FAFSA, scholarships, funding and all that scary financial stuff....

Hi,

God willing in October I'll be starting my MA, probably in social work or a closely related field. I've done my three and half years as an undergraduate in Political Science and was fortunate to have a scholarship for three of those years that payed my entire tuition. However because I come from a financial straped family the rest: housing, expenses, books was paid via financial aid loans I've dealt with confusing FAFSA, rude financial aid councellors and even filled the last of my requirements at a a home-state university because I reached my undergraduate FA limit and couldn't return to my university.

Here I am again ready to embark on my MA more debt and I am certain a great deal of hassle. Though I am hoping for it, I can't assume that any part of my tuition and related expenses will be funded via scholarships, fellowships or anything nice like that.

I know that I can fill out my FAFSA again, this time be listed as "independent"  and be up for a lot more money, but still I obsess if it will be enough. I am particularly concerned with procedural matters like the deposit of financial aid money to my university even before the semester begins as is required and if need be what sort of banks, instutions, scholarships and fellowships I'll be up for.

I know many of you have probably gone through or are going through this and that it can be done--but how did you go about it? If you know of any in particular scholarship and funding links very appreciated!

Cheers!

PS. Very sorry, I am sure this topic has been covered a million times over

Hey, I'll be watching this thread as I'm currently applying for an MA in Manchester- first of all, I have to get in, but I should know sometime next month.  Assuming I get in, I'm in the same boat as you with the student loans- I'm already getting nervous about all of it as I've read and heard it's a lot of hassle.

From what I've read on threads here and some other sources, the procedure seems to be applying for a Stafford Loan first- grad students get $18.5K per year.  You have to make sure your uni is on the FAFSA school codes list to get federal loans, though-- most of them are, but there are a few notable exceptions so just make sure and check.  Obviously $18.5K is not going to pay tution *and* living expenses for a year in the UK, so then you take out a private TERI loan (www.teri.org) to cover the rest.  I would imagine bare minimum you'd need $30K total (tuition+living expenses) if you're living outside of London- I'd probably take out a little more than that, closer to $35K.  If you're in London, of course living expenses are going to be a lot more money so budget accordingly.

I'd really like to know more about the actual process though from the seasoned students- what exactly happens to your application before you get those final approval letters needed for the visa?  I've read on here that it can take months and months to get approved- what's going on in the interim?

I'd really like to know more about the actual process though from the seasoned students- what exactly happens to your application before you get those final approval letters needed for the visa?  I've read on here that it can take months and months to get approved- what's going on in the interim?

Your application for your loans have to be processed before you get your final acceptance from your uni because they require proof of financing before they will issue it.  The interim is just waiting, packing your stuff, planning, more waiting.  It did take a long time for me to get my loans approved but really, it was just more harrassing TERI than anything else.  They tend to sit on things unless you ring them incessantly.    The UK side is slow too and often don't know what to do with US student loans but if you keep on them and find out who to talk to in the registry/finance office, it should be fine.  You just sort of have to go about normal life until you get paperwork back.