<p>Hi, does anyone know if there is statistics that I can look at to determine approximate coverage for my chosen schools: they are public and are located in Australia and the UK. I received offer letters but cannot get ahold of any information up until this moment from their fin. aid offices to see how much funds I've been offered. Both universities have approximately same tuition amounts requirements of ~US$30K/year: the first one is the Australian National University and the second one is the University of Edinburgh. I will be getting graduate degree. My EFC is 04615. Where can I obtain statistics on how much coverage from the Dept of Education I can count on for these 2 universities? Does the coverage rate depend on whether the university is international or not?
Thank you for participating in the discussion.</p>
<p>First, you need to check to see if your schools have a federal school code. (Select Foreign Country as “state” during the look-up.)</p>
<p><a href=“https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/schoolSearch?locale=en_EN[/url]”>https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/schoolSearch?locale=en_EN</a></p>
<p>If the schools have a code, then you are eligible to receive federal student loans. Only unsubsidized loan are available for grad students. Grad students are not eligible for any kind of federal grant aid. (Like Pell grants)</p>
<p>The current limits on stafford loans for grad students are here:</p>
<p>[Student</a> Aid on the Web](<a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/studentloans.jsp]Student”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/studentloans.jsp)</p>
<p>(Ignore that it says unsub loans are available. They won’t be after June 1, 2012.)</p>
<p>$20,500/year is the annual loan limit for grad students. (With an aggregate total of loan [undergrad and grad] not to exceed $138,000.)</p>
<p>Not sure if you’d be eligible to receive grad plus loans at attend an international institution.</p>
<p>Yes, grad plus loans should be available, too. We know several people in the UK and they seem to be able to borrow around $45k or so. However, you really don’t want to be borrowing that much for a grad degree.</p>
<p>Are you getting a masters or PhD? Unlike the US, in the UK, PhDs & masters are not funded by the school. You can get funding from a research council, that is what most UK students have (plus they have a much cheaper tuition), but the councils who will offer to Americans are few & far between. Check with the department at each university and ask if they have any experience with funding opportunities for Americans. You should have the goal of only borrowing for the first year as it is much more difficult to qualify for the funding opportunities from abroad, but, depending on your field, you ought to be able to obtain funding thereafter. </p>
<p>Another important saving opportunity is living expenses, be sure to check each school to see if you can be a dorm warden (similar to an RA here) which could cover room & at leas some portion of meals too.</p>
<p>With the exchange rate, living in the UK is very expensive, plan wisely.</p>
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<p>Grad school financial aid is VERY different from undergrad financial aid. For grad students here in the U.S., there are NO federally funded entitlement grants (like the Pell) for grad students. The VAST majority of scholarship/grant money is awarded by the schools based on the strength of your application. This could be scholarships/grants, assistantships, fellowships, loans…and in some cases work study (I don’t think you can get work study funds awarded outside of the country). </p>
<p>Somemom is correct…you need to find out if YOUR schools have any information about funding for students from the U.S.</p>
<p>So completing the FAFSA as a grad student will get you an unsubsidized stafford loan (as noted above)…IF your school in a foreign country has a FAFSA code.</p>
<p>Thank you WayOutWestMom! Yes, the institutions have codes, so I’m good here. What do you mean by unsub loans won’t be available after June 1, 2012? I didn’t see it on the page under the provided link. From what I can see, I need to apply for the PLUS loan separately, it doesn’t go together with FAFSA (I thought it was). I’ll look into it. Hopefully, the university is going to throw work-and-study into the bundle.</p>
<p>As part of the debt deal this past fall, all subsidized loans for grad and professional students were eliminated, effective July 1, 2012.</p>
<p>Read about it here:</p>
<p>[Debt</a> ceiling deal to hit grad students hard - Aug. 1, 2011](<a href=“http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/01/news/economy/debt_ceiling_students/index.htm]Debt”>Debt ceiling deal to hit grad students hard - Aug. 1, 2011)</p>
<p>Thank you Somemom and Thumper1! You’ve been very helpful and kind with precautionary advises.
I will certainly look into a dorm warden. I didn’t even know there was such thing even here in the US. I will do a master’s with a possibility to continue with PhD depending on whether I’m going to get funded or not. I will start looking into research council right away. The Australian National offers no assistance to American students. It’s better with the University of Edinburgh. I’m leaning towards it. If you happen to think of anything else that might be useful, please post it. I’d greatly appreciate it.</p>
<p>OMG, you are totally right. I completely forgot about it. Thanks!</p>