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William D Ford Federal Direct Loans

Direct Loans (formerly known as Stafford Loans) are educational loans to assist US citizens with the costs of studying. Unsubsidised Loans and Plus Loans are available through the Direct Loan programme operated by the US Education Department. Please note that postgraduate students are not eligible for Subsidised Loans.

You should consider the Unsubsidised Direct Loans first, as usually this is the cheapest way of borrowing. If you need additional funding you should then consider a Direct Plus Loan. The maximum total borrowed from Direct and private loans cannot exceed the annual maximum Cost of Attendance. For Direct Loan application details please see How to Apply for a US Federal Loan. Please note that only on-campus degree students are eligible for Federal Direct Loans at the RCA. 

Students studying for the MA History of Design are not eligible for US loans because of the programme's partnership with the V&A Museum, which is not designated for funding for US Loans. However, you may be eligible for Private Loans instead (please see below).

The Graduate Diploma Art & Design is not currently eligible for US loan funding, however students may be eligible for Private Loans instead (please see below).

The School Federal Direct Loan Code is G09423 – Royal College of Art.

If you have any questions about applying for US loans, please contact [email protected]

To keep up to date with changes to US Federal Loans please see the  Federal Student Aid website.

Postgraduate Unsubsidised Direct Loans

Unsubsidised: not based on financial need; interest is charged during all periods. The maximum postgraduate Unsubsidised Loan is $20,500.

Unsubsidised Origination fee: 1.057% (for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020).

Postgraduate Research students are eligible to borrow loans during full-time, part-time (half time) and extension of writing up (continuation) research status periods. Extension of enrolment and under examination research statuses are not eligible.

Direct Plus Loan

Unsubsidised Direct loans have lower interest rates and more flexible repayment options, so if you are eligible you should apply for these loans first. You may need to take out additional loans to top up your funding. You should first consider Grad Plus Loan for postgraduate degree students. Please note that Plus Loans are subject to credit checking and applicants cannot have an adverse credit history.

Plus Origination fee: 4.228% (for loans first disbursed on or after 1 October 2020)

Private Loans

There may be some private loans available to US students studying abroad. Private loans are subject to credit checking. Some RCA students in the past had Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loans. We are not currently aware of other US loan providers of private loans for international study but we do not have a preferred lender list. You should consider terms and conditions carefully in comparison with Federal Direct Loans. If you choose to apply for a private loan, please send details of the lender and loan required as soon as you can to [email protected] so that the loan application can be reviewed and certified in time for the start of term.

Further information

Loan Disclosures
For information about all need-based and non-need-based federal, local, private and institutional student financial assistance available to students at the College, please see our Funding your studies pages.

Facilities and Services Available to Students with Disabilities
Information about the facilities and services available to students with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, is available from the Student Support Office.

Cost of Attendance
For information about the cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation costs, and any other additional costs, please here. Occasionally, there may be additional costs for your course; if so, this will be outlined to you by your Programme.

Refund Policy, Requirements for Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Financial aid
For information about the University's refund policy, please see our Fee payments and refunds pages. Requirements for the return of Title IV funds are published in the University's Return to Title IV (R2T4) Policy.

Procedures for withdrawal are outlined in the R2T4 Policy.

Academic Programme Information
For information about current degree programmes and other educational and training programmes available at the University, please see the School pages.

Transfer of Credit Policies and Articulation Agreements
The RCA has no transfer arrangements with other schools or institutions.

Copyright infringement policies and sanctions (including computer use and file sharing)
Unauthorised distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorised peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject you to civil and criminal liabilities.

The University's policies and sanctions related to copyright infringement and peer-to-peer file sharing are available in Sections 8 and 23 of the College Regulations.

School and Programme Accreditation, Approval or Licensure
In the UK, the power to award degrees is regulated by law and the Privy Council is responsible for the granting of degree awarding powers and university titles. The University's power to award degrees derives from Section 214 of the Education Reform Act 1988. This University is one of the degree-awarding bodies recognised under that Act. In 1967 the College was granted a Royal Charter, endowing it with university status and the power to grant its own degrees.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Policies and penalties associated with drug-related offences are outlined in Section 7 of the College Regulations.

The US Department of Education provides information on the penalties associated with drug-related offences under the US Higher Education Act. Should you lose eligibility for your US student loan as a result of these penalties, we will provide you with a written notice which notifies you of your loss of eligibility and advises you of the ways in which to regain eligibility.

Vaccinations Policy
Advice about vaccinations is outlined on our Pre-arrival guide which can be downloaded from the  pages. Should vaccinations be required for individual programmes of study, for example, courses involving study abroad, this will be communicated to you by your department.

Textbook Information
Information about any required and recommended textbooks for your course will be provided to you by your programme. Should you require specific information about textbooks, please contact the relevant programme for advice.

Completion/Graduation and Transfer-out Rates for Students Receiving Athletically Related Student Aid
Not applicable to any courses at the RCA.

Retention Rate
Information on the University’s retention rate is available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Completion/Graduation and Transfer-out Rates
Information on the University’s completion and transfer-out rates is available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Placement in Employment, Types of Graduate and Professional Education in which the School's Graduates Enrol and Job Placement Rates
The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey is available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The time frames and methodology associated with this survey are also explained on this website.

Intercollegiate Athletic Programme Participation Rates and Financial Support Data
The University does not have an intercollegiate athletic programme.

Security Report – Missing Person Notification Policy
For information regarding missing student and attendance policies, please see Section 4 of the College Regulations.

Privacy of Student Records

The College’s Data Protection and Privacy statement is outlined here. For information on how to make a request for access to personal data under the Act, please email the Registry.

Should you have a complaint about the processing of your US loan, you have the right to file complaints with the US Department of Education, although it would be preferable that you contact us first so that we can try to resolve the problem for you.

Student Loan Information Published by the US Department of Education
The University will provide information published by the US Department of Education to students at any time that information regarding loan availability is requested, including the rights and responsibilities of students and schools under Title IV HEA (Higher Education Act) loan programs.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
If you take out a federal loan at the RCA, we will submit the details of your loan to NSLDS and this data will be accessible to guaranty agencies, lenders and schools determined to be authorised users of the data system.

Entrance Counselling for Student Loan Borrowers
Prior to the first disbursement, first-time borrowers will be provided with comprehensive information on the terms and conditions of the loan and of the borrower’s responsibilities through entrance counselling. At the RCA, entrance counselling is required to be completed via the StudentLoans.gov website before a loan will be approved.

Exit Counselling for Student Loan Borrowers
The University will direct borrowers of loans (other than for Parent PLUS loans) to complete exit counselling shortly before the student borrower ceases at least half-time study at the school. At the RCA, all exit counselling should be completed via StudentLoans.gov. Any student who fails to complete exit counselling via StudentLoans.gov will be emailed a copy of the exit counselling guide, produced by the US Department of Education.

PLUS Counselling for Student Loan Borrowers
Prior to the first disbursement, first-time borrowers will be required to undertake PLUS counselling. This includes any students who are informed by the US Department of Education that they have an adverse credit history (and have obtained an approved endorser or documented to the satisfaction of the US Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances related to the adverse credit history). At the RCA, PLUS counselling is required to be completed via StudentLoans.gov before a loan will be approved.  

Private Education Loan Disclosures
It is stated clearly on the US loans and Private loans pages that most students at RCA are eligible for federal loans and that these are normally much cheaper than private loans.

Code of Conduct for Education Loans
The University's code of conduct for US education loans is as follows:

In order to prohibit a conflict of interest with the responsibilities of an agent with respect to private education loans, all agents at the University with responsibility for US loans are prohibited from:

  • revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender
  • receiving gifts from a lender, a guarantor, or a loan servicer
  • contracting arrangements providing financial benefit from any lender or affiliate of a lender
  • directing borrowers to particular lenders* or refusing or delaying loan certifications
  • offers of funds for private loans
  • call centre or financial aid office staffing assistance; and
  • advisory board compensation

All agents with responsibility for US loans are reminded at least annually of the code.

* If you are applying for a private US student loan, the University will work with whichever private lender you decide to use, if they are willing to work with us. Please note that we are only aware of one lender currently offering such loans, which is Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae is not a preferred lender and this does not represent a preferred lender arrangement.