Students who attend the BSN-Express program offered by the College of Nursing may be eligible for federal financial assistance in the form of Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans at the undergraduate level. The BSN-Express program is a second-undergraduate degree; therefore federal, state, and/or institutional grant funding is not available to students in this program.
Borrowing Federal Direct Loans
The number of transfer credits a student is admitted with into the program determines the student’s grade level, which in turn determines the borrowing amount of Direct Subsidized and/or Direct Unsubsidized loan a student may utilize. Students who wish to borrow Federal Direct Subsidized and/or Direct Unsubsidized Loans need to complete an Entrance Interview and sign a Master Promissory Note online at www.studentloans.gov. More information about the Federal Direct Loan program can be found on our website. Please note that if you are close to reaching the aggregate limit on Federal Direct Loans, your borrowing eligibility for the BSN Express program may be limited.
The BSN-Express program stretches over 14-months with students attending the following terms: Summer 2013; Fall 2013; Spring 2014; Summer 2014.
By using a borrower-based academic year, BSN-Express students are able to fully maximize their eligibility for Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loan funds through the length of their program. An example of a Borrower-Based Direct Loan for an independent, junior-level student is as follows:
| Borrower Based Loan | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Summer 2013/Fall 2013 (13/14 Academic Year) |
$5,500-Subsidized $7,000-Unsubsidized |
| Spring 2014 (13/14 Academic Year) |
$5,500-Subsidized* $7,000-Unsubsidized* *if the full amount fits within your cost of attendance |
| Summer 2014 (14/15 Academic Year) |
Direct Loan funding exhausted in Spring 2014. |
In the final summer semester, students need to either use their remaining Direct Loan funds from the spring semester, or borrow a private alternative loan to finance their costs.
Planning Ahead
The rigorous, accelerated curriculum and clinical coursework of the BSN-Express program prevents students from being able to hold outside employment during the academic year. We strongly recommend that students develop a financial plan before beginning the program to avoid shortfalls in financing, and the Office of Financial Assistance would be happy to set up an individual meeting with you to discuss how to finance the program or how to create a budget for the academic year, etc. Preparing in advance of beginning the BSN-Express program can also help students to establish a savings plan of funds to set aside for the 14-month program, and avoid unnecessary over-borrowing of student loans.
2013-2014 BSN Express Program Financial Aid Booklet
Alternate Financing
Even with planning ahead, BSN-Express students often need to utilize another form of funding beyond the Direct Loans to meet both their direct and indirect costs during the year. A private educational loan from a bank or lending institution can be a useful resource in meeting the “gap” of expenses that other sources of aid do not cover. Applications for these loans are available directly through the lending institution. Once approved for an alternative loan, the Office of Financial Assistance will review the loan for school certification, which includes confirming enrollment in the BSN-Express program, verifying the eligibility of the type of loan requested, and confirming that the borrowing amount requested fits into the academic year's cost of attendance. Please view additional information available on our Private Educational Loans webpage.
To check on the status of your application or to confirm that items were received, please visit the myNOVA site where you can access your financial assistance records online.
