Direct Loans for U.S. Students

All first time borrowers must participate in a student on-line entrance counseling process. If this is your first student loan, please also complete the Direct Loan Entrance Counseling module. This online session will explain the rights and obligations of the borrower as well as provide information on how to manage your student loans. Loan funds cannot be disbursed until the counseling session has been completed.

All graduating students, students dropping to part-time enrolment or withdrawing from studies, are required to complete Exit Counseling. This online Exit counseling session provides important information to prepare you to repay your federal student loans. Exit counselling provides important information to prepare you to repay your federal student loans. Completing exit counselling is mandatory for recipients of Direct Loan funding.

Students in receipt of Direct Loan funding are required to maintain student academic progress.

Changes to course load, including dropping a course or withdrawal, may result in ineligibility for all or part of your student loan  funding. Please review the Return of Title IV Funds Policy and contact the Awards & Financial Aid Office immediately if you withdraw or reduce your course load.

Information on tuition fee assessment and financial adjustments is available at carleton.ca/fees under Fee Payment – Fee Assessment.

Programs that are not eligible for funding through the Direct Loan Program when offered by a foreign institution:

• A program offered in whole or in part through telecommunications, otherwise known as distance education (including online courses),
• A program offered in whole or in part through correspondence,
• A program offered in whole or in part through direct assessment,
• A program for which more than 25 percent of the program is provided by an entity that is not eligible to participate in the FSA Programs.

Any student taking even one distance education course at Carleton University is not eligible for funding through the Direct Loan Program.

At Carleton University, programs that are not eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) or other provincial financial aid programs are not eligible for funding through the Direct Loan Program. 

In addition:

• Carleton University diploma and certificate programs are not eligible for Direct Loans.
• The Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) is excluded from Direct Loans funding consideration.
• The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program is excluded from Direct Loans funding consideration.
• The Online MBA Program is not eligible for Direct Loans.
• Students taking programs or courses at Dominican University College are not eligible for Direct Loans.
• Students undertaking a Dual Master’s Degree pathway, doctoral (Phd) students undertaking a cotutelle and US students undertaking an MBA in Shanghai are not eligible for Direct Loans.
• Carleton University and the University of Ottawa have developed a number of joint programs at the graduate level. Email awards@carleton.ca to see if your program may be eligible.

Mature students who do not possess a secondary school completion credential or its equivalent are not eligible for Direct Loans.

• Please see Admissions requirements for US students for more information.

All U.S. students must carefully consider which courses they register in to comply with the legislation and to maintain their eligibility for student loan funding.

Students studying on an official Carleton University exchange are considered to be Carleton students for the subsidized/unsubsidized/PLUS and alternative loans. This means that:

• You pay tuition and fees to Carleton University
• You apply for US loans following Carleton University’s procedures
• Your exchange school is not located within the continental United States
• All exchange schools must be Title IV approved to be eligible to get aid for the exchange. Any university that is not Title IV approved will jeopardize your aid while on exchange and future eligibility for aid.

If you intend to go on an official exchange as part of your program, you must be attending a Title IV eligible school. Please check the Federal School Code list (under Foreign Country) to ensure the partner/host university is eligible.

If your exchange institution is not Title IV eligible, you are not eligible for a U.S. student aid loan while you study abroad. Email awards@carleton.ca to discuss your financial options before you apply you travel abroad.

As per the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, the U.S. government requires institutions offering U.S. Direct Loans to disclose the following consumer information. If you require any further information about the content, please email awards@carleton.ca.

There are loan amount limits based on your year and level of study, as well as accumulated maximums which must be adhered to (loan maximums are set by the US Department of Education).

The maximum PLUS loan amount you can borrow is the cost of attendance (determined by the university – Awards & Financial Aid Office), less any other financial aid (including loans) awarded during the period of enrolment.

For cost of attendance, the Awards & Financial Aid Office uses guidelines from the Canada Student loans program for determining living costs.  These living allowances are standard allowances for a moderate standard of living established by the federal government and vary based on your living situation and province/territory. When additional education-related expenses beyond your standard cost of attendance are incurred, you may request a cost of attendance adjustment for the period of enrolment.  For more information, contact the Awards & Financial Aid Office.