Eligibility
Enrollment Status
You MUST be enrolled and continue to be enrolled at least half-time UCD to remain eligible for US Federal loans.
The Federal ‘Direct Lending’ loan programme is available to US citizens and eligible non-citizens who are enrolled at least half-time, making satisfactory academic progress and are not in default on a previous loan or exceeding federal loan limits.
Eligible Programmes
- Degree (Undergraduate or Postgraduate)
- Masters
- PhD
Non-Eligible Programmes:
- Nursing
- Graduate Diploma Programmes
- Distance Learning and Blended Programmes*
- Programmes which require more than 25% at a partner in the United States or at a non-eligible non-U.S. university
- Programmes which include internships greater than 25% of the programme length or credit load.
*Current US Legislation does not permit non-US universities to certify US Federal Student Loans for programmes where any part of the teaching and learning is delivered through "distance learning". This includes any form of online classes, even in blended programmes where face-to-face teaching is combined with online teaching.
Eligible students at UCD can apply for the following Federal Aid loans:
- Direct Loans (Subsidised and Unsubsidised)
- Direct Plus Loans (Parent Plus and Graduate Plus)
Satisfactory Academic Progress
UCD is required by USDE Regulations to ensure that all students receiving Federal aid (subsidized, unsubsidized and Plus loans) are making satisfactory academic progress (SAP). If you fail to meet SAP you will become ineligible for US Direct Loans.
UCD students studying abroad or on exchange at a US institution or another foreign institution not eligible to receive Title IV aid will not be eligible to receive loans while at that institution. An exception will be made for PhD students conducting research at a US institution where that research cannot be conducted in UCD.
Students convicted of violating any federal or state drug possession or sale law will become ineligible for Federal Title IV financial aid.