Students who are pending admission to one of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Programs or taking courses for teaching endorsement or licensure while not enrolled in a degree program are potentially eligible for federal financial aid. Students may be eligible for student loans at undergraduate loan limits. The student must have remaining undergraduate loan eligibility, meaning s/he has not reached the aggregate limit. In addition, the courses must be required for teaching endorsement or licensure. Courses taken for endorsement in administration, counseling, technology, etc. are not financial aid eligible unless the student is admitted and enrolled in a degree program.
Below is a breakdown of aggregate undergraduate loan limits as well as instructions of how to access your loan history on the National Student Loan Database System. You may use a review of the NSLDS system to determine if you have remaining undergraduate loan eligibility and would be financial aid eligible if you are pending admission to one of the MAT programs or taking classes as a non-degree seeking student for teaching endorsement or licensure.
Aggregate Limits:
Independent Undergraduate limit: $57,500
Dependent Undergraduate limit: $31,000
Annual Limits:
Independent Undergraduate limit: $12,500 per academic year
Dependent Undergraduate limit: $5,500 per academic year
Please note that a dependent student for the 2019-2020 academic year would be one who:
- was not born before January 1, 1996
- is not married
- does not have children which s/he provides more than 50% of the support
- is not admitted and enrolled in a graduate program
Dependent students must include parental information on the FAFSA in order to receive financial aid while pending admission to the MAT programs or taking classes for teaching endorsement or licensure.
Students must still meet all other financial aid eligibility requirements which can be found here: http://www.nl.edu/financialaid/financialaidinformation/eligibility/
How to access your loan history:
1. Log on to the National Student Loan Database System: https://nslds.ed.gov/nslds/nslds_SA/
2. Once logged into NSLDS you can view your complete loan history. If you have received less than the aggregate limit of undergraduate loans based on your dependency status you are potentially eligible for aid.