Direct loans

This page provides information for applying for a direct loan from the US Department of Education. You must notify us each academic year of your intentions as your application will not automatically be processed for subsequent years of study.

How to Apply

Step 1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to gather information about your and your family's financial situation and is used to determine if you and/or your family can pay for your education. This is used to determine whether you have a financial need.

  • Complete the FAFSA form online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
  • The University of Liverpool's US Department of Education Federal University / School code
    • Federal School Code: G09249
    • OPE-ID: 009249-00

After completing your FAFSA form, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This document lists the information you and your family have provided and tells you what your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is for the year you are applying.

You can check the status of your form immediately by logging into www.fafsa.ed.gov using your FSA ID username and password.

Step 2. Email us at usloans@liverpool.ac.uk

The University does not receive any electronic notification that you have applied for Federal Aid/Completed your FAFSA. Therefore, we need you to advise us so we can calculate your Cost of Attendance and advise you on the amount of loan you are eligible for.

Step 3. Cost of Attendance (CoA)

From May onwards US Loans will issue you with the Cost of Attendance calculator which provides you with a guide to your loan eligibility and the maximum amounts you may be able to borrow. You cannot exceed the maximum permitted Cost of Attendance.

Step 4. Return signed Award Notification Letter

You need to sign and agree or amend the Award Notification Letter to allow us to originate your Loans.

Step 5. Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Once you know how much you want to borrow you need to complete the relevant MPN:

Direct Stafford loan

Direct PLUS loan (parent or graduate)

  • Visit the Federal Student Aid website
  • Complete the initial credit check
  • Take a screenshot as proof it has been accepted
  • Sign a Master Promissory Note
  • Save your eMPN as a PDF file.

Please note as a Foreign School we require you to complete a new MPN for each year of your studies to continue to receive Federal Aid.

Step 6. Complete Entrance counselling

New students

Federal law requires all new students to complete entrance counselling at the appropriate grade level (Undergraduate or Postgraduate) for the appropriate loans (Direct Stafford loan, and/or Direct PLUS loan) prior to any loan origination. Loan counselling will inform you of your rights and obligations. If you do not complete entrance counselling we will not be able to originate your loan(s).

To complete the entrance counselling visit 

Continuing students

If you are continuing into a further year of study on the same programme at the University then you do not need to complete entrance counselling again.

Step 7. Return forms to US Loans

Once you have completed the steps above then you must provide us, by email, the following documents:

  • Copy of Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note
  • Copy of Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (if applicable);
  • Copy of accepted credit check confirmation (PLUS loan applicants only)
  • Copy of direct loan entrance counselling confirmation (first-year first-time borrowers only)
  • Copy of offer letter from the University (new students only).

Please email your completed application pack to usloans@liverpool.ac.uk and enter the subject line as:

  • US Loan for Award Year YYYY-YY (Surname, Forename) 
    eg US Loan for Award Year 2024-25 (Smith, John).

What next?

After you have submitted your notification to the University, we will verify the information you have provided. Your tuition fees can be confirmed by the Student Fees and Funding Office or should be on your offer letter.

If any information is incomplete or incorrect then this will almost certainly delay the origination of your loans.

You will be notified of any adjustments to your loan eligibility and the amounts which will be originated by the University.

Once the University is satisfied with your eligibility and loan entitlement your loans will be originated. Please note this will not be until July prior to the start of the Academic Year.

Information about how, and when, funds arrive is available on the receiving funds page.

The University is required to supply the details of any loans originated for eligible students, and the details of the enrolment of those students, to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

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