which is included as Addendum 2 to this document. Satisfactory Academic Progress the university s Satisfactory Academic Progress is included as Addendum 1 to this document. 26

28 2. Private Loan Funding You may want to apply for a private loan to cover the cost of education not met by Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised and Direct Plus Loans. If you are 24 or over and studying an undergraduate course, Plus loans are not available, so private loans may be your only other option. Private loans are not part of the Direct Loan scheme, and not covered by Federal Student Aid regulations. If you have the option to borrow through the Title IV (Direct) Loan programme, we advise you to choose this option as there is generally less interest accrued and the repayment terms may be more flexible to your needs. Currently, we are only aware of one private loan available to US students studying at a foreign school, which is obtained through Sallie Mae. The university does not have any revenue-sharing arrangements with Sallie Mae, nor does it recognise Sallie Mae as a preferred lender. The university does not have a preferred lender for private loans. Smart Option Student Loan The Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan is available for US citizens enrolled in eligible programmes of study outside the United States, to pay for school expenses not covered by scholarships, grants, and Federal loans. For further details on interest rates and repayment terms, see This is also an option for students who are unable to get US Federal loan funding for one or more of the following reasons: Due to the nature of their course of study (ie course ineligible for Federal Loans) Due to the level of Federal Loan funding already taken out, which may limit how much additional loan funding you are entitled to borrow there are aggregate limits for each loan type Due to the eligibility criteria of Federal Loan funding, which may exclude you from eligibility, eg if you are an independent undergraduate student, you will be ineligible for a Direct Graduate Plus or Direct Parent Plus Loan, although you will be eligible for a Direct Subsidised and Direct Unsubsidised Loans (the difference between the various loan types is set out above in the Direct Loan Section 1). This will mean that your Federal (Direct) Loan entitlement will not cover the full cost of tuition fees and living costs, so you may need a private loan to top-up your Federal Loan Due to having a negative credit history and no co-signer (a co-signer is someone without a negative credit history who will guarantee the loan on your behalf), which will prevent you 27

29 from securing Federal (Direct) Plus Loans (applicable to dependent undergraduate and postgraduate students as a Direct Parent Plus Loan or a Direct Graduate Plus Loan). Students who take out private loan funding will need to do so through a US bank which will provide an educational loan for study outside the US. The loan agreement is directly between the student and the bank. In the past a number of US students coming to the University of Brighton have taken out private loan funding through a US bank called Sallie Mae. It is advisable to contact the Bursaries and Scholarships Team at the University of Brighton before you make your loan application, as we will be able to provide you with an estimate of your cost of attendance (tuition fees plus living and other costs), to enable you to assess more accurately the level of loan funding required, and thereby avoid taking out a loan which is either in excess of your financial need, or not sufficient to cover your financial need. Sallie Mae is a US bank which will lend funds towards tuition fees and living costs for students studying outside the US. The Bursaries and Scholarships Team (part of the university s Registry) are able to certify Sallie Mae loans on behalf of University of Brighton students. If you have applied for a loan through Sallie Mae, the university will receive notification that a loan needs to be certified. We will not certify a loan until such time as the cost of attendance has been agreed with you, you have a firm offer of a place to study, and you have enrolled on-line. However, please note that the University of Brighton does not have a preferred lender as such, and you may be able to find another US bank able to provide you with loan funding for study abroad. Evidence of Income from Private Lenders You should receive a Notification of Guarantee Letter (NoG) from your private lender. Once we have set up a private loan for you via Sallie Mae or other private loan provider, they (ie NOT the University of Brighton) will send you a Notification of Guarantee of your loan amount and disbursement dates for use with your visa application. These will be sent out by regular mail to you. If you do not receive your Notification of Guarantee, you will need to contact the private lender about this. Please do not book your visa appointment until after you have received your Notification of Guarantee letter, as the information contained in it will be required as evidence of your having sufficient income to cover your annual costs. 28

30 Remember, you will need to be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your annual tuition fees (this excludes accommodation costs) plus 800 GBP for a minimum of nine months, ie tuition fees plus 7,200 GBP. If your private loan is for less than this amount, you will need to provide evidence of other income, such as savings, or any scholarships you will be receiving to make up any shortfall. 29

31 3. Department of Veterans Affairs Funding (VA Funding) You may be eligible for funding from the US Department of Veterans Affairs if you, or one of your parents, has served in the US armed forces. It may be possible for one of your parents to transfer their entitlement to Veterans Affairs (VA) Funding to you in order for you to study at the University of Brighton. The University of Brighton currently has students in receipt of VA funding. There are a number of different types of VA funding, which are set out in more detail under the section on VA funding. Who is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill? Students must be enrolled in courses that will apply to their program (eg if you are studying in the US, with a study abroad period at the University of Brighton) Students can choose to take their whole degree course in a foreign country, rather than just a study abroad period as a part of a degree course taken in the US The program(s) at the host school in the foreign country must be approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs The Department of Veterans Affairs cannot pay any fees specific to studying abroad, unless the student is required to study abroad as part of their home college program VA Course Approval If you believe you may be entitled to financial support from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, before we can complete the grant paperwork on your behalf, we have to obtain Course Approval for your chosen course of study, and specifically in your name. In order for us to apply for course approval and for this to be granted in time for the start date of your course, you will need to allow sufficient time prior to your course start date; it can take several months to obtain course approval from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, although sometimes approval is received relatively quickly. To get the ball rolling, you will need to us your personal details, including your Social Security Number, the course and level at which you are proposing to study, and your University of Brighton applicant number. We will then submit an application to the Department of Veterans Affairs, for approval of your chosen course in your name. Once the approval has been granted, and you have an unconditional offer of a place to study on the course, you will need to send us a copy of your Confirmation of Entitlement Letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which confirms your eligibility for VA funding. We can then 30

32 complete the VA Student Enrolment form, VA on your behalf, which confirms your term dates, the level of tuition fees (this excludes accommodation costs), your course details, and personal data such as your Social Security Number, date of birth, and University of Brighton student number. No funds will be released to you or the University of Brighton on your behalf until the Student Enrolment form has been received by the Department of Veterans Affairs from the University of Brighton. Courses at the University of Brighton for which approval has already been granted by the Department of Veterans Affairs At the time of writing (March 2014), the following courses at the University of Brighton already have Course Approval from the Department of Veterans Affairs: BSc(Hons) Computer Science BA(Hons) Graphic Design BA(Hons) Business Management BA(Hons) International Business BA(Hons) Physical Education with QTS BA(Hons) Globalisation: History, Politics, Culture BSc(Hons) Biology MPharm (integrated masters) Pharmacy MComp (integrated masters) Computing MSc Information Systems MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) MA Community Psychology For advice on VA funding, contact GI-BILL1 ( ) A student may enrol directly in a host school The Department of Veterans Affairs could pay the tuition and fees, up to the national average in-state maximum tuition and fee charges (room and board charges cannot be included in tuition costs). Fees paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs are fees that students who regularly attend the institution must pay, ie not fees specific to study abroad students. Plus, the Department of Veterans Affairs could provide a monthly housing allowance to the student, if the student is enrolled more than half-time, that the student uses to help pay for room and board costs. 31

33 The Department of Veterans Affairs could provide a books and supplies stipend The Department of Veterans Affairs would pay tuition directly to the host school The Department of Veterans Affairs could not pay for any fees the home school charges for study abroad fees The Department of Veterans Affairs cannot pay for air fares The Department of Veterans Affairs cannot pay a third party Any amounts payable are reduced if the student is not eligible at the 100% payment tier. Eg: if the student s benefit payment tier is 40%, the VA would pay 40% of the housing allowance, 40% of charged tuition, and 40% of the books stipend. Following our submission of your VA Enrolment Certification Form to the Department of Veterans Affairs, we will be sent a cheque to cover the tuition fees for your first term of study, which is generally from September to December. This will be paid into the university s bank account on your behalf, converted from USD to GBP, and the amount credited to your university account. For any information on the amounts received once converted into Sterling, you should contact the University of Brighton s Finance Department Income Team [email protected] For further information you can visit the following websites: Dependents' Educational Assistance VA GI Bill Post 9/11 Bill Study Abroad Programs On this website you can: Choose a school Apply for benefits 32

34 Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs You can compare VA institutions, using the GI Bill Comparison Tool, including a guide to choosing a school, and the Principles of Excellence program: The VA and non-va sources that may help with your education decisions include: GI Bill Comparison Chart Consumer Financial Protection Bureau s Paying for College College Affordability and Transparency Center About Attending Foreign Schools The university completes form VA Who is eligible? You may be eligible if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 10 th, 2001, or were honourably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability after serving 30 continuous days following September 10 th, NB: Children of a member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty on or after September 11 th, 2001, may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI benefits under the Marine Gunnery John David Fry Scholarship Program. If you, or one of your parents, have served in the US military, you may be entitled to funding from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Many benefits are available to advance the education and skills of Veterans and Service Members. Spouses and family members may also be eligible for education and training assistance, 25% of those benefitting from the Department of Veterans Affairs programs are non-veterans. The tuition fees element of your VA benefits is paid directly to the University of Brighton on your behalf, whereas the living costs element is paid directly to the student. Should there be a shortfall between what is provided by the VA and your actual cost of attendance (tuition fees plus living costs), then you may also be eligible to take out a US Federal Loan, provided you and your course meet the eligibility criteria. Alternatively, you may elect to take out a private loan to cover any shortfall, if appropriate. 33

35 Before we can arrange any funding on your behalf via the Department of Veterans Affairs, we will need to ensure that we obtain course approval for your chosen course of study. For further details, see the section below on VA Course Approval. Some might find they are eligible for more than one benefit or that one program is more suited to certain education and training goals than another. Eligibility Criteria for studying at a Foreign School 1. You must meet the same basic eligibility requirements as for training in the United States. In addition, training at a foreign school such as the University of Brighton must lead to a standard college degree or the equivalent, and the program of education (ie your chosen degree course) must have been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 2. If you are judged to be eligible for VA benefits, you will be issued a Certificate of Eligibility, showing the number of months of entitlement you have, as well as the date your eligibility expires. If possible, you should have this document in your possession before you apply to the University of Brighton, and certainly before you enrol in person. 3. You should submit your application early enough to have the program of education approved before leaving the US. 4. You may receive VA benefits under the following programs of educational assistance: Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30) Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) Post-Vietnam Veterans Educational Assistance Program VEAP (Chapter 32) Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35) Educational Assistance Pilot Program (not applicable to the University of Brighton) Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act Education and training programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers higher education and training benefits to Veterans, Service Members, and their families who served after September 10 th The Montgomery GI Bill assists active duty and Reservists with the pursuit of higher education degrees, certificates, and other education and training 34

36 The following other Veterans Affairs education and training programs offer various education and training benefits or increased benefits to certain Reservists and Veterans and their survivors and dependents: o Reserve Educational Assistance Program o Veterans Educational Assistance Program o Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program o National Call to Service Program See Foreign School Information for Students Education and Training. To start your application for VA funding, go to This site gives details of the information that must be submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs by Veterans Service persons Reservists And Eligible Dependents to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate their intended program of education. This funding is in the form of a grant (ie it does not have to be repaid, unless you do not complete your course (eg you leave the course prior to completion for academic, financial or personal reasons). Can I transfer my entitlement to my dependents? Post-9/11 GI Bill: Transferability You must be a member of the uniformed services (Active Duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) on or after August 1 st, 2009, who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Eligibility criteria for transferability Generally, you must have served at least six years in the Armed Forces on the date of election and you must agree to serve four more years from the date of election when transferring benefits to a spouse or dependent, or 35

37 Have at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (Active Duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy (service of DoD) or Statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute, or Is or becomes retirement eligible during the period from August 1 st, 2009, through August 1 st, A service member is considered to be retirement eligible if he or she has completed 20 years of Active Duty or 20 qualifying years of reserve service. Eligible family member The individual s spouse One or more of the individual s children Any combination of spouse and child A family member must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrolment Reporting System (DEERS) and be eligible for benefits, at the time of transfer to receive transferred educational benefits. A child s subsequent marriage will not affect his or her eligibility to receive the educational benefit, however, after an individual has designated a child as a transferee under this section, the individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time. A subsequent divorce will not affect the transferee s eligibility to receive educational benefits; however, after an individual has designated a spouse as a transferee under this section, the eligible individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time. Nature of transfer An eligible Service member may transfer up to the total months of unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, or the entire 36 months if the member has used none. Family member use of transferred educational benefits is subject to the following: 1 Spouse: o o o 2 Child: o May start to use the benefit immediately May use the benefit while the member remains in the Armed Forces or after separation from Active Duty Is not eligible for the monthly housing allowance while the member is serving on Active Duty May start to use the benefit only after the individual making the transfer has completed at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces 36

38 o o o o May use the benefit while the eligible individual remains in the Armed Forces or after separation from Active Duty May not use the benefit until they have attained a secondary school diploma, or equivalency certificate, or reached 18 years of age Is entitled to the monthly housing allowance and books and supplies stipend even though the eligible individual is on Active Duty Isn t subject to the 15-year ending date, but may not use the benefit after 26 years of age. For more information call toll free (1-888-GI BILL1) or visit the website: 37

39 Student Information ( Consumer Information) For information regarding student welfare, please visit our Student Life website Careers Accommodation Disability and Dyslexia (support available) Living here Money Health (including Vaccine information) For more specific information regarding vaccinations, you will need to contact your school office (academic department) Student Central When you have fully enrolled on your course, you will be able to sign into our online learning environment known as Student Central. You will be able to access your course syllabus and information on textbooks required for your studies. Programme information The university offers a wide range of courses. For information regarding the types of course available, please use the following links Undergraduate To obtain a prospectus for undergraduate students, go to Postgraduate For information regarding postgraduate courses, please refer to the details provided on the University of Brighton website: Have you already decided what you would like to study? You can use the course finder on the university s home page 38

40 If you have already decided on which specific course you would like to study, you can view more course specifics by using our Course Finder facility. This will provide you with more detailed information on: Course types Entry requirements Course contents Careers options Fees and costs Transfer of Credit policies and Articulation agreements If you have already gained credits towards your course at another higher education institution, you may be able to transfer them to your new chosen course here at the university. For information regarding prior achievement and transferring credits, refer to our GEAR handbook (Accreditation of Prior Achievement, APA) Policies, procedures and regulations for information regarding policies, please visit Academic misconduct procedures (including peer-to-peer file sharing and plagiarism); Our Substance Use and Misuse Policy (including drug and alcohol abuse prevention); Student disciplinary procedures Health and Safety Policy (more detailed information on safety and security in halls of residence will be available on Student Central (our student intranet), once you have enrolled on your course Data protection Copyright Whistleblowing Freedom of information For Federal Copyright Law 39

41 Facts and figures For information about the university s sustainability policies and facts and figures, including programme accreditation, student population, retention rates, placement in employment: Sports scholarships For elite athletes, talented sports performers and disabled athletes Publications University of Brighton publications Missing Persons Notification The university will use the contact details you have previously provided to our accommodation office if you are reported as missing. The next of kin details will be used unless you specify that someone else should be contacted. If you are under 18 years of age, the university will notify a custodial parent or guardian no later than 24 hours after you have been reported as missing. If an official missing person report is made, the university Community Liaison Officer will contact either our Sussex Policy representative or our Community Support Officer, who will continue with the investigation. US Federal Loan publications National Student Loan Data System If you are a student or parent of a student with Title IV (Direct Loan) funding, information regarding your loan will be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and will be accessible by guarantee agencies, lenders and schools determined to be authorised users of the data system. The National Student Loan Data System is the United States Department of Education central database for student aid. 40

42 Further information for US students at the University of Brighton The university s International Office Information from the university s International Office for US students 41

43 Glossary of Terms For a full Glossary of Terms in relation to US Financial Aid, see Cycle year year for which FAFSA has been submitted, eg 2014/15 Dependent Independent CPS on-line COA COD Deferment A student who does not meet any of the criteria for an independent student. An independent student is one of the following: 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, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. An independent student is one of the following: 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. Get additional information to determine your dependency status. This is a web portal that gives us access to FAFSA on-line, from which we can download your Student Aid Report, once your FAFSA has been processed. Cost of Attendance our estimation of your annual costs incorporating tuition fees and living costs Common Origination and Disbursement Tool (used to set up Federal Loans) A postponement of loan repayments Disbursement Payment or instalment FAFSA Forbearance Free Application for Federal Student Aid A period during which your monthly loan payments are temporarily suspended or reduced. Your lender may grant you forbearance if you are willing but unable to make loan payments due to certain types of financial hardships. During forbearance, principal payments are postponed but interest continues to accrue. Unpaid interest that accrues during the forbearance will be added to the principal balance (capitalized) of your loan(s), increasing the total amount you owe. 1

44 Financial Need This is a calculation based on the information included in your Student Aid Report G5 Grace Period MPN NoG Website used for drawing down Federal Loan funding Six months after leaving university, in which time no interest is payable on a subsidised loan Master Promissory Note (loan agreement between you and/or your parent and the US Department of Education) setting out your rights and responsibilities Notification of Guarantee letter or pro-forma from a private lender confirming your loan amount and disbursement dates SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress (see policy at addendum 1) SAR Student Aid Report 2

45 Addendum 1 University of Brighton Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy University of Brighton Satisfactory Academic Progress for US financial aid recipients All students applying for or receiving US federal loans (Direct Loans - subsidised, unsubsidised and Plus) must progress satisfactorily towards completion of a Title IV approved academic programme. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) includes two standards; qualitative and quantitative. Students must meet both standards to continue receiving financial aid. Qualitative In order to maintain eligibility for financial aid with the qualitative standard, a student must maintain the academic standing necessary to remain at the University of Brighton. The university s General Examination and Assessment Regulations (GEAR) for taught courses is updated and published annually on the university s website. These regulations are supported by course-specific regulations, included in the programme specification which is also made available on the university s website. Details on assessment and progression for post-graduate research degrees can be found in the University Code of Practice for MPhil, PhD and Professional Doctorates. Quantitative (maximum timeframe) To be eligible for financial aid students must be registered for a minimum of half the full-time hours for a particular programme. In order to meet the quantitative standards, students must carry out research and complete and pass exams and coursework as detailed in the university s General Examination and Assessment Regulations. In order to maintain eligibility for funds the maximum timeframe for completion of a degree programme, US students participating in the Title IV aid programme may not exceed 150% of the published length of a programme. Periods when a student does not receive funds will be included in the maximum timeframe. Students who transfer from another institution will have time spent at the first institution included in the maximum timeframe. Periods of suspension (intermission) from a course will not be included in the maximum timeframe. 1

46 Transfer students The transcripts and/or Diploma Supplements of students who transfer to the University of Brighton will be used to measure the quantitative SAP requirement. Only those grades earned at the University of Brighton will be used to calculate the qualitative requirement. Change of programme or degree Students who decide to change their degree or programme will be evaluated similarly to transfer students, with the exception that the grades previously earned at the University of Brighton will be used to measure the qualitative requirement. Second degrees Students who have completed a degree programme and wish to pursue another at the same level must apply to that programme as would any other applicant and meet the admission requirements for the new programme. Federal loan eligibility will be limited to the maximum aggregate loan limits under US federal regulations. Evaluation process Measurement of a student s academic progress will be made: a) For one-year courses, at the end of each payment period b) For all other educational programmes annually to correspond with the end of a payment period. This evaluation process will consider the student s progress as per the qualitative and quantitative standards. At the time of each evaluation, a student who has not achieved the required academic standing, or who is not successfully completing their educational programme at the required pace, will be notified in writing if financial aid is suspended or probated on the basis of the evaluation stated above. An appeal procedure for verifiable or unforeseen circumstances is available, if a student believes they meet those criteria (see below). The University of Brighton cannot waive the satisfactory academic progress requirement for any student. Financial aid probation and/or suspension 1) A student who fails to meet the required qualitative and quantitative standard in any period will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for a period of six months, or until the next available opportunity to undertake these assessments. 2

47 2) A student on Financial Aid Probation may continue to receive assistance under the Title IV HEA programmes for one payment period. During that time the student will be required to take remedial action to meet satisfactory academic progress standards to qualify for further aid under the Title IV HEA programmes. 3) If, after this probation period a student does not reach the satisfactory academic standard, his/her eligibility for federal loans (Direct subsidised, unsubsidised and Plus loans) will be suspended, and they will be ineligible to receive aid until such time as they achieve the required standard. Registry would confirm any probation or termination of eligibility with the individual student should this situation arise. 4) Students may appeal the suspension of their aid, via written appeal to Carol Burns, Registrar & Secretary. Students who appeal will be informed in writing of the decision. Appeal A student may appeal a determination by the university that he or she is not making satisfactory academic progress if a student believes this is due to verifiable or unforeseen circumstances. The student should specify the exceptional circumstances that lead to the poor academic performance and state the reasons why those circumstances will not affect future academic progress. Updated December

48 Addendum 2 University of Brighton Refund Policy University of Brighton US financial aid refund policy (Return of Title IV funds policy) Withdrawals If a student who is in receipt of Federal financial aid withdraws from the university after commencing attendance on a course of study, a determination must be made as to whether any of the programme funds must be returned to the US Federal aid programme. This determination will be made in accordance with the Return of Title IV Aid requirements of section 484B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and of the Student Assistance General Provisions regulations. (This is called a Return of Title IV funds calculation ). Title IV programme funds are awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend the institution for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. If a student ceases academic attendance before the end of the payment period or period of enrolment, the student may no longer be eligible to receive the full amount of the original US Federal financial aid. A withdrawn student s eligibility for US Federal financial aid must be re-evaluated by a calculation to determine how much of the award the student has earned and unearned. The portion of funds not earned has to be repaid. Pro-rata refund calculations apply for any student in receipt of US Federal financial aid who withdraws within a time equating to less than 60% of the payment period. No return of funds to the Federal aid programme is required if a student withdraws within a time equating to 60% or more of the payment period. 1

49 If a student withdraws or defers prior to the start of the enrolment period, the loans can be cancelled in full prior to disbursement. If a student has not received a disbursement of Federal aid funds at the beginning of a disbursement period and subsequently withdraws, the amount of funds that a student has earned will be calculated and the appropriate amount will be disbursed. The remaining funds will be returned to the US Department of Education. Any difference between the Federal aid funds earned and the University of Brighton fees due (as calculated as per the university refund policy) will be charged to the student. Withdrawal dates for students that officially withdraw will be determined by agreement between the school (university department) and the student of a last date of attendance. Notification of withdrawal is normally required in writing. Withdrawal dates for students who unofficially withdraw will be the date that departments become aware that a student ceased attendance. Unearned Federal aid funds will be returned no later than 45 days after determining the withdrawal date. If it is determined that refund money must be returned to the aid programme, the distribution of funds will be allocated in the following order: 1. Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidised 2. Federal Direct Stafford Subsidised 3. Federal Direct PLUS In determining the amount of loan funds that a student has earned upon withdrawal, the University of Brighton will calculate the percentage of the loan period attended. This will then be multiplied by the total of the Federal aid that has been disbursed for the payment period. 2

50 The University of Brighton Registry (US Loans and Fees Teams) in liaison with the university s Finance Department (Income and Payments Teams) will inform withdrawn students in writing of the amount that the university is obliged to return to the US Federal aid programme, the amount (if any) that needs to be paid to the university by the student and the amount (if any) that is due to be refunded to the student by the university. The University of Brighton Registry (US Loans Team) will up-date the Student Status Confirmation Report (SSCR), thereby confirming to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) the date of the student s withdrawal. Returns will be made by bank transfer, using an Overseas Payment Request form, accompanied by the return calculation form R2T &idno=34 Updated March