Loans US financial aid

Full-time applicants with US citizenship can apply for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program to help cover the cost of tuition and maintenance for eligible undergraduate or postgraduate courses. Direct loans are disbursed in multiple equal amounts and are sent directly to the University after enrolment and placed in your student account as stipulated by federal law. The amount you can borrow depends on several factors, including your level of study and any previous direct loans.

Information about direct loans and repayment

Direct loans are low interest loans for US citizens and their parents to help pay for the cost of a student's education after high school. The lender is the US Department of Education rather than a bank or other financial institution. The direct loan borrower benefits from protected interest rates, deferment and cancellation provision, income based and income contingent repayment plans, a public service forgiveness programme and consolidated interest on prior loans.

How to apply

Initial applications for US Financial Aid are made through the US Department of Education. However, London Metropolitan University is responsible for administering and disbursing loans. It is therefore important that you read the information on these pages about current loan amounts, eligibility requirements, application procedures and deadlines. Please read all the relevant sections, including the recommended external information references, follow the procedures given and adhere to the deadlines. You can email usfinancialaid@londonmet.ac.uk if you have any questions.

Deposit payment

If you are a student in need of a Tier 4 student visa you may be required to pay a deposit prior to the disbursement of your loan in order to secure a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS), which is needed to obtain your visa.

Deadlines

We will try to make the loan application process as easy as possible, but we will not be able to take shortcuts or fast-track any applications. The steps for applying for financial aid and the procedures outlined on this site are set out in accordance with US federal regulations. The LMU US Financial Aid Office will start processing FAFSA applications for September 2025 from 28 April to 17 August 2025 – we will deal with applications in the order we receive them. 

You must have been offered a place on a course by London Met AND accepted that place before we will process your application for Federal Student Aid. We recommend that you submit your application to us no later than 1 August 2025 in order to enable us to process your application in time for you to apply for a visa.

If you are a continuing student we will process your FAFSA at a later time as we have to give priority to new applicants who are applying for a student visa for the first time.

Important notes

The definitive source of information for all matters relating to the direct loan programme is the US Department of Education and your loan servicer. The information on this website and the links to external sources are updated annually and every effort is made to ensure that they are revised periodically.

The direct loan program is regulated by US federal regulations that are enforced by the US Department of Education. London Met is responsible for the implementation of these regulations.

Pell grants are not available for students that study outside of the United States.

Eligible courses

Not all London Met courses are eligible for direct loans. The following are excluded:

• BA Product and Furniture Design
• BA Product and Furniture Design (including foundation year)
• BSc Architectural Technology
• BSc Architectural Technology (including foundation year)
• BSc Building Surveying
• BSc Building Surveying (including foundation year)
• BSc Construction Management
• BSc Construction Management (including foundation year)
• BSc Physiotherapy
• BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management
• BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management (including foundation year)
• BSc Real Estate
• BSc Real Estate (including foundation year)
• BSc Architectural Technology
• BSc Chemistry
• BSc Construction Management
• BSc Nursing
• BSc Nursing (Mental Health)
• BSc Pharmaceutical Science
• BSc Pharmaceutical Science (including foundation year)
• BSc Pharmacology
• BSc Pharmacology (including foundation year)
• BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management
• BSc Real Estate
• BSc Social Work
• MA Education (Early Childhood Studies)
• MA Marketing Extended Master's
• MA Public Art and Performative Practices
• MBA Executive Master of Business Administration
• MSc Artificial Intelligence
• MSc Computer Networking and Cyber Security 
• MSc Computer Networking and Cyber Security with Work Experience 
• MSc Construction Project Management 
• MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy
• MSc Cryptography 
• MSc Cyber Security 
• MSc Data Analytics 
• MSc Quantity Surveying 
• MSc Social Work 
• MSc Youth Work (with JNC Recognition) 
• MSc Health and Social Care Leadership and Management 
• MSc Pharmaceutical Science and Drug Delivery Systems 
• MSc Project Management 
• MSc Real Estate 
• MSc Youth and Community Work (Advanced Practice) 
• MSci Pharmaceutical Science 
• MSci Pharmaceutical Science (4 Year variant) 
• PGCE courses 
• Prof Doctorate: Crime, Policy and Security

In addition:

• any course that does not lead to an undergraduate or postgraduate degree award e.g. certificate and diploma programmes
• any course that is not taught on a registered London Met campus by London Met staff
• some courses with professional designations
• any course with an element of study or research based in the United States or any other location oustide of the UK
• distance learning courses
• any course of study that includes a work placement, work experience or an internship carried out at a location that is not eligible to award federal aid in its own right
• study abroad programmes (students should apply for federal loans through their home university)