To be eligible for U.S. federal student aid, you must be enrolled in a degree-granting program.

For more information, visit the Federal Student Loans website.

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
   1. The school code for York is G07679.
   2. The FAFSA form is available for the following academic year as of October 1 of each year. For example, the FAFSA for the 2023-24 academic year became available on October 1, 2022.
2. Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) form. You must complete a new MPN each year you apply for financial aid.
3. For all first-time Direct loan and Grad PLUS loan borrows, you must complete the student loan entrance counselling requirement.
4. 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. The institution will be notified when the session is complete. You can complete entrance counselling online at the Federal Student Loans website.
5. Complete the US Student Information form. You can email it to usloans@yorku.ca or fax it to (416) 736-5386.

If you need an award letter for your immigration visa, please email usloans@yorku.ca.

Applying for summer session

If you are a first-time applicant, complete all the numbered steps listed above.

If you are a continuing student, complete only steps 2 and 4 listed above.

• Applications for the upcoming academic year are processed beginning July 1. This can take up to six weeks.
• New applications cannot be completed until your final acceptance to York is confirmed.
• You must submit required documentation to Student Support and Advising by June 30 to ensure timely release of your loans.

• If you submit your loan application and/or supporting documents after mid-August, the release of your loans may be delayed and you could be charged interest.
• As per U.S. Department of Education guidelines, your loan can only be originated 10 days prior to the first day of classes.
• You will receive an email detailing the funds you were awarded.
• Funds can only be posted to your York Student Account after the first day of classes for the study period. 
• York’s accounting system bases the conversion from U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars on the exchange rate effective the day the funds are posted.

The loan amounts are calculated by the following formulas (see definitions below):

• Subsidized loan = (COA) - (EFC) - (EFA)
• Unsubsidized loan = (COA) - (Subsidized Loan) - (EFA)
• The Cost of Attendance = (COA) - (EFC) - (EFA)

The Cost of Attendance (COA) includes not only tuition and fees but also living expenses, books, supplies, personal expenses and transportation costs for the eight-month period while you will be in school.

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is based on the student's (and if applicable, the student's family's) income and assets, as was reported on the FAFSA form. The EFC is reported on the SAR and the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). It is based on an eight months period of enrolment.

The Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA) usually takes the form of scholarships, grants, loans or work that is awarded on the basis of postsecondary enrolment.

Note: all loan amounts issued are in U.S. funds.

Annual Loan Limits for Graduate and Professional Students

Aggregate Lifetime Direct Loan Limits

The aggregate loan limit is the amount of aid that a student may borrow under the Direct Loan program.

Private loans are available to students who require additional funding to meet their educational expenses. Students should apply for the Direct loan first and then apply for additional funding. Please note that this is a credit-based loan program, thus students must have a satisfactory credit history in order to qualify. Students registered in non-degree programs may be eligible to apply for private loans. More information on private loans for US students can be found on the Global Education website.

Note: York University abides by the following prohibitions: revenue sharing arrangement with any lender, receiving gift from lender, contracting arrangement, directing borrowers to particular lender, offer of funds for private loans, advisory board compensation.

U.S. Student Loans Consumer Information

Under U.S. Department of Education regulations, you must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards as established by the University. Your grades are reviewed at the end of each academic session against these standards: if you do not meet them, you are not eligible for Direct Loans for the following academic session.

The study periods for transfer credits you earned at other institutions are counted toward the maximum time frame.

If you complete your degree program and begin another one at York, your credit totals restart at zero and new credit limits apply.

If you change academic programs before completing your degree, the expected time frame to complete your new degree program may change.

For more information, contact Student Support and Advising.

Full-time undergraduate students

You must:

• complete and pass a minimum of 20 credits per year. You must maintain a minimum of 67% of your course load (20 out of 30 credits) throughout your studies.
• maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 (C average) for Ordinary Degree or 5.0 (C+ average) for Honors Degree; for further details on grades please refer to the information on grades and grading schemes in the Academic Calendar.
• complete your program:
  • For Honours - 120 credits: you must complete and pass at least 20 credits per year (which includes the summer term) within a 6-year period
  • For Ordinary - 90 credits: you must complete and pass at least 20 credits per year (which includes the summer term) within a 4.5-year period

Part-time undergraduate students

If you choose to study on a part time basis, you may be eligible for aid however, you may not complete the program within the maximum time frame set by the US government.

Graduate students

You must:

• be enrolled full-time (F/T) or part-time (P/T).
• pass all of your courses (P is considered a passing grade)
• complete your degree program:
  • For Graduate - 1 year programs: you must complete and pass within 1.5 years (which includes the summer term)
  • For Graduate - 2 year programs: you must complete and pass within 3 years (which includes the summer term)
  • For Ph.D. - 4 year programs: you must complete and pass within 6 years (which includes the summer term)

Credit Completion

Repeated courses, withdrawals and incompletes all count toward credit completion. Non-credit courses are not considered in determining SAP.

Periods when you do not receive U.S. financial aid still count toward the maximum degree completion time frame.

Failing a repeated course that you previously passed results in zero credits completed.

Grade changes affecting the determination of SAP delay the processing of your U.S. financial aid.

If you do not make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), you receive an email confirming your grade point average has been reviewed for the prior academic year.

You can appeal the SAP decision before the next academic year begins. You must submit a letter of explanation to Student Support and Advising outlining:

• the circumstances contributing to your lack of academic progress — for example, medical conditions, a family crisis, or financial difficulties
• strategies to improve your academic progress going forward
• documentation to support the claims in your appeal 

You will be notified of the appeal decision in writing.

If you appeal successfully, you are placed on academic probation for one year, during which you must make SAP and provide Student Support and Advising with mid-term progress reports.

If you fail to make SAP after an appeal, you are not eligible for financial aid under the Direct Loan program.

Your Satisfactory Academic Progress will be impacted by courses that are withdrawn after the last day to drop a course without receiving a grade and receive a grade of “W”. Your overall GPA calculations will be subject to add/drop courses per the add/drop deadlines.

If you withdraw from your program, you will be reassessed to determine if you're eligible to receive all or part of the US funding that was disbursed. The percentage of aid that must be returned is based on the number of days in attendance and by the number of days remaining in the study period. A repayment would not be required if you attend more than 60% of the year before withdrawing.

You are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid Office within 10 business days of your withdrawal. The university will be responsible to return any unearned funds to the US Government of Education within 30 days from the withdrawal date.

If you do not receive all the funds earned you may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement.

Once you officially withdraw from the university the date is indicated on your student record by the Registrar’s Office. This date will be used in the withdrawal calculation.

Students will be considered to have an unofficial withdrawal when their record indicates all failing grades and they can document attendance in at least one of their classes. The withdrawal date will be deemed to be the mid-point of the payment period. If you cannot document attendance for at least one of your classes all Direct Loan funding will be cancelled and returned to the U.S. Department of Education.

Return to Title IV Funds Policy

When returning Title IV funds, they must be returned in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Direct Loans
2. Subsidized Direct Loans
3. Direct PLUS loans

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement (PWD)

If the student did not receive all the funds that were earned prior to withdrawing, a post-withdrawal disbursement may be required. Loans will be offered to the student within 30 days, allowing the student at least 14 days to respond. The school must receive the student’s permission before the funds are disbursed. Students may choose to decline some or all of the loan funds so that no additional debt is incurred. All post-withdrawal disbursements are applied to the student’s account first, and any resulting credit balance is disbursed to the student within 14 days.

If the amount to be returned exceeds the school’s portion, the student must return the remaining amount. Any loan funds that the student must return, you, or your parent for a Direct PLUS Loan, must repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.

You must complete student loan exit counselling if:

• you are graduating from your academic program (you must complete exit counselling during your final term and before your degree conferral date)
• you are dropping to part-time enrolment status
• you withdraw from the University.