Female student seated next to male student reading a book

American Loans Scheme

Loans available to students from the USA

If you're an American national or permanently resident in the US, you may be able to apply for a US Federal Loan if you are studying at the University of Portsmouth.

We're an eligible Federal Loan institution and our school code is G21159.

If you are considering applying for a Federal Loan, you must contact Fees and Funding team at feeenquiries@port.ac.uk for further information and to discuss your options.

Private loans

You can also apply for a private loan to cover your tuition fees; it’s a helpful alternative if you're unable or don’t wish to borrow Federal Loans. 

The University of Portsmouth does not recommend any specific lender or loan. It’s up to you to check the loan’s terms, like repayments, interest rates, and any delays, and decide if it suits your situation before applying. 

You should not apply for a private loan more than 180 days before the expected disbursement date, which will be after you begin your studies.  

To our knowledge, the lenders listed below offer loans to US citizens studying outside the United States. This list is not complete, and we encourage you to explore other private lenders to see if they can support you during your studies in the UK. 

The below organisations can assist you in applying for the loans offered by Earnest and Sallie Mae: 

Contact us 

If you have further enquiries regarding the Direct Loan Program or private loans, please email the Fees and Funding team at feeenquiries@port.ac.uk or call us on +44 (0)23 9284 7745. 

Consumer information

Explore all the key pieces of consumer information relating to the US loans scheme in the table below.

The University’s Admissions Policy details the arrangements for the admission of students to our courses.

The University expects any of its employees who have responsibilities with respect to U.S. loans to abide by a code of conduct, which prohibits:

  • 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.

* If you are applying for a private U.S. student loan the University will work with, in most cases, 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.

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

For information on crime rates in the local area please refer to POLICE.UK.

The University’s Data Protection Statement for students explains how the personal – and sensitive personal data collected by the University may be used, including some examples of processing.

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.  The University of Portsmouth is one of the degree-awarding bodies recognised under that Act.  For the current list of recognised bodies please refer to GOV.UK.

The University seeks to protect students against the risks arising from substance misuse. For further information please refer to the University’s Student Drugs and Alcohol Policy.

The University actively seeks to create and maintain an environment safe from the risks of fire – in compliance with all relevant legislation, including

For further information, please email the Health & Safety team at hsservicedesk@port.ac.uk.

 

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 ("the Act") gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities.  For further information please refer to our Freedom of Information pages.

For information on annual loan amounts, loan terms, and sample repayment schedules, please refer to the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website.

If a Direct Loan is taken out by a student at the University we will submit the details to the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS),and this data will be accessible to guarantee agencies, lenders and schools determined to be authorised users of the data system.  For further information on the National Student Loan Database System please refer to NSLDS.

The HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey is available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The timeframes and methodology associated with this survey are also explained on this website.

For undergraduate courses, you can also view useful statistics from the HESA survey and National Student Survey via the Key Information Sets available through Discover Uni.

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

The University’s Safeguarding Policy: Children and Vulnerable Adults policy seeks to support activities involving children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and to offer assurances to both staff, students, volunteers and visitors that, through its implementation, the University seeks to protect them and to keep them safe from harm when in contact with University students and staff.

Students have an obligation of Satisfactory Academic Progression (SAP) within the Federal Aid program – for further information, please refer to the University’s Federal Aid - Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) guidance.

The University is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all students.  No student will be excluded from entry to any programme as a result of discrimination on the grounds of disability.  For information on services and facilities for students with disabilities, please refer to our support for disabled students page.

The University is committed to delivering a high-quality student experience that aims to meet and exceed student expectations.  For further information please refer to the University’s Student Charter page.

The University’s Code of Student Behaviour outlines acceptable behaviour of students of the University, both on and off campus, in order to secure the proper working of the University.

Ensuring an excellent student experience is one of the headline aims of the University.  A major part of that experience relates to how we communicate to and with our students.  For further information please refer to the University’s Student Voice Policy.

The Student Complaint procedure explains both the University’s internal informal and formal mechanisms, and the external independent Ombudsman’s procedure, for the resolution of complaints.

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

For information regarding student health and well-being, including vaccination information, please refer to the health and well-being icon on our MyPort.

Withdrawals and Interruptions

If a student who receives Title IV funding withdraws, interrupts for more than 180 days, or drops below half time attendance the University will follow the requirements of returning funds laid down by the U.S. Department of Education.  For further information please refer to the University’s Return of Title IV Funds guidance.