Application procedure

• University/School Codes
• What Happens Next
• Master Promissory Note (MPN)
• Applying for a Direct PLUS Loan

To receive student financial aid the first step is to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can apply online from the FAFSA website. In order to sign your FAFSA online you'll need an FSA ID and information and a link to creating an FSA ID is on the FAFSA website.

University/School Codes

One of the steps in completing the FAFSA is supplying the appropriate School Code for the College you will be attending at the University of Cambridge. Please use the code for the College at which you have been accepted.

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What Happens Next

Once your FAFSA has been completed and processed you'll be sent a Student Aid Report (SAR) which you can view, print out and keep. This document lists the information you and your family have provided and tells you what your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is for the year you are applying. The EFC is used to determine eligibility for needs based financial aid and relates to the subsidized portion of the Stafford loan. Please check your name, social security number, date of birth and all other information to make sure that it is accurate. It is important that you check the comments section on your SAR, as there may be issues that you need to address and any unresolved issues may delay the processing of your loan. 

We will send you an email confirming receipt of your FAFSA once it arrives with our office which can take up to a week after you have submitted it online. This email will also contain information on the other steps that need to be taken to complete your loan application with us.

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Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Students taking a Federal Direct Loan are required to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN). If taking both a Direct Loan and a PLUS Loan a separate MPN is required to be signed for each loan and MPN’s must be completed on your College’s school code. The MPN is a legal document through which you promise to repay your Direct Loan. The MPN details the conditions of your Direct Loan and the terms under which you agree to pay it back. You will need to complete a new MPN for each academic year that you take out a Direct Loan. You can complete a Direct Loan MPN online at the StudentLoans.gov website. You will need your FSA ID.

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Applying for a Direct PLUS Loan

If you are taking a Direct PLUS Loan in addition to the Direct Loan you will need to complete a Direct PLUS Loan application (PLUS Loan application) and this must be done on your College’s school code. Please take a screen shot print of the credit check and include it with your application as we will require proof that the PLUS Loan has been approved.

After you sign-in on the StudentLoans.gov website, when you get to the drop-down menu please select the College you'll be attending. The format will be University of Cambridge - College Name. You cannot complete your MPN(s) until you have been accepted at a College. Please keep a copy of the MPNs for your reference.

In order to apply for your loans you must have completed your 2023-24 SAR (on your College's school code) and also an electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN) (on your college's school code) for each loan you take out. So if taking a Direct Loan and PLUS loan you need to complete a seperate MPN for both the Direct Loan and the PLUS loan. It's very important that your college's school code is included on the SAR and your MPN(s).

Please send just one e-mail to StudentLoans@admin.cam.ac.uk this must include all the required attachments.

The subject line of your e-mail must be of the following format: First name SURNAME (USN) (College Name) (Course of study)

The required attachments to be included in your e-mail are detailed below:

1. Entrance counselling, this needs to include both Direct Loan and Direct PLUS Loan if taking both types of loan. This is required even if already completed at another University. It is not required by current students if they have already completed the relevant entrance counselling for our office.
2. Direct PLUS Loan credit approval (if taking)
3. Relevant completed Cost of Attendance spreadsheet (please amend to print to one page if this doesn’t automatically happen)
4. Copy of confirmation of offer/conditional offer letter (if received). This is not required for current students who have previously taken a Federal Loan.

We require that you inform our office if you have plans to carry out any period of your studies (working away/internship/placement/completing fieldwork etc.) in the US or at any institution other than the University of Cambridge. If undertaking any study in the US we require confirmation that the period in the US will be no more than 25% of your program of study (to confirm this to our office please ensure that you have entered your initials where requested on your cost of attendance spreadsheet). This information is required in order that we can ensure that your eligibility for Title IV Direct Loans will not be affected. Please e-mail studentloans@admin.cam.ac.uk if this is something that will affect you. 

Undergraduates please refer to the Cost of Attendance page with regards to what is required.

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