Earnest Private Loan

UEA is partnered with Earnest so that our US students can access Earnest Student Loans.

Earnest Student Loans are available to US students to fund study at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. You could also use an Earnest Loan to fund study on a course that is not eligible for Title IV funding. Applicants should note the following:

• You may require a co-signer

• Loans are based upon credit history

• Interest rates may vary

Loans offered under the Title IV Direct Loans program can offer more favourable terms than private loans. We recommend that you review and compare your options across federal and private loan programs, paying close attention to interest rates, repayment requirements, and general terms and conditions, before making loan application(s).

If you wish to know what loan funds you would be eligible for across both federal and private loan options, you will need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information on completing a FAFSA, please visit How To Apply for US Federal Student Aid.

Applying for an Earnest Loans

You do not need to complete a FAFSA as part of the Earnest application process. You can simply apply online via the Earnest website. Once your application is complete, Earnest will notify UEA that your application is ready for our review.

Providing that you have a course offer from UEA and a completed Earnest application, we will be able to send you an Offer of Funds. UEA may only certify a loan amount for you that is within your Cost of Attendance (COA). This will be set out in your Offer of Funds.

Please allow us 10 working days to provide you with an Offer of Funds. If you have not heard from us within this time, please email usfinaid@uea.ac.uk for assistance.

If we receive your application and are unable to proceed with an Offer of Funds, we will contact you with further information.

Once we have agreed the amount of loan you wish to receive, UEA will be able to certify your loan with Earnest. We will send you email confirmation of the disbursement dates and amounts for the academic year. Earnest will also send you confirmation of your loan.

Please note: you should not apply for an Earnest Student Loan more than 180 days before the first disbursement date. For students starting new courses in September, we recommend submitting your Earnest application from the May immediately before. Loan applications submitted too early will become invalid.

Receiving Your Loan

UEA will confirm your loan disbursement dates and amounts in the email confirmation we send to you when your loan is certified. Earnest will release your loan funds on these dates, which are generally in October and February.

UEA is partnered with Convera for processing your Earnest loan disbursement. Your loan funds will be provided to you by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for which you must have a UK bank account. Your first disbursement can only be processed once you have completed registration (on campus) at UEA. For Convera to process the disbursement, you will be asked to securely share your bank account information.