US Federal Direct Loans are provided by the US Department of Education to help eligible US students fund the cost of higher education. These loans can be used towards education-related costs such as tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses.
Hartpury University can certify:
- Direct Subsidised Loans
- Direct Unsubsidised Loans
To be eligible for US Federal Direct Loans, you must:
- Be a US citizen or eligible national
- Be studying an eligible, degree-bearing programme
- Meet eligibility criteria set by the US Department of Education
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Eligibility rules are set by the US Government and may change.
Before applying, we recommend checking the most up-to-date eligibility requirements on the Federal Student Aid website.
Direct Subsidised Loans
Who can apply: Undergraduate students only
Based on: Financial need
With a Subsidised Loan:
- The US Government pays the interest while you are studying
- Interest is also covered during approved deferment periods
- Interest is covered during the six-month grace period after you leave university
This means your loan does not accrue interest while you are enrolled.
Direct Unsubsidised Loans
Who can apply: Undergraduate and postgraduate students
Based on: Not financial need
With an Unsubsidised Loan:
- Interest begins accruing from the date the loan is paid
- You may pay the interest while studying, or
- Allow the interest to accrue and be added to your loan balance
The amount you can borrow through US Federal Direct Loans depends on whether you are classed as a dependent or independent student. Your answers to personal questions on the FAFSA determine your status.
Before applying, we recommend checking the most up-to-date definition on the Federal Student Aid website to confirm how you are classified.
Independent student status
If you are classed as an independent student, you will only report your own financial information when completing the FAFSA (and your spouse’s details if you are married).
For federal aid purposes, you are considered an independent student if one or more of the following apply:
- You are 24 years old or older by 31 December of the award year
- You were an orphan, a ward of the court, or a dependent of the court after turning 13
- You are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces
- You will be studying on a master’s or doctoral programme at the start of the award year
- You are married on the date you submit the FAFSA
- You have at least one child who receives more than half of their financial support from you
- You support a dependent (other than a spouse or child) who lives with you and receives more than half of their support from you through 30 June of the award year
- You are currently serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces for purposes other than training
- You are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Please note: Postgraduate students are typically classed as independent students for federal aid purposes, allowing access to unsubsidised loans but not subsidised loans.
Dependent student status
If you are classed as a dependent student, you will need to provide both your own information and your parents’ financial details when completing the FAFSA.
Being classed as dependent does not mean your parents are required to contribute financially. This status is used solely to calculate your maximum eligibility for federal student aid.
You are considered a dependent student if you do not meet the criteria above for an independent student, unless a financial aid administrator determines that special circumstances apply and approves a dependency override.
Please note: Your final loan amount is also limited by your Cost of Attendance (CoA), which is explained further in this guide. US Federal regulations do not allow your total loans and other financial aid to exceed this amount.
Dependent Student
| Total | Subsidized | Unsubsidized | |
| Year 1 | $5,500.00 | $3,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Year 2 | $6,500.00 | $4,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Year 3 | $7,500.00 | $5,500.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Total | $31,000.00 | $23,000.00 | $8,000.00 |
Independent Student
| Total | Subsidized | Unsubsidized | |
| Year 1 | $9,500.00 | $3,500.00 | $6,000.00 |
| Year 2 | $10,500.00 | $4,500.00 | $6,000.00 |
| Year 3 | $12,500.00 | $5,500.00 | $7,000.00 |
| Total | $57,500.00 | $23,000.00 | $34,500.00 |
Postgraduate students: Postgraduate students can borrow $20,500 per year in a Direct Unsubsidized loan.
If you need to borrow more than the amount available through US Federal Direct Loans, you may be able to apply for a PLUS Loan (undergraduate students).
PLUS Loans are additional US Federal Loans that can be used to help cover remaining eligible costs, up to your Cost of Attendance (CoA). They have extra eligibility requirements and are subject to a credit check.
Parent PLUS Loans offered to undergraduate students will have an annual academic year limit of $20,000, and an aggregate (lifetime) limit of $65,000 from 1 July 2026 onwards.
Postgraduate students may want to consider a Private Loan for additional funding.
Parent PLUS Loans are available to the parents of dependent undergraduate students. The parent is the borrower, and the loan is taken out in the parent’s name.
Parent PLUS Loans may be used to help cover the additional eligible costs. Parent PLUS Loans offered to undergraduate students will have an annual academic year limit of $20,000, and an aggregate (lifetime) limit of $65,000 from 1 July 2026 onwards.
Please note:
- Parent borrowers may be expected to begin repayment once the loan is fully disbursed
- Parents may request a deferment while the student is enrolled at least half-time and for six months after the student completes or leaves their course
In addition to meeting standard Federal Student Aid requirements, Parent PLUS Loans also require:
- A credit check (for the parent borrower), and
- Completion of the Parent PLUS loan request steps on studentaid.gov
Parent PLUS Loan Eligibility
To be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan for parents, you must be a biological or adoptive parent (or in some cases a stepparent), not have an adverse credit history, and meet the general eligibility requirements for federal student aid (which the child must meet as well).
Before applying, we recommend checking the most up-to-date eligibility requirements on the Federal Student Aid website:
Your Cost of Attendance (CoA) will be issued in USD ($) and will include an exchange rate shown for reference.
The actual amount you receive in GBP (£) will depend on the exchange rate applied on the date the loan funds are disbursed.
Please note:
- Exchange rates may fluctuate between the time your CoA is issued and when funds are released
- Hartpury University has no control over the exchange rate used at disbursement
- The GBP amount received may therefore differ slightly from the estimated GBP value shown on your CoA
Your Cost of Attendance may include travel costs; however Hartpury University is not permitted to release loan funds before the start of the academic year. For this reason, you should not rely on your first loan disbursement to cover travel to the UK or other upfront costs.
Loan funds are normally released after enrolment, with the first disbursement typically taking place in October, followed by further disbursements across the academic year in line with term start dates.
We recommend ensuring you have sufficient personal funds available to cover initial living expenses at the start of the academic year.
As part of the US Federal Direct Loan process, the US Department of Education requires all borrowers to complete two key steps: Entrance Counselling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN).
You don’t need to complete these until after your FAFSA, but it’s helpful to understand what they are before starting your application.
Entrance Counselling
Entrance Counselling is an online session that explains:
- How US Federal Student Loans work
- Your rights and responsibilities as a borrower
- How interest and repayment operate
- What happens after you finish or leave your course
If you are a first-time borrower, Entrance Counselling must be completed before your loan can be paid.
Students on one-year or final-year programmes will also be required to complete Exit Counselling, which focuses on repayment after study.
Master Promissory Note (MPN)
The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legal agreement between you and the US Department of Education. By completing it, you agree to:
- The terms and conditions of your loan
- Repay the loan amount borrowed, plus any interest
- Meet your responsibilities as a federal loan borrower
Because Hartpury University is a foreign institution, students are usually required to complete a new MPN for each academic year.
Please note that you must complete and submit an additional MPN for a Parent PLUS or Graduate PLUS loan if you are also applying for a FAFSA. In this instance, two MPN's will be required.
Full instructions and links for completing both steps are provided in the Ready to apply section below.
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