Appendix 8 (july 2011) and US Federal Loans

I apologize if this question has been asked already, but I'm still confused about section 6 on the Student Visa Appendix 8 application if you're using US Federal Loans. My school's help form hasn't been very helpful and they will only respond to web queries every 3-5 days which is frustrating as I'm working under a deadline.

-For question 6.14, are US Federal Loans considered an official "financial sponsor"?
-If "YES" to 6.14, for 6.15 do i tick off "Official letter to confirm financial sponsorship from an official financial sponsor or Gov. sponsor"?
-If "YES" to 6.14, for 6.16 do I put the full tuition and maintenance because my Federal Loans are paying for everything?
-If"YES" to 6.14, for 6.17 do I tick "YES" or "NO"? If yes, do I write full tuition+maintenance and total? (I've seen conflicting instructions here..some say to put NO because the Federal loans are paying everything, so I don't have any remaining fees).

If I am to answer "NO" to 6.14, and skip to 6.17, do I put YES or NO?
If "YES" to 6.17, I go to 6.20 and tick off "Letter from regulated financial institution confirming funds or the agreement of a loan" ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.. I'm so frustrated with this because it seems so simple, then you start 2nd guessing everything and I don't want to have to resubmit my applications..

No, US federal loans are not an official financial sponsor, despite what others may have put. Honestly, I think the ECOs would figure it out for themselves no matter what you put, but for the sake of it being correct...  If the US government had decided that you were an exceptional student and told you they would pay to send you to uni in the UK, then they would be an official sponsor.  Scholarships, an employer paying, etc.  are official financial sponsors.  You're self-funded so 6.14 would be "No"

For 6.17, unless you have paid your fees you would put yes.  Then put the amount of your fees, the amount of maintenance as required by the guidance, and the total.

What you have for 6.20 would be correct.

Hope that helps! 

With the new differentiation arrangements..for question 6.20 wouldn't we just mark the box "evidence not required under guidance but held by applicant" anyway, or are we supposed to mark both?

OP are you sending all the documents with your application?

You could probably just tick the "not required" box but also I don't think it would be a problem if you did both.  I don't really get the point of this in the first place, to be honest. I don't think it's solving anything.

If it were me, I would just include the evidence anyway for peace of mind.  But that's me. 

Thanks NoseOverTail.. If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your info from (yea--this process has made me a paranoid lady, haha)? But I do think you're right..

Also about submitting everything you can, just in case.. So even though we're "low-risk" candidates, I'm still including my transcripts, old passport and my loan agreement letter. Probably going overboard..but again this application process has driven me a bit nuts!

Thanks again for you advice and help!

Not at all.  You can't always trust what you read on the internet! 

From the UKCISA website:

What if I have an official financial sponsor?
You may receive funding from an official financial sponsor in which case you will need a letter from them confirming that they will provide the money for your course fees and maintenance (accommodation costs and other living expenses) that you need to meet the financial requirements. This letter must show:

-the student's name (your name)
-the name and contact details of the official financial sponsor
-the date of the letter
-the length of the sponsorship
-the amount of money the sponsor is giving to the student, or a statement that ALL course fees and living costs will be covered.

If your official financial sponsor is not covering ALL of your course fees and maintenance, you must show that you have the rest of the money required. You should provide evidence of this additional money in one of the formats described in the paragraph above.

An official financial sponsor is defined in the Tier 4 policy guidance as:

-the UK government
-your home government
-the British Council
-any international organisation
-an international company (the UKBA has not defined 'international company' but it seems to mean a company with a trading presence (an office) in more than one country)
-any university

While it says "Your home government", it means it in the sense of a scholarship, something you're not meant to pay back.  Student loans are very much expected to be paid back! 

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your info from (yea--this process has made me a paranoid lady, haha)? But I do think you're right..

Just to help lessen your paranoia a little more, there's also the most recent Tier 4 Policy Guidance (July 2011) which states the same stuff as NoT's UKCISA information.

OFFICIAL FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP OR GOVERNMENT SPONSOR
171. Financial sponsorship is where a Tier 4 (General) student is given money to cover some or all his/her course fees and/or living costs. This financial sponsorship can be used as evidence of money you have.
172. A Tier 4 (General) student can receive official financial sponsor from Her Majesty’s Government, the Tier 4 (General) student’s home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or an Independent School.
173. If the Tier 4 (General) student’s financial sponsor is only covering some of his/her course fees or living costs, he/she must show that he/she has the rest of the money needed.

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO SHOW OFFICIAL FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP OR GOVERNMENT SPONSOR
178. Where a Tier 4 (General) student qualifies for our differentiation arrangements because he/she is considered to be “low risk”, he/she is not required to include the evidential documents from this section with his/her application. The Tier 4 (General) student must however confirm on his/her application form that he/she meets requirements set out in this section and that he/she holds documentary evidence in the manner required.  We will sometimes ask a “low risk” student to send us these documents. We reserve the right to request any or all the evidential documents from this section from a Tier 4 (General) Student who qualifies for our differentiation arrangements.

179. A Tier 4 sponsor can include details of Official Financial Sponsorship that they are giving to the Tier 4 (General) student on his/her Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. No further documents are needed to show this Official Financial Sponsorship. If the Tier 4 (General) student does not know if his/her Tier 4 sponsor has included this information he/she will need to check this with his/her Tier 4 sponsor.

180. In all other circumstances a Tier 4 (General) student who is being given Official Financial Sponsorship must provide:
i. A letter of confirmation from his/her Official Financial Sponsor on official letterheaded paper or stationery of the organisation of the official financial sponsor; and have the official stamp of that organisation on it.
The letter must show:
•    the student’s name;
•    the name and contact details of the official financial sponsor;
•    the date of the letter;
•    the length of the sponsorship; and
•    the amount of money the sponsor is giving to the student or a statement that the student’s official financial sponsor will cover all of his/her fees and living
costs.

Just to help lessen your paranoia a little more...

Thanks!  I was way too lazy to seek that out myself! 

Thanks for the information. I just realized just today about Tier 4 Policy guideline. Thanks a lot. It really helped!