Who can apply

To be eligible for the US Department of Education's Direct Loan Program loans, you need to be:

• an eligible US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• not in default or owing a return repayment on a federal student loan
• enrolled in a full degree program (graduate diplomas and graduate certificate programs do not qualify for Direct and PLUS Loans).

Staying eligible

While you are enrolled, to remain eligible, you need to:

• be enrolled at least half time in a degree program
• make satisfactory academic progress
• be on track to complete your degree within 150 percent of the allocated course timeframe (maximum timeframe)
• not enrol in courses offered by online, telecommunication or distance delivery in whole or part.

Program restrictions

Bachelor of Arts, Commerce, Economics and Science students (Open Learning Environment units)

If you are enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Economics or Bachelor of Science (or related degree), or combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies, you are required to complete 12 credit points of Open Learning Environment (OLE) units to meet your course requirements.

Most OLE units are offered online. Under US law, students receiving Direct Loans are not eligible to undertake online units. There is a selection of OLE units that have been designed with face-to-face teaching and are eligible units for Direct Loan recipients to undertake. Be sure to select face-to-face units when enrolling to remain eligible for Direct Loans.

Medicine students

The Doctor of Medicine is not an eligible program for US Federal Student Aid. Students enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine are not able to receive Direct Loans and will need to seek alternate funding options, such as private loans.

Nursing students

Due to US Department of Education regulations effective 1 July 2012, the University of Sydney is not able to provide US Federal Student Aid for students studying nursing degrees. Students will need to seek alternate funding options, such as private loans.