Disbursements
The University disburses Direct Loans across two instalments, in accordance with our Academic Calendar and US regulations. In each academic year disbursement dates generally fall in October and January for Undergraduate students, and in October and April for Postgraduate students.
All disbursements are subject to the following conditions:
- You are making satisfactory academic progress;
- You are enrolled at least half time or more;
- You are not studying any part of your course in the US, or no more than 25% of an approved placement/internship in the US;
- You have not violated any federal compliance regulations (such as repayment default, fraud, drug offences).
2023/24 Disbursement Dates
| Your level of study | Cut-off to cancel/amend your disbursement payment | US Department of Education COD system Disbursement Date | Latest date to expect the money in your bank account (within 10 working days of disbursement date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate & Postgraduate | 27 September 2023 | 11 October 2023 | 25 October 2023 |
| Undergraduate | 3 January 2024 | 17 January 2024 | 31 January 2024 |
| Postgraduate | 10 April 2024 | 24 April 2024 | 08 May 2024 |
Paying Tuition Fees
Before you start your course, you will be asked to complete the Online Registration Task. Part of this task asks you to identify your preferred method of payment for your tuition fees. We recommend that you select the method which allows payment across two instalments as the Finance Office can then arrange fee instalments in line with your Federal Student Aid disbursements.
Receiving loans
Please be aware that the actual disbursement date is when the University receives the funds from the US Department of Education and applies them to your student record. The University will process the payment, deducting any tuition fees and University accommodation fees due for that period, where applicable, and transfer the remainder to your nominated bank account in GBP (£) within 10 working days.
During the disbursement process, your net Federal Student Aid received will be converted from USD ($) to GBP (£) through a currency conversion on the day of processing. Therefore, the actual amount the University receives for each disbursement will vary, as it will be dependent on the exchange rate on that date.
For Federal Student Aid payments to be processed as efficiently as possible, we recommend that you open a UK bank account. For further information, please see the Student Service’s guide on opening a UK bank account. Please ensure you email the Finance Office with your nominated bank account details before your first disbursement date (we will provide you with details of how to do this). If you are using an overseas bank account, please make sure your bank accepts foreign transfers and be aware that you could receive less money than you expect due to the variations in exchange rates and the timing of another currency conversion.
Exit Counselling
Federal Student Aid guidelines state that you must complete exit counselling before your final disbursement or when you stop studying above half time.
However, as a UEA student receiving Federal Student Aid, we require you to complete exit counselling annually, this is to:
-
help you understand your rights, responsibilities and obligations associated with a federal loan
-
prepare you for the repayment of your federal loan
Completing exit counselling annually will not start repayment of your loan.