US Student Finance

William D. Ford Direct Loan Program

Lund University is a participating institution in the US Government Federal William D. Ford Direct Loan Program for our undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral programmes. This includes the Stafford Loans and the Graduate Plus Loans.

Please note that this loan programme is only available to US citizens or eligible non-citizens. Lund University does not administer any other loan programme at the moment. If you are not an eligible non-citizen or citizen of the United States of America, please have a look at our scholarship programmes instead. 

General information about Direct Loans

Direct Loans are made available to students attending university at least half time. The US Department of Education is the lender, and you receive the loan money through your university. There are two types of Stafford Loans; you may receive a Direct Subsidised Loan, a Direct Unsubsidised Loan, or both for the same academic year. The Direct Subsidised Loan is based on financial need, as determined under federal regulations. Students may qualify for a Direct Unsubsidised Loan regardless of their financial situation, since need is not a factor in determining eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidised Loan. There is also a third type of loan available called a PLUS Loan.

Awards

A graduate student can borrow up to the cost of attendance (COA), which is defined by Lund University. The COA at Lund University includes costs for tuition and living expenses (travel to and from Sweden, accommodation, books, etc.) for the academic year. The loans within the Direct Loan Program are often referred to as “Stafford Loans”. These loans have a total aggregate limit of $138 500 and the maximum amount a student can borrow each academic year is $20 500.

Stafford Loans are divided into two categories, subsidised and unsubsidised. The US government pays the interest on all subsidised parts of the Stafford Loans while the student is still enrolled at a university, during grace periods and other specified periods. A student is only eligible for a subsidised Stafford Loan if the student demonstrates financial need. The borrower is always responsible for the interest that accrues on unsubsidised loans.  If the COA is calculated to be more than $20 500, a student is usually able to apply for a GradPLUS loan, so that the full COA can be covered. The GradPLUS loan is not need-based, but please note that it requires a pristine credit history.

Application dates

Future students:

If you are applying for studies at Lund University and you plan to fund your studies with the help of funds from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, it is highly recommended that you start the process of applying for student finance as soon as possible. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opens on 1 January for the upcoming academic year starting in September.

The earlier you are able to file your FAFSA the better! If you file your FAFSA during January, we will be able to process your application and notify you of your eligibility a few days after you receive the selection results from our admissions office.

Current student at Lund University:

If you are already a student at Lund University and you have previously borrowed funds from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, you will receive an email from our US Student Finance Administrator once it is time to complete a new FAFSA. If you need a new loan or an additional loan, the deadline is 30 June.