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U.S. Student Funding

U.S. Student Funding

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U.S. Student Funding

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Discover everything you need to know about U.S. Student Aid

Explore step-by-step guides, key deadlines, and essential tips to help you stay on track and make the most of your student journey.

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U.S. Direct Lending Programs

  • Western participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
  • American students may apply for Stafford loans; parents of dependent undergraduate students may apply for PLUS loans
  • In addition to the Stafford loans, graduate and students in professional programs may apply for Grad PLUS loans
  • Students attending a school outside of the US are not eligible for grants offered through the Direct Loans program
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Private Lenders

There are a very limited number of lenders that will provide private loans to students while attending a school outside of the US. Western University is not affiliated with any of these lenders and we strongly encourage you to research the interest rates, terms of repayment etc. All accessible lenders that we are aware of are:
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International Student Aid

Western offers financial assistance to international students through scholarships, bursaries, work opportunities and emergency loans.

U.S. Government Direct Lending Program

Student eligibility:
  • U.S. Citizens & Permanent residents of the United States enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program with a course load that is considered to be at least paet-time by Western University standards
  • Students must have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to continue their annual eligibility for U.S. Loans
  • Students cannot be enrolled in any course that is delivered online or through distance education while studying at Western
    • If you are registered in even one course that is an online or distance studies course, you will NOT be eligible for Direct loan funding for the entire study period
    • All of the courses you are registered in at Western musy be in-person
    • We strongly encourage all students to carefully choose their courses to ensure their enrollment meets the United States Department of Education legislation
  • Students must be registered in main campus courses to be eligible for Direct loan funding.
    • Students registered in any course offered by our affiliated University colleges’ (King’s and Huron) will not be eligible to receive Direct loan funding for the entire study period.
  • If you are participating in a formal exchange program through Western University, the following criteria must be met for funding consideration:
    • you must be paying tuition to Western
    • the school you are attending can't be located in the United States
    • the school must participate in the Direct lending program
  • If you have been approved by your Faculty to take courses through a Letter of Permission and you are concurrently taking courses at Western, the following criteria must be met for funding consideration:
    • the school you are attending can't be located in the United States
    • the school must participate in the Direct lending program
  • Dual citizens who have the ability to apply to Title IV funding or OSAP/Other government aid may only access one program at a time. Students are not permitted to have Title IV and OSAP or other government aid in the same academic year

The following programs/affiliates are not eligible for US Department of Education funding:

  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Western Continuing Studies
  • Kings University College
  • Huron University College

Parent PLUS loan eligibility:

  • To apply for and receive Parent Plus funding under the Direct Loan program, you must be the student’s biological or adoptive parent
  • The student must be a dependent of the parent applying
  • “Dependent” means the individual is under 24 years of age, unmarried with no legal dependents at the time you apply
  • In order to receive a parent PLUS loan the student must complete the FAFSA
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