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We have to adhere to US regulations, which state that the maximum you can receive in loans cannot exceed the yearly cost of attendance less any other financial aid you may be receiving. You may apply for additional aid through a Professional Judgement for special or unusual circumstances.


Some courses such as Clinical Medicine, Veterinary Medicine/Science, Diploma, Certificate, EMBA and MAC courses are not eligible for federal loans. Some part-time courses may also not be eligible for federal loans. If you are studying any of these courses and require a loan a Private Loan may be an option.


Only apply for the amount that you will need, a loan is a financial burden that has to be paid back with interest, and interest is charged on all your loans.


Note that if you subsequently receive additional financial aid that takes you over the cost of attendance after your loans have been certified in our office, we will have to reduce your loans accordingly.


Please download and fully complete the relevant cost of attendance spreadsheet:



The Universities retention policy can be found via this link, and section 2 and section 5 explains how long we will retain your cost of attendance spreadsheet for - Records Management | Information Compliance (cam.ac.uk) 


For 1st year postgraduate students the conditional offer letter you receive once you have been made an offer details your cost of attendance. Undergraduates you will be informed by your college of your yearly cost of attendance.


MBA students - please refer to 'Fees and Living Expenses' on the Judge Business School website.


In addition to the quoted cost of attendance figure we can look to include the following if requested:


  • Miscellaneous personal expenses: up to £4000
  • Transportation: up to £3600
  • Books, course materials, supplies and equipment: up to £1600
  • Visa: £363
  • Immigration Health Surcharge - £1645 for 1st YR BA students, £705 for courses 1 YR or less, £2115 for 1st YR PhD students


If you would like any of the extra amounts above included, please detail the amount required on your cost of attendance spreadsheet.


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 not be 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.  


US regulations do not permit maintenance for a partner or children to be included in the cost of attendance. If you wish to claim for childcare costs for dependents who are accompanying you during your studies you will be required to provide supporting documentation (e.g. screen shot, invoice etc.).


If you are a PhD student completing research away from Cambridge whilst studying at the University of Cambridge we can also look at including some of the extra costs you may incur, such as accommodation, flights etc. Please provide us with a detailed breakdown of these costs and note that we will be required to confirm with your supervisor that any extra costs are a requirement of your course of study. You must have also applied through your Self-Service to 'work away', and this must have been agreed by all parties on the working away form and be approved on CamSIS.


Postgraduates cannot apply for a Direct PLUS Loan without having first applied for a Direct Loan, and although undergraduate dependent students do not have to apply for a Direct Loan before their parents apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, it is recommended that they do so.


PhD Students


Please provide details if you are working away for any terms of the 2023-2024 academic year and if undertaking any study in the US please ensure that you have entered your initials where requested on your cost of attendance spreadsheet to confirm that your period of study in the US will be no more than 25% of your PhD.


Please send an e-mail to studentloans@admin.cam.ac.uk if you are planning on studying in the US for any period of your PhD.


Also note that with effect from your 10th term you would not normally have to pay fees. If your fees are to be reduced because you are working away or if you are entering your 10th term please complete the spreadsheet accordingly. Current students - before proceeding with your loan request we'll also need to confirm with your supervisor that you are making satisfactory academic progress.


Undergraduate Students


In order to calculate your Direct Stafford loan amount please refer to: What Type of Loan and How Much You Can Borrow.


If you are a dependent undergraduate and one of your Parents is taking a PLUS loan note that US regulations require that we have confirmation from the Parent when a Parent PLUS is taken that all the Parent PLUS loan is to be paid towards fees/charges/accommodation with any remainder being given to the student towards their living expenses. If one of your parents is taking a PLUS loan we will require written confirmation of the above from your parent included with your loan paperwork.


Current undergraduate students - before proceeding with your loan request we will need to confirm with your college that you are making satisfactory academic progress.


Professional Judgements


You may apply for extra aid to be added to your US Federal Loan for either special or unusual circumstances. These are judged on a case by case basis. 


Special circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or in the EFC calculation.


Unusual circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student's dependency status based on a unique situation (human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abandonment, incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override. 


Some more common examples of applying for an increase to your cost of attendance through a professional judgement would be for child care during your study hours, or extra travel that is essential to your studies that is not covered by the amount already allocated in the cost of attendance.


If you need to apply for the above, please email Caroline.Brown@admin.cam.ac.uk with a description of why you are needing to increase your cost of attendance, along with proof of these additional costs, such as day care invoices or flight and hotel quotes. Depending on the requirement, more evidence may be requested so that the professional judgement can be fairly assessed.