Northumbria University Newcastle Consumer Disclosure for Information for the Administration of U.S. Financial Aid
The US Department of Education's Federal Direct Lending programme has strict and specific guidelines all universities must follow. This enables us to successfully process loans for American students as well as remain eligible to continue participating in the loans programme.
Below you will find comprehensive information regarding our Student Disclosures.
Eligible programmes
Most of the courses offered at the Northumbria University Newcastle are eligible to receive US Federal Direct loans however, some of our courses are classified as ‘ineligible’.
Ineligibility is determined by the US Department of Education and is a result of courses being too short in duration, not being considered fully post-secondary in level, or courses that are accessible from the US via an online platform.
Our federally ineligible programmes are:
- all short courses
- Study Abroad and Exchanges programmes
- all online/distance learning studies.
All of the above courses can, however, have access to private loans such as the Sallie Mae loans with the exception of Short Courses and Study Abroad and Exchange courses.
Study Abroad students can borrow loans but these loans will need to be applied for and certified through the home/US-based institution, NOT Northumbria University Newcastle. If you intend to undertake a Study Abroad programme to attend Northumbria University Newcastle for one, two or three terms, please contact your home institution’s Financial Aid Office for more information about applying for loans.
No study in the USA
Students wishing to study with Northumbria University Newcastle cannot borrow loans to fund any part of their studies in the USA. This includes:
- Students undertaking a work placement.
- Students seeking to return to the USA to finish their MA or PhD dissertations.
- Students wishing to undertake research in the USA.
The US Department of Education encourages international study and thus returning to the USA to study when enrolled at an overseas institution is not allowed with regards to receiving federal funding.
If you wish to take part of your study in the USA, please note that you will be ineligible for federal loans during that period. Should students require funding, we would recommend the private Sallie Mae loans.
Student Disclosure Information
Institutional and Financial Assistance Information for Students
1. Student Life in the UK
2. Costs of Study
Cost of Attendance
Page 12 of the booklet provides the necessary information -Get ready for Northumbria 2015/16
3. Funding options
4. University Accommodation House Rules and Disciplinary Procedure
5. Courses
Instrument and Articles of Government
9. Support for Students with Learning difficulties/differences
Disability and Dyslexia Support
10. Health and vaccinations
Counselling and Mental Health Support
11. Satisfactory Academic Progress
How Finance Can Help You in 2015/2016
To continue receiving loans both throughout the year and each successive year, students must demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progression (SAP).
The University has its own policy on SAP but for loans purposes, if a student fails any part of their programme and is required to retake this, they cannot receive federal loans.
Once the failed unit(s) are cleared, and the student is deemed to have 'progressed', loan borrowing can resume.
12. Default Management Plan
The University is required to provide students with information about Default Management and how best to avoid having repayment issues post-graduation.
13. Refund Policy
Pages 14 and 15 of the following document gives information to students on refunds:
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/finpdf/howfinancecanhelp.pdf
14. Withdrawing and taking a year out
Student Withdrawal
15. Return of Title IV
The University is required to complete a Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation if you withdraw from your studies or transfer to an ineligible programme with the University whilst you are borrowing federal loans.
Students can only access federal loan funds if they are 'earning' them by being enrolled on an eligible programme. If your full-time enrolment status changes, you are legally required to inform us so that we can amend your loans and cancel subsequent instalments where necessary.
Get ready for Northumbria 2015/16
16. Net Point Calculator
The Net Point Calculator is also a requirement of universities and provides details about calculating cost of attendance. The University already provides a version of this information to our US students through our Cost of Attendance data.
Our Cost of Attendance is found on Page 12 of the following handbook: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/-/media/corporate-website/documents/pdfs/international/get-ready-for-northumbria.ashx
Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program Certification
Students that are found guilty within the legal jurisdictions of the UK, during their period of study, will lose their eligibility for Federal Title IV Direct Loans. If you are deemed to have violated Northumbria University Newcastle’s policies on drug and alcohol abuse as found on Points 22 & 23 of our Accommodation House Rules, you may have your eligibility for loans terminated, depending in the severity of the violation.
In cases of criminal conviction, or where students have been unsuccessful within the University’s disciplinary procedures, student loans are subject to termination.
Student Right-to-Know Act
Where possible, the University publishes information for each of its courses (including graduation information, employment information and student satisfaction information) using UNISTATS. This information is found on each course profile page on our website. You can also visit University of Northumbria Newcastle’s profile in UNISTATS directly:
UNISTATS - Northumbria University Newcastle
FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act)
2. Advice on Plagiarism, and Academic Misconduct
Safeguarding Customer Information
1. Student Safety Policy (including Fire Safety) -
2. Accommodation guidelines for security, fire and electrical safety
3. Safeguarding – Northumbria University has a Policy for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable adults. This information is not accessible by the general public but it is permissible to view upon request.
5. University Student Regulations
Misrepresentation
1. The University is approved by Quality Assurance and the Privy Council to deliver education.
2. Academic and Progression Regulations - http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/arpdf/aq/arna1415
Loan Disclosures
1. For information about US loans, please visit our dedicated US Loans page - https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/international/northumbria-and-your-country/north-america/usa/
2. Code of Conduct for Educational Loans
In order to prohibit a conflict of interest with the responsibilities of an agent with respect to private education loans, staff at the University with responsibility for Federal and Private Education Loans from the United States are prohibited from the following:
- Revenue sharing arrangements with any lender
- Receiving gifts from a lender, guarantor or 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
3. Preferred Lenders List
The University, will in most cases, via the US Loan coordinator, work with whichever private lender a prospective borrower decides to use. Prospective borrowers should be aware that the majority of private lenders choose not to offer loans to students studying outside the USA. This is why, via our US Loan Guide, the only loans we list as being accessible are the US Federal Direct Stafford and PLUS loans or the private Sallie Mae loans.
Missing Student Notification Policy
Missing Student Notification Policy
Gainful Employment Disclosures
Gainful Employment refers to the provision of specific information about our eligible non-degree programmes as listed below.
