US Department of Education - Federal Student Aid Programme for USA students

US Federal Direct Loans for study at the University of Greenwich

As an American student, you can enrol on a bachelor’s degree programme at the University of Greenwich in London with up to $12,500 per year (about 11,500 EUR). This is a loan you must pay back, not a grant. The funding comes from the US Department of Education, and the university will take care of the formalities.

Your annual limit increases with each academic year. It is also higher if you are financially independent from your parents. In the first year, it starts at $5,500 (around 5,100 EUR) if you are financially dependent on your parents. From the third year onwards, it rises to $12,500 for independent students. The total amount you can borrow is $31,000 (approx. 28,500 EUR) if you are dependent on your parents, and $57,500 (approx. 52,900 EUR) if you are independent.

The loans cover tuition fees and living costs such as accommodation, travel and food. Your parents can take out an additional ‘Parent PLUS’ loan, provided they have a good credit rating. Government grants such as the ‘Pell Grant’ are not available abroad.

Who can apply

• Citizenship: You are a US citizen, hold a permanent residence permit for the US, or are another eligible non-citizen.
• Age: You are over 18.
• School qualification: You must hold a US high school diploma or a recognised equivalent qualification. This also applies if you are admitted as a mature student.
• Place: You have applied to study at the University of Greenwich.
• Course: You take a bachelor's degree on campus, full time or at least half time. All subjects are open except nursing and midwifery. Foundation degrees, sandwich courses with a work year, distance learning and non-degree courses do not qualify.
• Progress: You must pass the course without having to retake any parts of it. Otherwise, your funding may be withdrawn.

How to apply

Complete the free FAFSA form (the form for federal student financial aid in the USA) and list the University of Greenwich. Then contact the university’s loans team to get the process underway. The team will work out how much you can borrow.