Financial Aid - No BS/BA but in vet school?

[Nexx]

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Hi folks, odd question. My financial aid adviser has me a bit on edge and hasn't emailed me back since Friday.

So here's the deal, I haven't finished my undergrad degree yet but am leaving in a month to start school. He vaguely asked me if I had finished my degree yet, after I asked him if the total cost of attendance had changed, and if I was pretty much guaranteed to get the max amount of stafford loans available.

Since I'm heading to a foreign school (Murdoch in Australia), I know they are considered by them an undergrad degree but viewed by the US (typically at least) as equivalent to a Grad degree and therefore fund as such. But I was wondering if, since I haven't finished my undergrad studies (one semester to go technically) if I might only be able to get lower loan amounts.

I haven't been able to find anything online so I'm just kind of hanging in limbo until I hear back from him and I don't want to wait much longer because I'll have to get another credit check done when I apply for an increase in the Grad Plus loan.

Thanks in advance!👍

 

[ratbandit]

When you fill out FAFSA just make sure you put that you are pursuing a professional/grad degree even though it is undergrad there it is still "professional" and you'll get the same amount as some1 w/ a BS going to an approved international school. I dont think they care if you have a BS or anything already, at least I'm almost 100% sure they don't care.

 

[judyrvc]

Unless things have changes in the last couple of years, you may only be able to get the lower amounts. I went to vet school in England (RVC) and could only get $18,500 a year in Staffords because it is a bachelors degree. I'm under the impression that grad students in the US got $30,000+. Of course things got more complicated when some bill got passed a year into my vet school which dropped us from getting Staffords at all during years 2-4. They got re-established in year 5, but that was already after $100,000+ was taken out in private loans. Unfortunately my interest rates on those private loans are hovering between 8 and 10% where the Staffodrs are locked in at 3% or less. It sucks, but nothing I can do about it. You may have to suffer with the private loans but you can eventually pay it back...at least I hope...mine are all being deferred at this time.

 

[chris03333]

Unless things have changes in the last couple of years, you may only be able to get the lower amounts. I went to vet school in England (RVC) and could only get $18,500 a year in Staffords because it is a bachelors degree. I'm under the impression that grad students in the US got $30,000+. Of course things got more complicated when some bill got passed a year into my vet school which dropped us from getting Staffords at all during years 2-4. They got re-established in year 5, but that was already after $100,000+ was taken out in private loans. Unfortunately my interest rates on those private loans are hovering between 8 and 10% where the Staffodrs are locked in at 3% or less. It sucks, but nothing I can do about it. You may have to suffer with the private loans but you can eventually pay it back...at least I hope...mine are all being deferred at this time.

18500 is the grad amount. This is what you get as an inernational. (ugrad is like 10000). The 30000 figure is for med type students (we get as vet students in the US).

 

[laurafinn]

18500 is the grad amount. This is what you get as an inernational. (ugrad is like 10000). The 30000 figure is for med type students (we get as vet students in the US).

This is one of the major disadvantages of going to vet school abroad, imo. I'm not sure why we can't get the $30K per year, but I asked my school specifically and was told it's not possible. On the bright side, Stafford grad maximums are going up to $20K or so in July. And Grad Plus loans are at a fixed 8.5% and can be used for the remaining Cost of Attendance.

 

[Nexx]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should clarify a little. I was wondering if I would receive only the undergrad (Junior/senior level) limits of $10,500. My other concern was that I'm being overly paranoid! Time to email a reminder I guess!

And Grad Plus loans are at a fixed 8.5% and can be used for the remaining Cost of Attendance.

Wachovia has a grad plus loan that the interest rate during school ends up being 7.9%. An FYI for those looking into Grad Plus loans, read the details of the lenders program about payback! Not all of them defer payment while you are in school so if you need to do that be sure you choose appropriately.