How to apply Information for first time applicants

Applying for aid

1. Fill in a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application 

You will need the London Metropolitan University school code when filling in the FAFSA application, which is G22353.

Watch a video for information on how to fill out your FAFSA.

2. Check your Student Aid Report

Once FAFSA has processed your information, you will be emailed a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR). Please review the information carefully and ensure that it includes an SAI (student aid index) and the details of any previous loans.

If any information is missing or there are comments stating further information is required, you will need to make corrections and re-submit your application. Check the comments codes and make any necessary corrections. In some cases, we may need to ask you to provide documentary evidence (such as proof of US citizenship).

3. Submit your personal details

Submit your passport, offer letter from London Met, home address, high school diplooma and relevant degree certificate/transcript. 

Please remember that if you have been awarded a scholarship from the University or an outside source to cover all or part of your tuition fees, you will need to let us know about the award at this stage so we can amend your cost of attendance to reflect your scholarship award.

We don't always know in advance whether you have been awarded a scholarship so your cost of attendance could be calculated on the basis that you are liable to pay the full tuition fee amount. If this happens, you will be wrongly approved for a higher cost of attendance – however, when your scholarship appears on your account later on in the academic year, we will then have to reduce your loans. We do not have any discretion on this.

4. Confirm the amount you wish to borrow and complete the loan application(s) and entrance counselling and credit check (for PLUS loans)

We will send you a funding notification offer letter via email including your cost of attendance breakdown. You'll need to return a signed copy of the funding notification letter, confirming the amount of each type of loan you wish us to originate, along with:

• a Master Promissory Note for Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised Loans;
• Entrance Counselling  (please be aware that 'Financial Awareness Counselling' is NOT acceptable) even if you have done it in a previous year – it is good practice to do this every year as it reminds you of your responsibilities in the Direct Loan Scheme
• a PLUS Master Promissory Note and the credit check if you will be using a PLUS Loan

You do all of this online at studentaid.gov You sign into this site using the same PIN that you used to sign your FAFSA.

If you do not send everything we need, we will not be able to originate your loans.

Required documentation for the origination of your loan application

If you have completed the actions outlined above, you will have completed/submitted the documentation listed below. Please note that your loan application cannot be processed without these documents:

1. a signed funding notification letter including COA
2. a copy of your passport
3. a copy of your SAR
4. a copy of your master promissory notes for all loans
5. a copy of your entrance counselling confirmation
6. a copy of your degree certificate/transcript of your previous year's study
7. a copy of your credit check approval for graduate/parent PLUS loans

Please contact usfinancialaid@londonmet.ac.uk for any financial aid related queries including assistance with the financial aid application process at LMU.

By submitting your signed funding notification letter (in conjunction with the other required documentation), you will initiate a direct loan application file at London Metropolitan University and officially set out your wish to borrow direct loan funds to cover education costs.

5. Loan certification

When you have completed steps 1 to 4, we will originate your loans on the system and once they are confirmed we will notify you via e-mail.

We will send you the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy, Leave of Absence policy, Financial Planning document (Undergraduate document/Postgraduate document) and the Financial Aid Borrower Counselling document (you will need to read, sign and return this document.)

In order to ensure that your first disbursement is made on time and that you have enough time to apply for your visa, we strongly recommend that you complete your loan application no later than 31 July 2024 for courses starting in September.

6. Disbursing (paying) the loan

• Undergraduate students will receive two disbursements (one per term).
• Postgraduate students will receive three disbursements (one per term and one at the start of the summer).

For students on a standard, September start academic year, the earliest disbursement dates will be as follows:

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.

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 5 October any refund will be paid to you by 19 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.

What happens next? 

After we review your application for a direct loan, we will contact you by email confirming your eligibility for loans. We will then issue you with a loan award letter, which has been approved by the UK immigration authorities as proof of student funding for the purposes of obtaining a visa to study in the UK. You will also need to upload your loan award letter to your London Met Evision portal in order to receive your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the University. 

Further information

Cost Of Attendance (COA)

Please review the COA table below to see a general example of the COA for an undergraduate and postgraduate 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 undergraduate and first year postgraduate 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 an undergraduate student.

Example exchange rate used: 1.30

The budget covers TWELVE MONTHS for a postgraduate student.

Example exchange rate used: 1.30

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, and this 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, and this can be looked at on a case-by-case basis.