If you want to study an ineligible programme, you could get a private loan.

We cannot certify federal loans for students wanting to study:

• Undergraduate MbChB Medicine and MbChb Gateway to Medicine
• BDS Dentistry
• certificate or diploma programmes
• programmes with study of less than half time
• programmes with any part delivered through online or distance learning
• programmes with a work placement
• programmes with a work placement year
• programmes with a year in industry
• International Foundation Programme
• dual collaborative PhD programmes
• Doctor of Education (EdD) in Hong Kong
• the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training
• EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy
• a PhD programme involving research to be undertaken in the US or a writing-up period in the US
• if you can only do your research in the US, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk so we can check your eligibility.

If any part of your programme includes a study abroad year, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk before starting. The year abroad must meet certain eligibility requirements. If not, the whole programme is ineligible for federal student loans.

You must complete a FAFSA form on the Federal Student Aid website. A FAFSA is completed by current and prospective college students in the United States to work out their eligibility for student financial aid.

You will need to create a FSA ID and password.

If you are a continuing loan student, complete a renewal FAFSA. You only have to give any information that has changed since last year.

You can complete your FAFSA from the October before the academic year in which you want to study. 

You must include our School Federal Direct Loan Code in your FAFSA. The code is: G07632. Use this code each time you need to enter one.

Once you have completed your FAFSA, you will get a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). We will use this to work out your loan eligibility.

Email us at us-loans@bristol.ac.uk to let us know you are awaiting a Cost of Attendance (CoA). We are not notified when a student has selected us on their FAFSA.

From May, the US loans team will email you a CoA. This will tell you the amount and types of loans you can borrow. We will also email you a Financial Aid Offer Request (FAOR) form and a bank details form.

You must complete entrance counselling for the type of loan you want to borrow.

Entrance counselling makes sure you understand:

• the terms and conditions of your loan
• your rights and responsibilities
• You will learn what a loan is, how interest works
• your repayment options.

If you have already completed entrance counselling while at Bristol, you can skip this step.

MPNs are legal documents. In MPNs you promise to repay the US Department of Education:

• your loan(s)
• interest
• any extra fees.

If you are an undergraduate, you should complete an MPN for the subsidised and unsubsidised loans. If needed, your parent/guardian should complete a separate MPN for the Parent PLUS loan.

If you are a graduate, you should complete one MPN for the unsubsidised loan and one for the Grad PLUS loan.

As we are an oversees school, you must complete new MPNs for each year of study.

Once approved by the system we will be able to view MPNs. You do not need to send us copies.

If you or a parent/guardian want to apply for a PLUS loan, you need to complete the “Apply for a PLUS Loan” section.

This will trigger a Credit Check. Once approved by the system we can view that Credit Check.

You do not need to send us a copy unless we ask for one.

Once you have received your Cost of Attendance, complete the Financial Aid Offer Request (FAOR). Return it to us-loans@bristol.ac.uk.

Email your typed Bank details form to us-loans@bristol.ac.uk.

We cannot certify your loans on the US System until early July. We will send you a notification letter outlining:

• the amount of loans you will receive
• your loan instalment dates
• the period / academic year your loan relates to.

You can use this letter as evidence of your visa applications. The letter will be emailed to your personal email address.

For information on visa support and advice, contact the Student Visa Services.

The CoA is set by the US Loans team and increases in line with inflation each academic year. Costs might cover:

• tuition fees
• accommodation
• food
• books, supplies, and equipment
• local transport and flights home
• student visa costs
• immigration health surcharge.

Costs cannot include those for partners or children. Costs can include childcare and nursery costs.

We cannot issue loan payments before the start of the academic year. You should not rely on your first payment to pay for your travel to Bristol or any fee deposits.

Your CoA will be an average cost of one year of education in Bristol. Be aware that precise costs can vary depending on where you stay.

The amount you can borrow will be reduced by any other funding you receive for that academic year.

This includes:

• bursaries
• scholarships
• stipends
• sponsorship
• private loans.
• Student Aid Index (SAI).

You must inform us if you have any extra funding. Otherwise, your loan amount will reduce later in the academic year.

You can only get a subsidised loan if you are an undergraduate student with "demonstrated financial need". This is decided by Federal regulations. No interest applies:

• while you are studying at least half-time
• during the first 6 months after you finish University
• during deferment periods
• during postponement of loan payments.

You can get an unsubsidised loan if you are an undergraduate or postgraduate student. They are not based on financial need. Interest applies during all periods.

Direct PLUS loans help pay for education costs not covered by other financial aid. There are two types.

Parent PLUS loans 

Your parents or guardians can get this loan if you are an undergraduate student classed as "dependent". Your parents or guardians can borrow up to your total estimated CoA given by the University of Bristol. Parent PLUS loans are the responsibility of your parent or guardian and not you the student.

Grad PLUS Loans

You can get this loan if you are a postgraduate student. You can borrow up to your total estimated CoA given by the University of Bristol.

For information on private loans, see the private loans section of our US loans main page.

There will be two equal payments if you are an undergraduate student:

• Payment 1: October
• Payment 2: January.

There will be three equal payments if you are a postgraduate taught student:

• Payment 1: October
• Payment 2: January
• Payment 3: May.

There will be two equal payments if you are a postgraduate research student:

• Payment 1: October
• Payment 2: March.

The actual amount of each payment in GBP(£) will depend on the exchange rate for USD($) to GBP(£) on that date. Your loan will also come with a loan fee.

You will not need to pay tuition and accommodation fees on the set fee payment dates. We will set your tuition and accommodation fee payment dates to match your USFL dates.

The money we take away from your loan to cover your tuition and accommodation fees will be in GBP(£). We will pay the remaining loan amount to your bank account in USD($) on each payment date. We cannot know or guarantee the exchange rate used at the point of each payment.

You need a UK bank account to receive your loan. Our page on opening a UK bank account has information about how to set one up.

You should submit your application by 31 August before the academic year your studies start. We might not approve late applications in time for the standard first payment date. If this happens, we will contact you to tell you the new date of your first payment.

You must complete mid-year applications at least one month before the next payment date.

Federal rules mean we report your enrolment status to the US Department of Education (ED). We must do this through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) every 60 days. Reporting you as full or half-time will defer any USFLs taken out before you started your studies.

If you are not taking out USFLs during your study, but want to defer previous US Loans, email us-loans@bris.ac.uk.

NSLDS have reported statuses which they must record. These statuses are for NSLDS only and are separate to our own regulations:

• full time students: 'Full time' (F)
• part time students (studying between 100% and 50% part time): 'Half time' (H)
• students studying part time less than 50% or by distance learning: 'Less than half time' (L)
• students who suspend or withdraw from studies: 'Withdrawn' (W)
  • when a student returns from suspension: 'Full time' (F) or 'Half time' (H)
• PGR students who have approved leave for less than 180 days: 'Approved leave of absence' (A)
  • an approved leave of absence for more than 180 days: 'Withdrawn' (W)
• students who have completed their studies:
  • undergraduate and PGT: 'Less than half time' (L)
  • PGR students who have submitted a thesis: 'Less than half time' (L)
  • when we confirm a student has graduated on our database: 'Graduated' (G)
  • if the student needs to make corrections: 'Full time' (F) or 'Half time' (H)
    • see the NSLDS reporting policy (Office document, 69kB) for how a reported status affects your loan repayments and grace periods.

Towards the end of your studies, you must complete exit counselling. This is to make sure you are prepared for repayment.

This applies for each type of USFL borrowed. It is a condition of your loan terms. You must also complete exist counselling if you:

• reduce your study hours to under half time
• withdraw from your studies.

We will email you to remind you to complete exit counselling.

You can complete exit counselling on the student loans website.

You must complete a form updating us on your contact details when you leave the University. The contact details for the referees listed on your MPNs will also need to be updated at that time. The US Loans team will email you this form as you are nearing the end of your studies. 

To stay eligible for USFLs, you must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP). 

• SAP policy for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students (Office document, 215kB)
• SAP policy for postgraduate research students (Office document, 209kB)

For questions about SAP, contact the US Loans team at us-loans@bristol.ac.uk

At time of writing, this policy is as accurate to ED guidelines. We can update this policy in line with changes made by the ED at any time. 

You tell us if your study status changes by emailing us-loans@bristol.ac.uk. This includes:

• suspending
• withdrawing
• leave of absence policy (Office document, 58kB) (PGR students only)‌
• transferring course
• upgrading / downgrading
• changing from full-time to half-time or less than half-time.

If you are thinking about changing your study status, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk to discuss it.

You might need to complete a Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation. This would set out the return of any 'unearned' funds to the ED.

If you withdraw from your studies, the US Loans team will complete an R2T4 calculation. They use a formula from the ED to decide "earned" and "unearned" amounts.

• If they calculate that you have completed more than 60% of your payment period, no funds are due for return.
• If they calculate that you have completed less than 60% of your payment period, some funds could be due for return.
  • Any funds received after we take off your tuition fees are not to be repaid immediately. They will be repaid as outlined in your MPN.
• You might withdraw from your studies before you have received any USFL funds.
  • In this case, we will calculate amount you have earned, and release it to you.

Withdraw requirements for Title IV programme are separate from our own refund policy. You may still owe funds to us to cover unpaid charges. We will also attempt to collect any Title IV programme funds from you that the ED needs us to return.

We decide official withdrawal dates by use of:

• a completed withdrawal form
• an agreement between the school and the student.

For unofficial withdrawal, we use the date we become aware that you stopped attending.

Return of unearned funds should be no later than 45 days after we decide the withdrawal date. If refunded money must go to the aid programme, funds will be returned in the following order:

• unsubsidised loans
• subsidised loans
• PLUS loans.

The US Loans team will email you with:

• the amount that we need to return to the US Federal aid programme
• the amount (if any) we need to payor refund you.

More information about the R2T4 process can be found in our R2T4 policy (Office document, 60kB).

If you want to increase your loan during the academic year, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk. You cannot borrow more than the maximum CoA figure.

If you want to decrease your loan, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk. We will take this off any remaining funds.

If you want to cancel your loan, email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk. You should do this at least two weeks before the next payment date. 

You should also contact your loan servicer for details. You can find your lender details on the Federal Student Aid website.

If you cancel loans after receiving an payment, you must complete exit counselling.

The Federal Student Aid webpage has an estimate calculator for loan repayments.

Entrance counselling and exit counselling are conditions of your loan which will inform you about:

• repayment
• money management
• making arrangements.

Your Student Loan must be repaid. If you do not meet the loan repayments as required by your loan servicer, you will go into default. If you are struggling to meet repayments, you should contact your loan servicer to discuss your options.  If your personal details change, you should also update your loan service. This includes.

• address
• phone number
• enrolment status.

The Federal Student Aid webpage provides up to date information on:

• repayment of Federal Loans
• going into default.

This webpage provides students with information on all US Student Federal Aid including:

• the US Loan process at Bristol
• types of aid
• how and when instalments are paid
• eligibility and how to stay eligible 
• ineligible courses.

Our website has information about:

• the student agreement (pdf) has details of the relationship between you and the University.
• student policies for undergraduate students and for postgraduate students
• student living expenses
• our tuition fees
• pre-arrival vaccinations
• disability support services
• student disciplinary regulations
• student complaints procedure
• student health and wellbeing.

Our website has information about our:

• health and safety policy
• smoking policy (pdf)
• drugs and alcohol policy (pdf)
• support to study policy and procedure (pdf)
• inclusive student community
• academic integrity and plagiarism
• missing students policy: contact security services for more information.

You might need to complete 1098T tax form. A1098T tax form allows you to claim back tax paid on tuition fees. 

As we are not registered with the IRS, we cannot complete this for you. If you need to request an employer identification number (EIN) or unique equity number (UEN), email us-loans@bristol.ac.uk.

You can print off a receipt of your fees from the financial statement on your mybristol portal.

We do not have an 'intercollegiate athletic programme' like in US schools. You can read about general sports information on our sport pages.