Continuing Students
This page provides information for continuing students applying for US federal student aid at London Metropolitan University, including transitional (“grandfathered”) borrowing arrangements introduced following federal regulatory changes effective from 1 July 2026.
Students should also review the main US Federal Student Aid page and the Loan Amounts and Types page before renewing federal aid.
Continuing Applications
Continuing students must normally:
complete a new free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each academic year
- continue to meet federal student aid eligibility requirements
- maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- submit any additional documentation requested by the University
Students are encouraged to complete all renewal requirements as early as possible to avoid delays in loan processing or disbursement.
Transitional ("Grandfathered") Borrowing Arrangements
US federal student aid regulations changed from 1 July 2026 following amendments to Title IV funding legislation. Some continuing students may qualify for transitional (“grandfathered”) borrowing protections under federal regulations.
Students who:
- borrowed Graduate PLUS loans before 1 July 2026
- remain continuously enrolled
- continue on the same eligible academic programme
may remain eligible for certain borrowing arrangements that are no longer available to new borrowers.
Grandfathered eligiblity reamins subject to:
- continued federal regulatory guidance
- ongoing institutional eligibility
- satisfactory academic progress requirements
- continuous enrolment
Loss of Grandfathered eligibility
Students may lose grandfathered eligibility if they:
- withdraw from their programme
- interrupt their studies
- fail to maintain continuous enrolment
- transfer to a different programme
- begin a new degree programme
Students who lose grandfathered status may instead be treated as new borrowers under post-2026 federal regulations.
Students progressing to a new programme
Students progressing from undergraduate study to a new postgraduate programme after 1 July 2026 will generally be treated as new borrowers under federal regulations, even if they previously received federal aid during undergraduate study.
New postgraduate borrowers are generally not eligible for Graduate PLUS Loans.
Existing Federal loans
Continuing students should review their:
- federal borrowing history
- remaining aggregate borrowing eligibility
- academic progression
- expected living cost and tuition fees
before accepting additional federal loans. Previous borrowing may reduce remaining eligibility under federal aggregate lifetime borrowing limits.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Students receiving federal aid must continue to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
SAP requirements include:
- meeting academic performance standards
- successfully completing sufficient credits
- progressing toward programme completion within the permitted timeframe
Failure to maintain SAP may result in the loss of federal aid eligibility.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
London Metropolitan University calculates a Cost of Attendance (COA) for students receiving federal aid. The COA is an estimate of educational expenses and living costs while studying in London. Federal annual and aggregate borrowing limits may restrict the amount a student is eligible to borrow regardless of their approved COA. Students may therefore require additional personal funding during their studies.
An example COA can be found below:
Please review the COA table below to see a general example of the COA for a UG and PG student studying at London Met. This will help you explore the funds that you will need to cover the costs of tuition and other related expenses according to your study level and the designated loan amounts. The COA is calculated according to expected costs for a US national studying in the UK.
These are not the exact amounts but are an average for first year UG and first year PG students. The university is required to issue a standard cost of attendance to all students on the same programme of study. However, each COA will be assessed on a case by case basis, any costs above the cost of attendance will be considered using professional judgement – alongside documentary evidence if required.
The exchange rate used is fixed every year for the creation of this budget, it does not reflect the rate that will be used when funds are received.
The budget covers NINE MONTHS for a UG student.
| Allowable Costs | Amount in Sterling (£) | Amount in Dollars ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | £14,500 | $19,720 |
| Fees | £0 | $0 |
| Housing | £10,800 | $14,688 |
| Food | £2,728 | $3,710 |
| Miscellaneous, Books and Supplies | £4,461 | $6,067 |
| Average Loan Fees | £1,100 | $1,496 |
| Transportation | £3,468 | $4,716 |
| Total | £37,057 | $50,398 |
Example exchange rate used: 1.36
The budget covers TWELVE MONTHS PG student
| Allowable Costs | Amount in Sterling (£) | Amount in Dollars ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | £15,500 | $21,080 |
| Fees | £0 | $0 |
| Housing | £15,600 | $21,216 |
| Food | £3,673 | $4,995 |
| Miscellaneous, Books and Supplies | £5,096 | $6,931 |
| Average Loan Fees | £1,100 | $1,496 |
| Transportation | £4,238 | $5,764 |
| Total | £45,207 |
$61,482 |
Example exchange rate used: 1.36
Notes about items above:
The COA is calculated in GBP and then converted to USD using an exchange rate based slightly above the average high for the previous twelve months. Room and Board cover food and housing for the period of study only. Miscellaneous covers other general costs associated with a student at the university including books/supplies, NHS fees and other money that the typical student needs to assist with their general living costs such as clothing and social activities. For first year students this includes the cost of a laptop, the cost of return flights for initial entry and exit to/from the UK and the visa cost. Loan fees are based on typical borrowing averages for US students. Transportation includes two round trip flights to your home country and transportation in the UK during the period of enrolment.
If you believe that your cost of attending will be higher due to reasonable additional costs (because of specialist equipment needed to support a disability, for example) please email us at usfinancialaid@londonmet.ac.uk, providing as much information as possible about these additional costs, these can be looked at on a case-by-case basis. If you believe that your cost of attendance should be lower, (due to staying with a relative and paying zero rent, for example) please email us at usfinancialaid@londonmet.ac.uk providing evidence to support this, these can be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
Loan Disbursement
Federal loan funds are normally disbursed in instalments during the academic year, one per term, (two disbursements for UG students and three disbursements for PG students). Tuition fees owed to the University will be deducted before any remaining balance is released to the student for approved living costs.
For students on a standard, September start, academic year, the earliest disbursement dates will be as follows:
| Disbursement 1 | Disbursement 2 | Disbursement 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate students | 6 October 2026 | 9 February 2027 | N/A |
| Postgraduate students | 6 October 2026 | 9 February 2027 | 8 June 2027 |
From each disbursement (after it has been exchanged into £ GBP) we will deduct an amount towards tuition and any other charges incurred, and the remainder will be forwarded to you. You will need to open a UK bank account to avoid having to pay two foreign exchange charges. Find out more about opening a UK bank account here.
You will receive an email notification approximately 14 days prior to each disbursement, in line with Federal regulations concerning your right to cancel. Once the disbursement has been made and we have deducted your fees, you will receive a confirmation of any refund that will be deposited into your bank account along with a receipt. This communication will be sent via our finance team.
Please note that it can take up to 14 days after the disbursement date for you to receive your refund. For example, for a disbursement date of 6 October any refund will be paid to you by 20 October.
We work with a Foreign Exchange Provider to secure a competitive exchange rate for each disbursement linked to the market rate at the time. Therefore each disbursement will be for a different amount in £ GBP.
Important information for continuing students
Continuing students are encouraged to:
- complete FAFSA renewals early
- monitor remaining federal borrowing eligibility
- review repayment obligations carefully
- notify the University of any programme changes or interruptions to study
- seek independent financial advice before accepting additional loans
Further information
For information regarding:
- loan types and borrowing limits, please refer to the Loan Amounts and Types page
- application procedures, please refer to the Application Process page
- general eligibility and federal policy updates, please refer to the main US Federal Student Aid page
