Student Loan process 2007

It's amazing what an email sent to the right place will do.  I just traded messages with the professor in charge of my MFA program, and as of about a half-hour ago, my offer status was changed to unconditional. I'll have to remember him come Christmas.

Now comes the struggle with the student funding office--wish me luck. (And good luck with Sallie Mae...I don't envy you having to deal with them.)

oh congrats!!! Once you have funding secure the world just looks better!!! Of course now you have to worry about feeding yourself until the first disbursement....I'm thinking of taking my family to the Waitrose during free sample time for the first month I'm there.

(I know I keep going on about this, but I've got to vent somewhere...)

So the last I heard from the University of Exeter's student funding team was an email message on Monday saying that yes, my student loans were going to be certified.

As of today, though, the lender hasn't seen any paperwork from them, and even though I've left several phone messages and sent email, I can't get a response out of the student funding office.

I'm starting to panic a tiny bit--I literally have two months from Sunday to get my student loans straightened out, get my visa, sell most of my stuff, arrange travel, and get on a plane. 

Anyone have any advice (beyond "drink heavily", which I'm already planning on)?

If it makes you feel better, It took me just under two months total from just beginning to research student loan options to having my visa in my hand (and I applied for my visa by post.)  Obviously I didn't get the huge runaround you're getting, but you've still got time.  Just keep bugging them- keep calling until you talk to *someone.*  Hang in there- I know it's frustrating.

OMG!!!!

As soon as I got my UK-Y notification about a new post on the Student loans thread, I got an email from Sallie Mae. My loan has been certified and officially officially approved!!!! I got $1,000 less than I should have, but that's okay. I have enough saved to cover a $1000 loss for living expenses. I'm so excited!!! Good luck to all of you on getting your loans finalized! And DEFINITELY hound everyone you can without being afraid to do so. It paid off for me in the end!

OMG!!!!

As soon as I got my UK-Y notification about a new post on the Student loans thread, I got an email from Sallie Mae. My loan has been certified and officially officially approved!!!! I got $1,000 less than I should have, but that's okay. I have enough saved to cover a $1000 loss for living expenses. I'm so excited!!! Good luck to all of you on getting your loans finalized! And DEFINITELY hound everyone you can without being afraid to do so. It paid off for me in the end!

YAY!!!! Now you just need that visa- you know I'm pulling for you on that front

OMG!!!!

As soon as I got my UK-Y notification about a new post on the Student loans thread, I got an email from Sallie Mae. My loan has been certified and officially officially approved!!!! I got $1,000 less than I should have, but that's okay. I have enough saved to cover a $1000 loss for living expenses. I'm so excited!!! Good luck to all of you on getting your loans finalized! And DEFINITELY hound everyone you can without being afraid to do so. It paid off for me in the end!

I am glad your loan situation is sorted.  It gives me hope that mine will get sorted soon as well. I am still waiting to hear back on a loan I applied for.

Thanks everyone! I'm just relieved that I don't have anything else to stress over until I get there!

I am glad your loan situation is sorted.  It gives me hope that mine will get sorted soon as well. I am still waiting to hear back on a loan I applied for.

Did you apply through Sallie Mae? I don't recall if you said you did or not... I was calling every few days to find out if everything was sorted or not. I think it was more the fault of my home uni. They keep claiming that their "new system" may have delayed things.

Hi,

I'm confused about the actual process of applying for a Federal Stafford Loan - can anyone explain it step by step? My wife has received a Student Aid Report with an EFC, what do we do now?

Thanks

Saj (confused Hubby)

Thanks everyone! I'm just relieved that I don't have anything else to stress over until I get there!

Did you apply through Sallie Mae? I don't recall if you said you did or not... I was calling every few days to find out if everything was sorted or not. I think it was more the fault of my home uni. They keep claiming that their "new system" may have delayed things.

No, it's GradLoanPlus; they are still making me sweat it out! I will call them again tonight.

Hi,

I'm confused about the actual process of applying for a Federal Stafford Loan - can anyone explain it step by step? My wife has received a Student Aid Report with an EFC, what do we do now?

Thanks

Saj (confused Hubby)

you need the 8-page SAR, not the regular 3-page one that you get through email.  If she doesn't have it, then she needs to call the Dept of Ed's 1-800 number and have it mailed to her.  Once you have the right SAR, just forward it to the university along with the chosen lender's school certification form- the uni fills it out and sends it back to the lender in the States, who gets the government to guarantee the loan- after the guarantee is in place, the loan is approved.

Hi,

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for the help so far...

I faxed the longer version of the SAR to the University, and I also applied at Sallie Mae's website to get a Master Promissory Note - it was e-signed, do I need to send that to the Uni as well? I'm guessing once the Uni has certified costs, then they tell the lender and it all gets approved, is that right?

Saj

Hi,

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for the help so far...

I faxed the longer version of the SAR to the University, and I also applied at Sallie Mae's website to get a Master Promissory Note - it was e-signed, do I need to send that to the Uni as well? I'm guessing once the Uni has certified costs, then they tell the lender and it all gets approved, is that right?

Saj

The MPN stays with the lender, it doesn't go to the uni.  You need to obtain a school certification form from Sallie Mae (I downloaded mine from my lender's website when I did this last year- call and ask where you can get one or if they can send one to the uni direct.)  Once the uni has the school cert form, they fill it out (certifying the amounts) and send it back to the lender, who should approve the loan shortly thereafter.

Good news for a change!  I got email from the university this morning--as of about 8 AM their time today, my student loans have been certified for the full amount, and the lender's website shows them as "pending disbursement".  (Now I've just got to apply for my visa, but I'll save that for the other thread...)

Apparently the money's going to be disbursed in three equal installments, which is a little odd for me, but I'm okay with it. The only thing that worries me a little, though, is that it looks like there's going to be a slight delay getting the initial installment--they say I have to register before they can really process it, and I can't do that until I'm actually on campus in late September.

I'm thinking of taking out a smallish loan to cover temporary accommodation and food and stuff to cover the gap, or else trying to make do with my (emergency use only) credit cards. Any advice?

Good news for a change!  I got email from the university this morning--as of about 8 AM their time today, my student loans have been certified for the full amount, and the lender's website shows them as "pending disbursement".  (Now I've just got to apply for my visa, but I'll save that for the other thread...)

Apparently the money's going to be disbursed in three equal installments, which is a little odd for me, but I'm okay with it. The only thing that worries me a little, though, is that it looks like there's going to be a slight delay getting the initial installment--they say I have to register before they can really process it, and I can't do that until I'm actually on campus in late September.

I'm thinking of taking out a smallish loan to cover temporary accommodation and food and stuff to cover the gap, or else trying to make do with my (emergency use only) credit cards. Any advice?

Congratulations on getting the loan sorted .

Receiving it in 3 installments and wating until Septmeber to receive it is standard in UK universities. Student loans are usually paid into your account on the first day of each term (September, January and April) and it is common for students to pay their tuition fees and accomodation costs (if living on campus) in 3 installments on those same dates.

They won't process the money before you register because you're not technically a student until that day - so you are not entitled to have it until the beginning of the school year and you have registered with the university. When I studied abroad in the US, I had to apply for an early loan so that I would receive the money 2 months early (the US school began in mid-August, but the rest of the Exeter students didn't get their loans until October).

I'm not sure what advice to give you about covering the gap because many students don't arrive at the university/in the country (if they are international students) until a couple of days before the beginning of the semester. How long in advance will you be arriving in Exeter?