United States Financial Aid

Direct loans are available to all US citizens or permanent residents who have the following:

• A valid social security number
• A high school diploma or meet standards approved by the US Department of Education
• Be enrolled as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible programme
• Making Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Are not in default on any previous loans

Application Process:

• All students should familiarize themselves with the US Department of Education Student Financial Aid Resources, prior to applying.

• Please complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Information on how to fill out the FAFSA is also available on this page.

• The University of Chester’s school code is 041709. You will need to include this on the FAFSA in order for us to receive your report.

• Please Note: you will be required to complete a new FAFSA for each year of study at the University of Chester. It is your responsibility to complete the FAFSA, so please be mindful of this.

• Once you have completed the FAFSA, a Student Aid Report (SAR) is produced. The University will not receive any electronic notification that you have applied for financial aid, so please notify us of your application by emailing usloans@chester.ac.uk.

• Once we have received your SAR, we will determine your eligibility and calculate the amount of loans you are entitled to. You will receive notification electronically from usloans@chester.ac.uk.

• For students commencing September 2024, please note the earliest you will receive notification of your loan entitlement for the 2024/25 academic year is April 2024.

Your financial aid offer will include specific details on what loans we plan to disburse as well as the expected disbursement dates and amount. Please read your offer carefully and remember, you are responsible for paying back any amount that you borrow plus interest. You have a right to either decline the loan or request a lower amount if you believe your cost of attendance to be lower than our projections.

The amount you are allowed to borrow through direct loans will be determined by your estimated cost of attendance and the limits set by the US department of Education. Your loans will therefore likely be comprised of government funded direct loans and further ones.

Your cost of attendance is an estimate of how much it will cost you to study at the University of Chester for one academic year. The table below provides a breakdown of the essential costs for one academic year at the University of Chester, including tuition fees, after international discounts have been deducted. Please note these costs are estimates based on average annual expenditures of an undergraduate or postgraduate single student enrolled on a full-time course. If you believe your costs may be different based on your living arrangements or extraordinary circumstances, please adjust the below figures as necessary. You may be asked to provide written justification for your amendments.  With this justification we will make a decision, which is final.

Estimated Cost of Attendance, 2023/24.

Estimated Cost of Attendance 2023/24
Tuition Fees: Amount shown is before all guaranteed international scholarships have been deducted. Complete information available on our International Fees Page.	Undergraduate with Foundation Year (1st Year)	£9,750
	Undergraduate (New)	£13,450
	Undergraduate (Started in 2022/23)	£12,950
	Undergraduate (Started in 2021/22)	£12,750
	Alumni (UG to PGT only)	£8,750
	Postgraduate Taught	£14,250
	MBA	£14,500
	Postgraduate Research	£14,250
Accommodation: Based on £135 per week.  42 weeks for Undergraduate, 54 for Postgraduate Taught/MBA, 52 weeks for Postgraduate Research	Undergraduate	£5,670
	Postgraduate Taught/MBA	£7,290
	Postgraduate Research	£7,020
Food: Based on £65 per week. 42 weeks for Undergraduate,  54 for Postgraduate Taught, 52 weeks for Postgraduate Research	Undergraduate	£2,730
	Postgraduate Taught/MBA	£3,510
	Postgraduate Research	£3,380
Transportation: Including international flights		£3,000
Books and Photocopying		£500
Miscellaneous: Essential fees, household items, etc.		£4,250
Visa Application Fee*		£363
UKVI Immigration Health Surcharge*	Course Length 1 year	£705
	Course Length 2 years	£1,175
	Course Length 3 years	£1,645
	Course Length 4 years	£2,115

*These items are only factored into the Cost of Attendance for new students. Cost of Attendance for continuing students does not include these items.

We can also authorize a one-time payment of £500 towards a PC or Laptop, during the first year of study. Please inform us if you wish to include this in your cost of attendance.

Calculation of Loan Entitlement:

Please note the University of Chester uses the following exchange rate for all its calculations: £1.00 = $1.3 but is subject to change in summer 2023 if the rates have changed drastically.

 

To accept your financial aid offer, you will need to sign and return one copy of the letter to the University of Chester. It is acceptable for you to send this to us via e mail.

One of the conditions on your academic offer will be that you must pay the £5,000 deposit to secure your place with the university. If you are accepting your loans, and the total amount you are receiving exceeds the amount of the initial deposit (£5,000) you will be exempt from paying the depot to secure your place; your award letter and supporting documents are accepted in the deposit’s place.

In addition to the financial aid offer letter, we require the following supporting documents:

• Completing the Master Promissory Note: The MPN is a legal document which explains the terms and conditions of your loans and holds you accountable to repay all loans and any associated fees and interest to the Department of Education. Please complete your MPN at https://studentaid.gov/ 
• using your Federal Student Aid Pin, and email a scan or your signed copy to usloans@chester.ac.uk. We require a MPN for each type of loan you are using. Without a copy of your signed MPN, your loan will be rejected.

Please Note: Like completing the FAFSA, a new MPN is required for each year of your studies that you continue to receive Federal Student Aid. As the applicant you are responsible for ensuring a new MPN is sent to Chester each year.

• Entrance Counselling: All first time borrowers are required to complete online entrance counselling for all loans except Parent Direct PLUS loan borrowers. This process is mandatory and must be completed before Chester can originate your loan. Please visit https://studentaid.gov/ to complete this counselling. Once complete, please e mail us a screen shot confirming you have undertaken it.

• Evidence of credit check for PLUS loan: If you or your parent are taking out a Parent PLUS or Graduate PLUS loan, you will need to satisfy a credit check as part of the PLUS application process. A letter will be produced with your results, which we require a copy of. If you are not planning to take out a PLUS loan, you will not be expected to provide this information. We cannot accept an independent credit check; we can only accept one provided as part of the application process.

• Scholarship Award Letters:  The University of Chester awards automatic scholarships for International students, which will be factored into your COA. If you have been awarded any additional scholarships, such as rotary, local government scholarships, etc., please send us a copy of that award letter.

• Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment: This is recommended each year you accept a new federal student loan.

Please ensure you email these documents even if you are told you they have been sent to the school electronically. Please note we will not consider your aid as accepted until we have both the signed offer and all the required supporting documents. Once we have this information, we will consider you as committed to attending Chester and will begin the CAS request process, which subsequently allows you to apply for your Student Visa.

Additional Documentation:

• Exit Counselling: You will also be required to complete Exit Counselling shortly before you complete your studies. The Financial Aid Office will contact you with additional information. To learn more please visit https://studentaid.gov/

 

The majority of our international students require a Student Visa to study in the UK. You will be made familiar with this process through your application and acceptance to Chester. Initial information will be sent with your offer in our Offer Guide. Before you can apply for your visa you will need from us a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) an official document we issue with a reference number you include in your visa application. This lets the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) know that you are applying for a visa to study at Chester.

As stated above, we will not progress you to the CAS request stage until you have given us your signed financial aid offer and supporting documents, essentially fulfilling the deposit payment process.

Once you have your CAS, we will provide you with documentation confirming that you will be receiving federal loans to fund your studies. While the USA is classed a low-risk country by the UKVI, and therefore American students are not required to demonstrate maintenance funds as part of their Student Visa, we highly advise that you keep the documentation from us confirming your loans for your records in the unlikely event you are asked to submit evidence.

For Undergraduate Students: Your loan will be disbursed throughout the year in two instalments, roughly October and January. First year under-graduate students will wait 30 days from the first day of enrolment for their first disbursement.

For Post Graduate Taught and Research Students: Your loan will be disbursed throughout the year in two instalments, roughly October and April.

Detailed information will be included on your offer. Disbursements can only be made to students who have fully enrolled on their programme and are making satisfactory academic progress. You will be notified of your disbursement details via email one months before the actual disbursement date. We would also recommend all students plan to bring at least some money over with them to cover any costs before receiving their first disbursement or in the event we experience any delays with your disbursement.

University of Chester will disburse your loan using Convera.

You will receive an email to your University email account from Convera requesting your bank details. Please ensure you provide these well in advance of the disbursement date.

Once the funds are received half of the fees you owe the institution (tuition and accommodation if you are living in university owned housing) will be deducted. Any remaining balance will be deposited into your UK account within 3 working days of the disbursement date, as long as you have provided your bank details to Convera. 

Interest rates are fixed at the following for Direct loans disbursed on or after July 1st 2023 and prior to July 1st 2024:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized undergraduate: 5.50%
• Unsubsidized graduate: 7.05%
• PLUS: 8.05%

Interest rates are fixed at the following for Direct loans disbursed on or after July 1st 2022 and prior to July 1st 2023:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized undergraduate: 4.99%
• Unsubsidized graduate: 6.54%
• PLUS: 7.54%

Interest rates are fixed at the following for Direct loans disbursed on or after July 1st 2021 and prior to July 1st 2022:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized undergraduate: 3.73%
• Unsubsidized graduate: 5.28%
• PLUS: 6.28%

Interest rates are fixed at the following for Direct loans disbursed on or after July 1st 2020 and prior to July 1st 2021:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized undergraduate: 2.75%
• Unsubsidized graduate: 4.30%
• PLUS: 5.30%

Interest rates are fixed at the following for Direct loans disbursed on or after July 1st 2019 and prior to July 1st 2020:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized undergraduate: 4.53%
• Unsubsidized graduate: 6.08%
• PLUS: 7.08%

Furthermore, you will be subject to an origination fee.

Fees for loans disbursed on or after 1st October 2020 and before 1st October 2024 are:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford loans: 1.057%
• PLUS Loans: 4.228%

Fees for loans disbursed on or after 1st October 2019 and before 1st October 2020 are:

• Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford loans: 1.059%
• PLUS Loans: 4.236%

Additional information on interest rates and fees can be found on: https://studentaid.gov/

 

The following table shows the level of loans available:

Dependent Undergraduates	Initial Subsidized Stafford	Additional Unsubsidized Stafford	Combined (maximum) Levels
1st Year	$3,500	$2,000	$5,500
2nd Year	$4,500	$2,000	$6,500
3rd Year and Up	$5,500	$2,000	$7,500
Independent Undergraduates or Dependent Undergrad whose Parent is denied Parent PLUS.
1st Year	$3,500	$6,000	$9,500
2nd Year	$4,500	$6,000	$10,500
3rd Year and Up	$5,500	$7,000	$12,500
Graduate/Professional Students
	Not Applicable	$20,500	$20,500

In addition to the annual limits, the following aggregate limits apply:

Aggregate Limits
	Subsidized	Subsidized & Unsubsidized Combined
Dependent Undergraduates	$23,000	$31,000
Independent Undergraduates	$23,000	$57,500
Graduate & Professionals	$65,500	$138,500

What do all these Acronyms mean?

I’ve completed my FAFSA and included Chester’s code. Now what?

Do I need to pay the deposit if I receive a Direct Loan?

Will I have to complete the FAFSA each year?

How much can I borrow?

What exchange rate will be used when calculating my Cost of Attendance?

What do I need to know about applying for my Student Route Visa?

When will I receive my loans?

Do I need to open a UK Bank Account?

How will I receive my loans?

What is the University’s Federal ID/EIN number for tax purposes?

As a participating institution in the William D Ford Federal Direct Loan Programme, the University of Chester is required to provide the following consumer information. Should you require any further information about this content, please contact our Financial Aid Administrator at usloans@chester.ac.uk.

Tax Return (IRS Tax Form 1098-T)

The University of Chester does not have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and so is unable to complete IRS Tax Form 1098-T for students (or parents of dependent undergraduate students).

Academic Programmes:
Undergraduate and postgraduate courses can be found here:

• Undergraduate Programmes: http://www.chester.ac.uk/course-finder/undergraduate
• Postgraduate Programmes: http://www.chester.ac.uk/course-finder/postgraduate

A number of courses shown in the regular prospectus and under the course tab on our website are not available to international students on Tier 4 Student Visas. For a complete listing of our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes available to students on Tier 4 Student Visas, please visit the International section of our website, or contact us to request an International Prospectus.

Furthermore, the following programmes are also considered ineligible:

• Programmes delivered part time
• Programmes delivered through distance learning
• Programmes with portions delivered by a partner institution that is not Title IV eligible
• Programmes delivered in the United States

Study Abroad:

Please note Federal Aid is not available for University of Chester students wishing to undertake a study abroad programme while studying at Chester. However, Sallie Mae may provide you with a loan.
US students coming to Chester for study abroad from a US institution, who are enrolled on a Chester programme approved for credit by their home institution, may be considered enrolled in their home school for purposes of applying for US Federal aid.
Student Financial Aid Information:

For information about all need based and non-need based federal, local, private and institutional student financial assistance available to University of Chester students, please visit our Fees, Scholarships and Finance Page.
Information on the following has been provided throughout this document. Should you require further clarification, please contact us.

• Terms and conditions of the TITLE IV Higher Education Act Loans.
• Criteria for selecting recipients and determining award amount.
• Eligibility requirements and Chester’s procedures for applying for the aid.
• Frequency and methods of disbursing aid.
• Rights and responsibilities of students receiving Title IV HEA student financial aid*, including the criteria for continued student eligibility and standards for satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
• Terms of loans received as part of the financial aid package, and the necessity for repaying loans.
• Procedures and forms by which students apply for assistance.
• Exit counselling information

*Rights and Responsibilities of Students Receiving Aid:
By accepting your loan, you are making a promise to accept the responsibilities that come with it. It’s therefore important you understand your rights.

• This is a loan and it must be repaid. Information on repayment plans is available on the Federal Student Aid website.
• Interested will be charged. Additional information on interest rates and how each loan is structured is available on the first section of this document.
• If you default on a loan, there may be penalties imposed by your lender. It’s therefore very important you read everything from your lender clearly.
• If you chose to withdraw or take a break from your studies, you will be subject to the university’s Withdrawal Policy.
• You are required to:
  • Use your loan for educational purposes
  • Tell your lender about any changes, including change of address or change of course
• You have a right to:
  • Prepay your loan early without any consequences
  • Deferent on previous loans
  • Written information of your obligations
  • Explanation of consequences of default
  • Notification if your loan is sold.

In order to retain eligibility for your loans you should meet the following academic requirements:

• Should not exceed 150% the published time frame for the course and should remain enrolled on at least part-time (half-time) status.
• Should pass any taught modules with a minimum of 40%.
• Should meet any relevant contact points each term as required.

Information on our SAP policy

Cost of Attendance:

A breakdown of our cost of attendance

School and Programme Approval and Accreditation:
In the United Kingdom, the power to award degrees is regulated by law. The Privy Council is responsible for granting of degree award power and university titles. Please see our Royal Charter.

The University of Chester is also regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

University Council Membership:

A list of the University Council members is available here.

Professional Bodies:
Please find a list of our affiliate professional bodies here. For additional information on each affiliation, please contact the Faculty Administrators.

Retention Rates:
For information on retention rates for all certificate degree-seeking, first time, full time undergraduates, please reference the Higher Education Statistics Agency:https://www1.chester.ac.uk/sites/default/files/University_of_Chester_Affiliated_Professional_Bodies-Updated.pdf

Education Records and Privacy:
Your rights to review educational records and procedures is outlined in the University of Chester’s Data Protection Policy.

Student Loan Information Published by the Department of Education:
The University of Chester will provide information published by the Department of Education to any students who request it. This includes rights and responsibilities of students and schools under Title IV HEA (Higher Education Act) loan programs.

National Student Loan Data System:
Details of students taking out loans at Chester will be submitted to NSLDS. This data will be accessible to guaranty agencies, lenders and schools determined to be authorised users of the data system.

Campus Facilities and Disability Services:
Information on our campus facilities is available on our corporate website here. Information on services and facilities for students with disabilities is found under Disability and Inclusion, available on our corporate website here.

Plagiarism and Copyright Information:
Please visit our corporate website for information on Copyright, Data Protection and Freedom of Information. Additional information on Plagiarism is available in Quality and Standards Manual Handbooks, Handbook F: Requirements Governing the Assessment of Students

Private Education Loan Disclosures:
The University of Chester has no preferred private lender. In most cases Chester will work with any lender a prospective borrower wishes to use. Please be aware that many private lenders will not offer loans to those students studying outside the Unites States. For information on Sallie Mae loans, please see the Private Loans Section above.

You may wish to use a self-certification form for private education loans. Please contact us should you require information on how to complete the form.

Code of Conduct for Education Loans:
In order to prohibit a conflict of interest with the responsibilities of an agent with respect to private education loan, all University of Chester staff with responsibility for Federal and private education loans from the US are prohibited from the following:

• Revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender
• Receiving gifts from a lender, a guarantor, or a loan servicer
• Contracting arrangements providing financial benefit from any lender or affiliate of a lender
• Directing borrowers to particular lenders or refusing or delaying loan certifications
• Offers of funds for private loans
• Call centre or financial aid office staffing assistance
• Advisory board compensation

Education Records and Privacy:
Your right to review educational records and procedures is set out within University’s Data Protection Policy.

Crime Statistics:
Please visit www.police.uk for information on crime statistics in Chester, Warrington and Shrewsbury.

Gainful Employment:
The University of Chester does not does have any programmes of study that fall under the Gainful Employment Disclosure regulations.

Guidelines on Responding to a Report of a Missing Student:
Reports regarding missing students are not uncommon. There are usually quite simple explanations as to why a student is ‘missing’ and most reports are due to students failing to notify flatmates or the University regarding absences during term time.

If a staff member receives a report that a student is potentially missing they should, in the first instance, check our attendance monitoring system to determine whether the student is still engaging with studies before attempting to email or call the student. If the student is not engaging with their course and the staff member has been unable to make contact then the staff member should alert the Wellbeing and Mental Health team by calling 01244 511550 where further attempts to contact the student will be made.

If there are serious concerns about the welfare of a missing student then the person raising these concerns should contact the police and report the person missing by dialling 101. The Wellbeing and Mental Health team should be notified if this has taken place.

Fire Safety and University of Chester Emergency Evacuation Plan:

Please see our Fire Safety and Evacuation Policy for further information.

Default Management Plan:

The University of Chester has adopted the Secretary’s Default Management Plan. We’ve highlighted some of our strategies here. The plan is to ensure that students with Title IV Direct Loans are aware of their repayment responsibilities. The purpose is to reduce and if possible, eliminate, students defaulting on repaying their loans.

 

Students may apply for a private loan (subject to credit history) however, the University of Chester encourages students that are eligible, to utilise Federal Loans in the first instance.

The University of Chester has no preferred private lender. The University of Chester is eligible to accept students with private loans provided by Sallie Mae and Earnest.

Eligibility for these loans is determined directly by the lender. If your loan is approved, the University of Chester will be notified and asked to certify your loan amount. The University of Chester will use the same cost of attendance chart used for students applying for Federal Aid, when certifying private loans.

To learn more or apply, please visit Sallie Mae or Earnest.

• Please note you can borrow up to the maximum amount of the cost of attendance and no more. If you wish to borrow more, please contact us, as you will be asked to provide documented evidence for your increase.
• Please notify us of any additional funding you have or expect to receive from scholarships and/or bursaries.

Disbursement:

You will receive your money in one disbursement at the start of your academic programme once you have completed the enrolment process. You will receive an email to your University email account from Convera requesting your bank details. Please ensure you provide these well in advance of the disbursement date. Once the funds are received the fees you owe the institution at that time (tuition and accommodation if you are living in university owned housing) will be deducted. Any remaining balance will be deposited into your UK account within 3 working days of the disbursement date, as long as you have provided your bank details to Convera.

The University of Chester will follow the requirements of the Federal Student Aid programme Return of Title IV Funds regulations. The policies stated below will apply to all US Federal Loan Aid recipients when the University is dealing with a student’s Federal Loan funds, and may differ from the normal University procedures.

The University of Chester will follow the requirements of the Federal Student Aid programme Return of Title IV Funds regulations. The policies stated below will apply to all US Federal Loan Aid recipients when the University is dealing with a student’s Federal Loan funds, and may differ from the normal University procedures.

The University of Chester is required to complete a Return of Title IV funds calculation for US Federal loan recipients who begins attending the institution and withdraws during the course of the academic year.

Federal Aid is “earned” on a daily basis. Should a student withdraw, the institution is responsible for calculating the amount of “unearned” aid and return it to the US Department of Education. Known as Return of Title IV Funds, the policy determines the amount of funds earned by calculating the number of calendar days (up to last attendance or official withdrawal date) divided by the number of calendar days within a term. Please note this excludes scheduled breaks or approved leave of absences.

Withdrawal:

Students wishing to withdraw from the University before completing their studies must complete the appropriate withdrawal process. A copy of the University’s Withdrawal Form is available here  or a paper copy may be collected from the Registry Office in Senate House, Parkgate Road campus. Students wishing to take a leave of absence from their studies will need to complete a Request for an Interruption of Studies. This form is available online or for collection at the Registry Office, Senate House. 

Calculation:

In calculating Return of Title IV funds the Finance Department will use the formulae provided by the US Department of Education. This means that the University will return any funds that the student has not earned on a pro rata basis. For example if a student completes 30% of the payment period, any assistance the University has received over this 30% will be repaid. On this basis any unearned funds that the student has received must be returned in accordance of the terms of the promissory note. All such funds must be returned to the US Department of Education within 45 days of the date when the University determined that a student withdrew from studies or interrupted studies. Students who have questions about their Title IV funds may contact the Federal Student Aid Information Centre.

Title IV funds will be returned in the following order:

• Unsubsidized Federal loans
• Subsidized Federal loans
• PLUS Loan funds

The University operates a year long period of study; divided into three terms. The period of enrolment for all calculations is therefore the term.

Once the student has completed more than 60% of the payment period (term), all the assistance that the student was scheduled to receive for the period is considered to have been earned.

A first-year undergraduate student who is receiving Federal Aid for the first time, who withdraws within the first 30 days of a programme, will be deemed not to have earned any aid. If a student fails to begin attendance at all, all Title IV funds must be returned.

The International Centre, with data from the Finance Department, is responsible for Return of Title IV Funds calculation. The Finance Department are responsible for transferring the funds to the US Department of Education within the expected timescale.

Post-withdrawal Disbursements:

If a student did not receive all the funds that were earned, they may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. The amount will be calculated using the R2T4 calculation and will be offered as a post withdrawal disbursement.

The International Centre will notify the student in writing of eligibility for a post-withdrawal disbursement within 30 days of the date of the school’s determination of the student’s withdrawal.

• Students and/or parent borrowers will be notified of the types and balances available.
• Students and/or parent borrowers will have the option to accept or decline some or all the funds. A decision is requested within 21 calendar days of notification.
• Student and/or parent borrowers will be made aware of the obligation to repay the loan funds whether they are disbursed to the student account or to the borrower.
• Please note that should the student or parent not respond within the timeframe, the university is not required to make the post-withdrawal disbursement. This decision is final and will be communicated to the student or parent in writing.
• University will make any post-withdrawal disbursement available to the parent or student (in the case of a Parent PLUS loan) within 180 days of the date of determination that the student withdrew.
• Funds can either be credited towards the student’s account or disbursed directly to the student and/or parent.
• The student and/or parent borrower must repay any funds disbursed.

The University may automatically use all or a portion of the post-withdrawal disbursement (if the student accepts it) for tuition fees, and any other charges contracted by the student with the University. The student may choose to decline the loan funds so that additional Federal loan debt is not incurred. However, it may be in the student’s best interest to accept the disbursement and allow the University to retain the funds owed in order to reduce their indebtedness to the University.

If the student received more assistance than was earned, the excess funds must be returned by the University and/or the student. If the student receives (or the university receives on behalf of the student) excess Title IV programme funds that must be returned, the University must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of:

The institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of the funds, or the entire amount of excess funds.

Approved Leave of Absence:

Students wishing to take a leave of absence from their studies will need to complete a Request for an Interruption of Studies. This form is available online or for collection at the Registry Office, Senate House. Leave cannot exceed 180 days and students can only have one break every 12 months. Students must resume their academics at the same place they departed from. Loans will not be disbursed during this time and students will not accrue additional charges resulting from the leave.

If the student does not return after 180 days, or leaves outside these limits, the student will be withdrawn and the last date of actual attendance will be used to calculate the ‘earned’ loan amount and the date a student enters repayment. An unapproved leave of absence or consequent withdrawal may impact loan repayment terms and grace period.

Important Information:

Requirements for Title IV programme funds when students withdraw are separate from any refund policy that the University may have. Therefore, the student may still owe funds to the University to cover unpaid institutional charges. The University may also collect from the student any Title IV programme funds owed to the University that it was required to return to the funding source.

A copy of the University’s Withdrawal Form is available here. This form also outlines the University’s Refund Policy.  A copy of this form can also be obtained from the International Centre and Student Programmes. Please return completed Withdrawal Forms to Registry Services, Student Programmes for Processing. Students will be notified via email that their request has been processed. Further communications related to Return of Title IV Funds will also be sent via email from the International Centre.

 

US Federal regulations (34CFR 668.16, 668.32, 668.34, 446.42) require that all students, who are in receipt of US Federal Student Aid (FSA), must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To do so students must meet both the Quantitative and Qualitative requirements as set out below.

Quantitative Requirements:

In order to make SAP all students must maintain progress to completing their course within 150% of the normal full-time duration. Students may not receive aid once they have taken more than 150% of the normal duration of the programme as measured in credits to complete their studies. Periods of interruption will not count towards this calculation. Any period where a student is repeating study in order to undertake resit assessment will count towards this calculation. If any years of study are undertaken part time, then these years will be counted pro-rata on the basis of the number of credits studied. Where students commence a course with Accreditation of Prior Learning (transfer credits) then the normal full-time duration will be reduced by the number of full years of study they are not required to study at the University. Only transfer credits that are counted toward the award being sought will be considered for the purposes of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Final degree classification is not impacted by any transfer credits from another institution.

The maximum timeframes for SAP are summarised below.

Normal Programme Length	Maximum completion timeframe for SAP
3 year undergraduate degree (360 credits)	4.5 years (540 credits)
4 year undergraduate degree (480 credits)	6 years (720 credits)
12 month Postgraduate Master’s Degree (120 credits)	18 months (180 credits)
3 year PhD (years only)	4.5 years (years only)

Please note the maximum timeframe is measured cumulatively.

A student will not be making SAP and will be ineligible for further financial support at the point at which it is not possible for them to complete their course in these timeframes.

Students must maintain a pace of completion which enables them to meet these timeframes. All students including those studying part time will be expected to complete modules equivalent to at least 67% of a full time requirement each year. Students who fail to meet this threshold will have their aid suspended. Students will be notified in writing within 14 calendar days by the International Centre and will be eligible to submit an appeal as per the intuition’s policy stated below.

Qualitative Requirements

SAP for Undergraduate Students

SAP requires that students maintain an average of 40% (or a pass standard where numerical marks are not awarded) and pass all requirements at the end of the year for progression to the next year. This is measured cumulatively. Students receiving financial aid will be evaluated annually by the International Centre and Registry, following the University’s July and September progression boards. This will include the requirement that by the end of their second year, student must have a 40% average. Students who fail to achieve SAP following evaluation at the September boards will have their financial aid suspended. They will be notified of their results and of suspension of their financial aid as well as the appeals process by the International Centre within 5 working days. Students can only regain their eligibility by submitting a successful appeal. Undergraduate students are not eligible for “Financial Aid Warnings.”

Progression is determined according to the University’s Principles and Regulations and as detailed in the Assessment Handbook. Summaries of the requirements can also be accessed via Programme Handbooks. These are all available on Portal pages. Where students commence a course with Accreditation of Prior Learning (transfer credits) these are not part of the calculation of the required 40% average.

SAP for Postgraduate Taught and Research Programmes

SAP will be evaluated each term. This will be conducted at the end of the term/payment period and prior to subsequent disbursement. SAP will be judged by reference to reports from tutors and marks available to date, indicating they are progressing towards a Pass. PGR students will also be evaluated annually following the Annual Progress Monitoring (APM) process, which all PGR students undertake. Students who fail to make SAP will receive a written “Financial Aid Warning” for the ensuing loan period. The warning will last one payment period, during which a student can still receive their funding. If the student fails to regain SAP by the next disbursement, their aid is suspended, unless they submit a successful appeal.

Students will be notified of by the International Centre within 5 working days of confirmation of SAP evaluation and further next steps relevant to their “Financial Aid Warning” or suspension.

Withdrawals (Qualitative and Quantitative)

If a student withdraws, any module not completed would be awarded a fail and count as such in Qualitative and Quantitative criteria. If a part-time student withdraws from a module, this will also be recorded as a fail. Full time students are required to complete all modules for which they are enrolled each year.

Incompletes (Qualitative and Quantitative)

Students should note there is no ‘incomplete’ status for module results at the University of Chester. Any module not completed would be awarded a fail and count as such in Qualitative and Quantitative criteria.

Repetitions (Qualitative and Quantitative)

Students required to repeat a failed module will have that module mark capped at 40%. This will replace the grade from any previous attempt. Repeat modules credits do not count towards meeting the pace of completion until successfully completed.

SAP Appeals Process:
The University’s Academic Appeals procedures require that the original academic decision stands whilst an academic appeal is in progress. Any decision to cease disbursements due to unsatisfactory academic progress will similarly stand until and unless an academic appeal results in a new decision.

Separate to the University Academic Appeals procedures, students whose aid has been suspended have the right to appeal the decision if they can demonstrate extraordinary circumstances such as (but not limited to) the following:

• Serious illness or injury
• Death of a family member
• Divorce or family difficulties
• Financial difficulties
• Interpersonal problems

Appeals must be submitted in writing, signed and dated within 14 calendar days of notification. The appeal must detail reasons why SAP was not met and explain how the student expects to meet SAP at the next evaluation. Documentation supporting the claim may be requested. A Financial Aid Committee will consider each appeal and will notify the student of their decision within 10 working days of receiving the appeal. The committee’s decision is final.

If an appeal is determined successful by the university, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. While on probation the student is entitled to receive aid for one further payment period, with the understanding the student must meet SAP at the end of that payment period. If the student is successful in satisfying SAP, they a will no longer be on academic probation. Students that fail to meet SAP after a period of probation cannot receive aid unless they are successful in a further appeal and develop an academic plan approved by their supervisor.

A student that has their Aid suspended, but continues the course under their own means and subsequently meets Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will be entitled to regain a full status to apply for, or receive loans.

Please note Financial Warnings, probation and suspensions only relate to the students’ eligibility to receive Federal Student Aid; this will not affect their student enrolment status at the University of Chester.

Appeals should be submitted to: Susannah Chappell, International Centre, Temperance Hall, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester CH1 4BJ.

Important Information:

The University of Chester’s Interruption of Studies form is available online and in hard copy at our Registry Office in Senate House. For further information on this policy, please contact sp@chester.ac.uk

The University of Chester’s SAP policy relates to the student’s eligibility to receive US Federal Loans, and does not affect the enrolment or status as a University of Chester student.