In terms of loans . . . if they work on the same principle as Glasgow and RVC, your Stafford limit is $20,500 per year. $8500 is subsidized (and I think in part subject to your EFIC from your FAFSA), $12000 is unsubsidized. I found a footnote reference in a document (
here) which states that international schools may not award the additional $20000. There is no emphasis on the word may, and the sentence structure leaves it unclear as to whether this is a statement of prohibition or a statement leaving the extra funds at the option of the school.
The GradPLUS is unrelated to anything except determination of eligibility (basically no adverse credit history for 5 years prior, with adverse being some pretty major stuff like defaults, bankruptcy, and 90-day delinquencies). The school calculates a Cost of Attendance (COA) which is the tuition + Cost of Living, and you can borrow up to COA per year on GradPLUS. If the school is certified as a FAFSA recipient, then the terms will be the same as if you went to a US school. For loan purposes, it *is* a US school.
Time to apply for financial aid is somewhat important, and tied up in the visa rules. You will be applying for an extended student visa under Tier 4 of the new Home Office rules. Per these rules, to qualify for a visa you must meet 40 points of eligibility. 30 points come from a letter from the school which has accepted you, which must contain certain details (that the school should be well aware of). The other 10 points come from having funds to cover the first year of your course plus 5400 GBP for cost of living (outside of London, for those living in London, you need 7200 GBP). These funds must be in place for 30 days prior to making an application for visa, which can not be done prior to 3 months before planning to enter the country, which can not be done prior to one month before starting your course. Proof of a loan in your name is considered to be proof of funds available.
So . . . backtracking from
my course start date (September 28 @ RVC), I can not enter England before August 28, can not apply for my visa before May 28, and therefore must have funds available (i.e., proof of loan) by April 28, if I want to keep this schedule. As is stands, I don't expect to have my loan certified before the end of this week at the earliest - I've been approved, but the school still needs to process the paperwork - so my time-table is pushed back considerably.
Not sure when the Edinburgh term starts, but I would guess substantively later than you would at Tufts. I could be very wrong.
🙂
Most US students (according to RVC) open bank accounts - you need 6 months of bank statements.
I think on the subject of surgical techniques . . . you're not limited to learning techniques while in school, right? so once you're out, if you practice back in the US, you can learn techniques that you didn't learn in school . . . for me, this would not be an issue.
Of course, if you decide to go to Edinburgh, that opens up a seat at Tufts . . . which means that they might look at the alternate list.
😀
and my email for the past few days obsessingly..um..okay more than my usual obsessing. I know it won't get me an answer quicker but I like to comfort myself with others positive adcom decisions from this cycle. 
This is gross, yet appropriate.
