Funding for U.S. students

McMaster is a Title IV-approved institution. US students and their parents are eligible to apply for financial aid through the Federal Direct Loan Program administered by the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office of the US Department of Education. The grant programs of the U.S. Department of Education are not open to foreign schools. A US Grant is not available to you while you are a student at McMaster. The Federal School Code for McMaster University is G06853.

What is McMaster’s Federal School Code?

McMaster University’s Federal School Code is G06853

I’m not getting as much as I expected, how can I appeal my Direct Loan entitlement?

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is calculated by the university. You cannot borrow more than this amount or appeal its calculation. If the funding you receive does not meet your financial need, you can also look into private loans.

If you applied for a Direct PLUS Loan and have been denied due to adverse credit history, you can complete an extenuating circumstances appeal 

When do I start to repay my Direct Loans?

You can start repaying your loans at any time, but you are only required to once you are no longer registered in full-time studies. For more on repayment, visit: www.studentaid.gov.

I am a dual American and Canadian citizen. What are my government loan options?

If you are a dual Canadian/American citizen, you may be eligible for student loans through your home province, with the exception of Ontario.

You can only receive government student aid from one country in a given school year.

I have questions about my Direct Loans, who do I contact?

For questions on FAFSA, eligibility, loan repayment and forgiveness and applying for and receiving aid, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

You can contact student.services@mcmaster.ca about the processing of your loans once your application has been submitted.

I need to withdraw  and/or repeat a course, what do I do?

If you are considering changing your course load or withdrawing from a program, please contact awards@mcmaster.ca, as it may impact your eligibility and loan status.

Can I apply for U.S. Direct Loans for the spring/summer term?

The loan maximum set by the Department of Education apply to the academic year (September – August of the following year).

If you use the maximum amount in Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized  funding for the fall/winter term (September – April period) and then decide to take summer courses, you are not eligible for any further Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized funding for the summer term (May – August).

If you do not use the entire annual loan limit during the fall/winter term, you may be eligible to receive the rest for the remaining academic year or summer term.

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