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Loans for US Students
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Stafford Loans
Application
All applicants for Stafford Loans must undergo a standard needs
analysis, provided by the Federal Student Aid Programs Branch of the US
Department of Education. To activate this analysis, prospective loan
applicants must obtain and complete a form called a FAFSA (Free
Application For Federal Student Aid).
You can complete and submit a FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can also obtain the FAFSA form from most American universities and colleges. |
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When completing the form, ensure that you specify UNBC as one of the
institutions you wish to attend. UNBC’s Title IV Code issued by the US
Department of Education is G36133.
It normally takes two weeks for electronic requests and between three
and six weeks for the paper requests to be assessed. Following your
assessment, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), which is an
essential component of the Stafford Loan application process.
Apply before June 30 if you need funds for educational expenses in September. Your lender will send Stafford loan cheques to UNBC for subsequent release to students on the first day of classes.
It is important that you arrange to have your mail forwarded to Canada from your US address and that, while at UNBC, you keep the Financial Aid Office informed of your Prince George address.
The Student Aid Report (SAR)
When you receive your eight-page Student Aid Report (SAR), you must forward the original copy to UNBC. Because UNBC is a foreign school, it will not receive the SAR electronically.
If you do not receive the eight-page SAR, contact FAFSA to request a duplicate: 1.800.433.3243 or 319.337.5665.
If UNBC is not listed on your SAR, you do not have to return the form for correction. Simply print "The University of Northern British Columbia" in the appropriate blank in Part Two of the SAR.
Be sure to check the financial information on your SAR for accuracy. If the data is incorrect, you must make corrections in the blanks provided, sign the declaration at the end of Part Two (if you are married your spouse must sign too), and return the SAR to the Federal Student Aid Programs Office for correction and re-issue.
If the information in Part One of the SAR states that you have been selected for verification, you must complete the Verification Worksheet included with your SAR, attach the requested income tax documents, and submit the verification material with the signed SAR to the Student Financial Assistance & Awards Office at UNBC.
Assistance Levels
Undergraduate assistance levels
| | Maximum limit for dependent students subsidized and unsubsidized |
First year
| $2,625 | Second year
| $3,500 |
Third & fourth year
| $5,500 |
Maximum limit for independent students subsidized
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| First year | $2,625 | |
Second year | $3,500 | | Third & fourth year | $5,500 |
Maximum limit for independent students additional unsubsidized
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| First Year | $4,000 | Second Year
| $4,000 | Third & Fourth Year
| $5,000 |
Graduate assistance levels
| Subsidized maximum limit
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| All graduate grade levels | $8,500 |
Unsubsidized maximum limit
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All graduate grade levels
| $10,000
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Documents Required by UNBC
The following must be submitted to our office to process your US Stafford Loan:
- The full eight-page Student Aid Report (along with any required verification documents).
- A completed Federal Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note; see the US Department of Education website for a complete list of guarantee agencies. The guarantee agency normally used by UNBC is NELA.
- The Bank of America (lender code 824421) includes UNBC on their list as an eligible foreign school. If you choose to use another lender, you must contact that lender to ensure UNBC is included on their list prior to submitting your documentation to UNBC.
- A UNBC Statement of Borrower Loan Confirmation (required for each new loan).
Once all the forms are complete, send the completed forms along with your SAR to:
Awards, Financial Aid & Student Employment
University of Northern British Columbia
3333 University Way
Prince George, BC, CANADA
V2N 4Z9 You must be officially admitted to UNBC before the university will process your loan assessment.
If not yet admitted, undergraduates should contact the UNBC International Student Advisor at 250.960.5725.
Entrance & exit counselling
Federal regulations require all first-time Federal Stafford Loan borrowers to participate in Stafford Entrance Loan Counselling before receiving the first disbursement of your loan proceeds.
Student loan borrowers also must participate in Stafford Exit Loan Counseling if their enrolment status falls below half-time, if they withdraw or if they graduate.
For more information, see:
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