Financial aid for US students

This page provides information on applying for US federal education loans as a new or continuing student. The loan types, borrowing limits and eligibility criteria are set by the US Department of Education and any changes are beyond the University's control.

The University of Stirling participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Our federal school code is G10228. Students must meet the criteria set by the US Department of Education on the Federal Student Aid website in order to be eligible for US federal loans.

Important updates for the 2026/2027 academic year

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into US law in July 2025. This has made significant changes to the federal student loan programmes as a part of the shifts in fiscal policy. While there are no changes to federal student loans for the 2025-6 academic year, OBBBA mandated changes are due to be implemented from July 1 2026. We are continuing to track all of these changes and this site will be updated as more clarification from the US Department of Education is released.

Federal Loan Changes from July 1, 2026

Grad PLUS Loans

Grad PLUS loans will be phased out beginning on July 1, 2026; beginning on that date, new Grad PLUS loans will not be available for new borrowers or those on new programmes.
There will be some continuing eligibility for existing Grad PLUS borrowers as they complete their current programmes.

New Graduate Unsubsidized Direct Loan Limits (effective July 1, 2026)

Graduate programmes:
- Up to $20,500 / year, $100,000 lifetime borrowing limit
There has been additional information released regarding "Professional programmes" however, none of the programmes at the University of Stirling currently meet this classification by the US Department of Education.
Existing unsubsidized loan borrowers can access unsubsidized loans under the current limits until completing their current programme or for three additional years, whichever is sooner.

Undergraduate Limits and Parent PLUS Loans

There are no changes to undergraduate level subsidized and unsubsidized loans, although they will count towards new lifetime limits.
From July 1, 2026, Parent PLUS loans will be capped at $20,000 per student per year, with a $65,000 lifetime limit per dependent student.
Existing Parent PLUS borrowers who have borrowed for their students before July 1, 2026, can continue under the current limits for three additional years or until the student's programme ends, whichever is sooner.
It is currently unclear if students who have repeated a period of study, have taken a break from their studies, or who transfer programmes will remain under the old regulations. We will update this information following guidance from USDE.

What Remains Unclear

Grad PLUS loans for existing borrowers - the current indication is that a student who borrows any Direct Loan or Grad PLUS loan before July 1, 2006 will remain eligible to borrow a Grad PLUS loan for the "3-year or until program completion" window as long as that student remains in the same programme at the same school for which they borrowed the loan pre-July 1, 2026.
Loan Proration for students studying less than 60 credits per semester - the bill includes a provision to prorate loan amounts based on enrolment. This could mean that students taking a reduced credit load may only be eligible for a portion of the annual loan limit in the semester with the reduced credits.
New Repayment Plans - for new loans disbursed after July 1, 2026, the bill eliminates current income-driven repayment plans (IBR, PAYE, SAVE) and replaces them with a new Repayment Assistance Program (RAP). Students who have borrowed loans before July 1, 2026 and will borrow a new loan after July 1, 2026, are limited to the new RAP or the standard plans for the new loan.

Borrowing Limits - existing borrowers

The type of loan and the amount that you may be able to borrow is dependent on when you enrolled in your degree programme at the University of Stirling, and whether you are a postgraduate or an undergraduate student.

If you are enrolled in a degree programme at the University of Stirling before 1 July 2026, and received a federal loan for that programme before this date - you will be eligible to borrow the loan types below for the 2025/26 academic year, and then up to a further three academic years or until the end of your course, whichever comes earlier.

If you will be starting a new degree programme at the University of Stirling for the 2026/27 academic year, or are a current student who did not receive a federal loan for your programme before 1 July 2026 - the exact details for federal loan types available in the 2026/27 academic year will be added here when confirmed.

Loan types for postgraduate students

	Direct Graduate Unsubsidised Loan	Direct Graduate PLUS loan
Who is eligible	Most US citizens (or eligible non-citizens) on eligible postgraduate degree programmes.*	Most US citizens (or eligible non-citizens) on eligible postgraduate degree programmes. A credit check is required.
Maximum federal loan amount per year	$20,500	Total amount remaining after all other funding has been deducted from the COA.
Aggregate loan limit (how much you can borrow over your lifetime)	$138,500 - no more than $65,500 of this may be Direct Subsidised loans.	No limit.
Origination and default fee	1.057% for loans disbursed after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.	4.228% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.
Interest rate	8.08% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and before 1 July 2026.	9.08% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and before 1 July 2026.

Loan types for undergraduate students

Before applying for loans, you will need to determine whether you are a dependent or independent student and this will establish which loan types and amounts you are eligible to borrow.

	Direct Subsidised loan and Direct Unsubsidised loan	Parent PLUS loan
Who is eligible	Most US citizens (or eligible non-citizens) on eligible undergraduate degree programmes.*	Parents (biological, adoptive or in some cases step-parent) of dependent undergraduate students on eligible degree programmes. Both the parent and the student must be eligible for federal student aid. A credit check is required.
Maximum federal loan amount per year	Year 1 Dependent Undergraduate: $5,500 - no more than $3,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $9,500 - no more than $3,500 can be Subsidised. Year 2 Dependent Undergraduate: $6,500 - no more than $4,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $10,500 - no more than $4,500 can be Subsidised. Year 3 and up Dependent Undergraduate: $7,500 - no more than $5,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $12,500 - no more than $5,500 can be Subsidised.	For dependent undergraduate students only. Total amount remaining after all other funding has been deducted from the COA.
Aggregate loan limit (how much you can borrow over your lifetime)	Dependent Undergraduate: $31,000 - no more than $23,000 Subsidised loans. Independent Undergraduate:$57,500 - no more than $23,000 Subsidised loans.	No limit.
Origination and default fee	1.057% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.**	4.228% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.**
Interest rate	6.53% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and prior to 1 July 2026.**	9.08% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and prior to 1 July 2026.**

*Some degree programmes are not eligible for federal loans. Please refer to Eligibility section.

**Origination fees, default fees and interest rates are subject to change, those for 2025/2026 are shown at the time of publication. Please refer to the Federal Student Aid website for the most current information.

Borrowing Limits - new borrowers from July 1, 2026

The information below is provisional and based on the information we have been provided so far.

Loan types for postgraduate students

	Direct Graduate Unsubsidised Loan	Direct Graduate PLUS loan
Who is eligible	Most US citizens (or eligible non-citizens) on eligible postgraduate degree programmes.*	No longer available
Maximum federal loan amount per year	$20,500	n/a
Aggregate loan limit (how much you can borrow over your lifetime)	$100,000 - from our current understanding this is separate from the UG limit	n/a
Origination and default fee	1.057% for loans disbursed after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.	n/a
Interest rate	8.08% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and before 1 July 2026.	n/a

Loan types for undergraduate students

Before applying for loans, you will need to determine whether you are a dependent or independent student and this will establish which loan types and amounts you are eligible to borrow.

	Direct Subsidised loan and Direct Unsubsidised loan	Parent PLUS loan
Who is eligible	Most US citizens (or eligible non-citizens) on eligible undergraduate degree programmes.*	Parents (biological, adoptive or in some cases step-parent) of dependent undergraduate students on eligible degree programmes. Both the parent and the student must be eligible for federal student aid. A credit check is required.
Maximum federal loan amount per year	Year 1 Dependent Undergraduate: $5,500 - no more than $3,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $9,500 - no more than $3,500 can be Subsidised. Year 2 Dependent Undergraduate: $6,500 - no more than $4,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $10,500 - no more than $4,500 can be Subsidised. Year 3 and up Dependent Undergraduate: $7,500 - no more than $5,500 can be Subsidised. Independent Undergraduate: $12,500 - no more than $5,500 can be Subsidised.	For dependent undergraduate students only. Total amount remaining after all other funding has been deducted from the COA. Maximum of $20,000 per student per year.
Aggregate loan limit (how much you can borrow over your lifetime)	Dependent Undergraduate: $31,000 - no more than $23,000 Subsidised loans. Independent Undergraduate:$57,500 - no more than $23,000 Subsidised loans.	$65,000 lifetime limit per dependent student.
Origination and default fee	1.057% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020 and before 1 October 2025.**	Awaiting confirmation
Interest rate	6.53% for loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2025 and prior to 1 July 2026.**	Awaiting confirmation

*Some degree programmes are not eligible for federal loans. Please refer to Eligibility section.

Eligibility

Your eligibility for US Federal Title IV loans will be assessed according to the information provided on your FAFSA. Most of our degree-programmes are eligible for Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized and parent PLUS loans. Please note that the University of Stirling is classed as a 'foreign school' and there may be slightly different rules and areas of eligibility that you may not be familiar with if you have used Federal Aid before at a domestic school in the US. Foreign schools are not eligible for Pell Grant funding. The University of Stirling FAFSA school code is G10228.

Enrolment status - to remain eligible for Federal Loans and deferred payment status, you must be enrolled at least half time at the University of Stirling. If you drop below half-time or withdraw from your studies, please contact us right away at fedloans@stir.ac.uk.

General Eligibility Conditions - to receive Federal Direct and PLUS Loans you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security Number.
Must be enrolled at least half-time for the period for which the loan is originated. (PhD students who have submitted their thesis for examination to not meet this requirement).
Must comply with the University's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Must not be in default on an educational loan and must not owe repayment on an adjusted federal grant.

Ineligible Programmes - students receiving US Federal Loans are governed by strict US Department of Education regulations. Only campus-based students studying full-time or at least half time are eligible. The following programmes are NOT eligible to receive Federal Direct Loans:

Certificate or Diploma programmes
Online, Blended or Distance-Learning Programmes
All Nursing programmes
All degree programmes that are joint, double or dual with other partner institutions
Study abroad and exchange students. These students should apply through the home institution.

If your programme of study is not eligible, you may wish to apply for private loans to cover your cost of attendance.

How to Apply for Federal Loans

The application process for foreign schools is different from the process for domestic schools in the US. Although we can access most documents through Federal systems, they are not sent to us and we are not notified when you submit them. As such, we may ask you to confirm once you have completed them, or ask you to forward certain documents. Please read the following information carefully.

The University of Stirling School Code is G10228. Please follow the steps set out below to make an application for Federal Direct Loan(s) to help cover your educational costs at the University of Stirling. We cannot start processing a loan application until we have received all requested paperwork.

Step 1 Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA application generates an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) which the University will be able to access after approximately 5 working days.

Step 2 Contact fedloans@stir.ac.uk (quoting your student number) to request your Cost of Attendance. The University will access your ISIR and send you a Cost of Attendance (CoA) worksheet showing your eligibility for federal and/or private loans. The CoA shows the maximum amount that you are eligible to borrow, and you confirm how much of this you wish to borrow. You are not required to borrow the full amount.

Step 3 Go to studentaid.gov:

Complete promissory notes (MPN) for Stafford and PLUS loans (if applicable). Save as pdf files.
Apply for your PLUS loan credit check (if applicable). Save confirmation of approved credit check as a pdf file.
Complete Entrance Counselling for Stafford and PLUS if applicable) loans even if you have done this before with previous loans. Save the completion notice as a pdf file.

Step 4 Send an email to fedloans@stir.ac.uk including the following:

Completed Cost of Attendance worksheet confirming the amount of the loan(s)
pdf copy of Master Promissory Note(s)
Confirmation of Entrance Counselling
pdf copy of approved PLUS credit check (if applicable)

Loans can be processed from the start of May each year and can only be processed once all requested documentation has been received.

A confirmation letter and loan certificate will be sent by email once the loan has been finalised.

Cost of Attendance and Exchange Rate

The CoA is an estimate of your education-related costs for the academic year. It will specify the maximum amount you may be eligible to borrow minus any other aid you may be receiving such as scholarships or other loans. The CoA for students studying at the University of Stirling is based on average local costs. These will increase in line with inflation each academic year. These educational costs relate only to you, the student. These costs cannot include costs for partners or children (other than childcare or nursery costs). While your costs may vary depending on where you stay in Stirling, we expect your cost of attendance to be roughly in line with our estimates.

Please note that, whilst the CoA includes travel costs, the University cannot issue loan payments before the beginning of the academic year, so you should not rely on your first loan instalment to finance your travel to Stirling.

If you are in receipt of private loans or other scholarships, either from the University of another source, you must inform us so that this can be factored into your CoA and prevent over-borrowing.

Exchange rate

The values on the CoA are shown in GBP and USD. Regulations allow us to set a theoretical exchange rate to convert GBP to USD values to allow for volatility in the exchange rate as the year progresses.
An exchange rate of 1 GBP = 1.40 USD has been used in all 2026/2027 cost of attendance tables.
The actual exchange rate is determined by Convera on the day that your loans are disbursed for Federal Loans, and the day we receive the funds for private student loans.

How loans are disbursed

Government Loans - once your loans have been set up by the University of Stirling you will receive electronic confirmation of the amounts and the disbursement dates. This letter may be used as proof of funding for visa purposes if required.

This document is for verification of loans only and is different from the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which students must receive from the admissions office before submitting their visa application.

The first disbursement is scheduled at the start of the student's first semester and funds will only requested from the US Department of Education when students have completed their enrolment in full.

Undergraduate students

Loans will be disbursed in September and January.
In September, loans will only be requested when a student is fully enrolled.
In January, loans will only be requested following confirmation of satisfactory academic progress from the previous semester.
Tuition fee and accommodation payments will be deducted from each loan disbursement (University accommodation only).
Tuition fee and accommodation payment schedules will be amended to align with loan disbursement dates (University accommodation only).
Any remaining balance from each disbursement will be provided to the student for living costs.

Postgraduate students

Loans will be disbursed in September, January and May for postgraduate taught students on 12-month programmes.
Loans will be disbursed in three equal disbursements for postgraduate research students depending on their starting month.
The first instalment of a loan will only be requested when a student is fully enrolled.
Subsequent loan instalments will only be requested following confirmation of satisfactory academic progress.
Tuition fee and accommodation payments will be deducted from each loan disbursement (University accommodation only).
Tuition fee and accommodation payment schedules will be amended to align with loan disbursement dates (University accommodation only).
Any remaining balance from each disbursement will be provided to the student for living costs.

Private Loans

Private loans are released in a single disbursement at the start of the student's programme (unless requested otherwise) and only when the student is fully enrolled.
Tuition fee and accommodation payments will be deducted from each loan disbursement (University accommodation only).

Convera

The University of Stirling works with Convera to disburse federal and private loans directly to students' accounts. The University Income Office will contact students at the start of their programme to confirm payment details.

Loan entrance and exit counselling

Entrance Counselling

All students who take out Direct Loans must complete online entrance counselling as part of the loan application process to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and the terms and conditions of your loan. Please complete the relevant entrance counselling for your student level (undergraduate or postgraduate).

Exit Counselling

In accordance with US federal regulations, students must complete online exit counselling before you graduate, drop below half-time attendance, or withdraw/suspend or complete your studies. We will prompt you to complete your exit counselling just before your final loan disbursement is scheduled for payment. Please email fedloans@stir.ac.uk when you have completed the counselling so that we can close your file.

Withdrawal and return of Title IV funds

If you withdraw from your degree programme or fail to attend, the University of Stirling will inform your lender and any ‘unearned’ part of your loan has to be immediately repaid. You ‘earn’ the loan money by attending your course of study so the ‘unearned’ part of your loan is calculated from how much of the payment period you have attended.

If you withdraw during the year, you must notify the Student Administration Team and the Federal Loans Team; you will owe the University of Stirling the tuition fees for the remainder of that academic year. These fees will not be covered by your loan, which will cease from the date of withdrawal. Please email fedloans@stir.ac.uk for more information.

NSLDS Enrolment Verification

The University of Stirling is required, in accordance with Federal Regulations, to report the details of your mode of attendance (e.g. full time, less than half-time etc) and any changes to your enrolment status, or academic programme, to the US Department of Education. The University uses the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for this purpose and reports every 60 days. Any information contained within NSLDS will be accessible by other loan servicers for whom you may have had previous education loans.

If you need to suspend your studies for personal or health reasons and it will be for more than 180 days, you will be reported as ‘W’ (withdrawn) in NSLDS. This does not mean that you are considered withdrawn from the University of Stirling.

When you receive your degree award, you will be reported as ‘G’ (graduated) in NSLDS.

If you are a postgraduate student at the end of your academic year you will be reported as ‘L’ (less than half-time) until your graduation is confirmed, at which point your status will be changed to ‘G’ (graduated).

If your mode of attendance is reported as less than half-time, withdrawn, or graduated, you will no longer be eligible for any in-school deferment requests and your loans will enter any grace period then repayment.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students attending the University of Stirling and who are in receipt of Federal Student Aid are required to make satisfactory progress towards the completion of their degree programme. The University reports student attendance and progress directly to the US Department of Education via the NSLDS system every 60 days. US Federal Regulations stipulate that students may not take more than 150% of the normal duration to complete their studies and retain loan eligibility. For enquiries about this policy or to request a pdf copy, please email fedloans@stir.ac.uk .

Consumer Information - Institutional and financial assistance information

The University of Stirling is required by the US Government to disclose the following consumer information. If you require further information, including paper copies of documentation, please email fedloans@stir.ac.uk.

University of Stirling financial aid information

Further information on centrally-managed scholarships available for students studying at the University of Stirling can be found on our Scholarships Page.

USA Federal Aid information

The University of Stirling provides the following information for students considering US Federal Aid and Title IV Direct Loans;

How to apply and loan amounts
Student Eligibility Requirements
Types of loan available
Cost of attendance
Entrance counselling
How and when your aid will be disbursed
Withdrawal procedures, refund policies and return of Title IV funds
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Financial Aid Probation and Suspension
Exit counselling

This information can be accessed via the webpage Financial Aid for US students.

USA Federal Regulations state that you must have a secondary school completion credential (high school diploma) or the recognized equivalent to be eligible to receive Federal Aid.

The U.S. Department of Education provides information for students on Federal Aid at studentaid.gov.

Code of conduct for educational loans

In order to prohibit a conflict of interest with the responsibilities of an agent with respect to private education loans, staff at the University with responsibility for Federal and Private Education Loans from the United States are prohibited from the following:

Revenue sharing arrangements with lenders
Receiving gifts from a lender or loan servicer
Obtaining financial benefits from lenders or loan servicers
Providing a preferred list of lenders.
Offers of funds for private loans

Consumer Information - Academic information

Degree programmes, admissions policies and procedures

A full list of degree programmes offered at all study levels at the University of Stirling can be found on the University’s website. Modules for each degree are listed accordingly within the degree information, including information of instructional, laboratory and other physical facilities, if applicable.

Students wishing to study at the University of Stirling are advised to view the following webpages prior to submitting an application for admission:

Information on University-specific entry requirements can be found within the above application process links. This is in addition to any course-specific requirements found within the degree information.

School costs

Tuition fee costs vary according to degree programmes. Information on tuition fee costs for individual programmes can also be found within the degree information for that programme, available on the University’s website.

Detailed information on the cost of living in Stirling can be found on our Cost of living webpage.

These costs will be used to calculate your cost of attendance and are reviewed on an annual basis.

Telecommunication teaching and distance learning

Courses delivered via online method, including telecommunication delivery, are not eligible for Title IV funding.

Consumer Information - Student support information

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Stirling is committed to valuing and celebrating diversity, and to advancing equality and inclusive practice in all its activities. Further information can be found within our equality, diversity and inclusion webpage.

Student support and welfare

The University of Stirling provides a range of support services for students, including health and wellbeing advice, support for international students, and disability support. Further information can be accessed via our Student Support Services webpages.

Academic misconduct

Students found to be in breach of academic misconduct regulations, including but not limited to cheating and plagiarism, will be subject to disciplinary action in line with the current University of Stirling's Academic Misconduct Procedures.

Withdrawal procedure

If you are considering withdrawing or taking a break from your studies, it is recommended that you follow the guidance listed on the University of Stirling's website, including discussing your personal circumstances with your supervisor and/or a member of the University’s Support and Advice Team. If you hold a Tier 4 visa, any changes may affect this; therefore, it is strongly recommended that you seek immigration advice before making your decision.

Withdrawing from your programme will affect your Federal Aid eligibility. Further information on this can be found within the Return to Title IV Policy.

Refund policy

The University of Stirling has an institutional Tuition Fees Policy for all students who have officially enrolled at the University. The University Policy should therefore not be confused with R2T4 calculations and refunds.

The amount of Title IV funds due for return as a result of a withdrawal is calculated independently of the tuition fee liability charged by the University. Therefore, the student may still owe funds to the University to cover unpaid institutional charges, or may indeed be entitled to a refund in accordance with regulations found here (but only after any Title IV funds owed have been returned to the U.S. Department of Education, if applicable). The University may also attempt to collect from the students any Title IV funding that the University of Stirling is required to return to the U.S. Department of Education.

US Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA)

US veterans or their dependents can use the funding to contribute towards tuition fees and living expenses for degree-level study. Unless your programme is listed below, we will need to apply for programme approval from the VA. There is currently a backlog of programme approval requests and it can take up to 4 months to receive a response. Without programme approval, you will not be able to use your benefits at the University of Stirling. Applicants should think carefully about whether they wish to start their programme without their benefits in place and with no guarantee that the programme will be approved by the VA.

Please contact fedloans@stir.ac.uk with a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) letter to start the process. The University of Stirling VA-facility code is 1-1-0010-74

VA-approved degree programmes:

Aquaculture (BSc Hons)
Artificial Intelligence (MSc)
Biology (BSc Hons)
Business Analytics (MSc)
Business and Management (MSc, PhD)
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (BSc)
Education (MSc)
English Studies (BA)
Environmental Management (MSc)
Historical Research (MPhil, MRes)
History (BA Hons, PhD)
Human Animal Interaction (MA)
Human Rights and Diplomacy (MSc / LLM)
Law (LLB Accelerated)
Nursing - Adult (BSc)
Professional Health Studies (PhD)
Psychology with International Year Two (BSc Hons)
Psychology (BSc Hons, MSc, PhD)
Psychology of Sport (MSc)
Publishing Studies (MLitt)
Social Statistics and Social Research (MSc)
Sport Business Management (BA)
Sport and Exercise Science (BSc)
Strategic Public Relations and Communications Management (MSc)
TESOL (MSc)

Tuition fee payments

The VA does not allow the University of Stirling to invoice them directly for tuition fees. Instead, tuition fees are invoiced to the student and any payments received from the VA are converted to British Pounds at the prevailing exchange rate before being credited to the student's tuition fee account to reduce the outstanding balance. There is a maximum dollar amount payable by the VA for tuition fees in an academic year at a foreign school (in 2026/7 this is $30,908 USD). In all cases where there is a shortfall it is the student's responsibility to make payment themselves or arrange alternative funding.

Private loans

If your programme of study is not eligible for US Federal Student Loans, you may wish to consider private (credit-based) student loans to help cover your university expenses. Even if your programme of study is eligible for Federal Loans, you still have the option of borrowing from a private lender. However, it is important to carefully compare the terms and conditions (including interest rates, fees, and repayment terms) before making a decision.

Private loans are credit-based, and applications must be submitted directly to the lender by you and/or your family. Each lender sets its own credit and eligibility criteria, which must be met for approval.

Eligible students can apply for private education loans with either Sallie Mae or Earnest. To apply for a Sallie Mae Loan, you must apply online at the Sallie Mae website and then the loan provider will contact our team to confirm. To apply for an Earnest Loan, you must apply online at the Earnest website then the loan provider will contact our team to confirm.

This is not a recommendation of a particular lender, and students may be able to find alternative sources within their home state. It is the student's responsibility to carefully research the terms and conditions (including repayment obligations, interest rates, deferral options etc) and consider personal financial implications before proceeding.