How to Apply:

Use the links above to learn about how to apply for financial aid at the Darden School.   If you are a Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United State, click on the "U.S. Prosepctives Students" link.  If you will need a student visa in order to attend Darden, click on the "International Prospective Students" link.

If you will be using Veternas Benefits to pay for your education related expenses, please visit our Veterans Benefits page to learn more about that process.

U.S. Prospective Students

Incoming students to the Darden School must apply to the Federal Government and the University of Virginia's Student Financial Services Office for federal loan consideration. Federal loan programs require that the applicant be a U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident.

Step One: Consider Your Options

• Review Important Information
  • Important Dates
  • Merit Scholarships  
  • Loan Programs
• Consider your loan options:

• You can complete steps two and three below before you have decided which loans you will take, but if you are unsure wheather to borrow a Grad PLUS Loan or a Private Educational Loan, we recommend that you decide prior to submitting the UVA Financial Aid Application in step four

Step Two: Activate your FAFSA PIN

The FAFSA PIN will allow you to electronically sign your federal financial aid application (FAFSA)

• If this is the first time you are applying for federal financial aid, you will need to request a FAFSA PIN from the Department of Education

• If you have previously applied for financial aid as an undergraduate student, you will need to update your personal information for your FAFSA PIN. If you do not remember your PIN or need to reactivate it, you may do so on the Federal Student Aid PIN website

Step Three: File the FAFSA

Darden students receive federal financial aid in the form of the Direct Loan and the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. The maximum amount that can be borrowed as a Direct  Loan is $20,500 per year. Any additional funds needed to cover tuition and/or living expenses may be borrowed as a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, or from a third party lender. To learn more about federal loans, visit our Loan Programs website. To apply:

• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal government online: the University of Virginia's school code for the FAFSA is 003745 (be sure to sign it electronically with your FAFSA PIN)

• This process cannot be started until after January 1^st of the year you will begin your program and you must have completed your prior year's taxes to complete this process

• For additional information about the FAFSA, please refer tot he Department of Education's Guide to Completing the FAFSA

Step Four: Submit a University of Virginia Financial Aid Application (Students Offered Admission)

If you have been offered admission to the Darden School, you must also submit the UVA Financial Aid Form to the University of Virginia's Student Financial Services Office by May 31^st.

• If you have been offered admission, you will have access to the instructions and required forms through the admitted student portal (if you or your spouse is not required to file an income tax return, please indicate that on the application)

• If you wish to borrow a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan should check the appropriate box on the UVA Financial Application to be considered for the maximum eligible amount; you should only check this box if you have decided not to borrow third party loans as checking this box will prevent third party loans from being included in your financial aid package that will be generated by the Student Financial Services Office

Step Five: Consider Third Party Loan Options

Since the Federal Direct Loan only provides a maximum of $20,500 per year, any additional funds needed to cover tuition and/or living expenses may be borrowed as a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, or from a third party lender.

• See our Loan Programs page for information about private educational loans

Step Six: Complete Loan Master Promissory Notes and Entrance Counseling

• Federal Direct Loan and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan:
  • Entrance counseling and Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) are accessed online at www.studentloans.gov; you will need your FAFSA PIN to log into this site
  • You will need to complete a separate MPN for each federal loan you intend to borrow
  • Entrance Counseling only needs to be completed once and covers both the Direct and Graduate PLUS Loans
  • If you intend to borrow a Graduate PLUS Loan, you must also complete a Graduate PLUS Loan Request  and submit to a credit check, also available through the studentloans.gov website
• Private Loans:
  • Private student loans will require an application and credit approval, completion of a promissory note, completion of a self-certification form, and possibly other requirements specific to your chosen loan and/or lender. Check with your lender to make sure you are aware of and understand all requirements

Step Seven: Accept Your Financial Package (Enrolling Students)

• If you have completed all the steps to apply for financial aid and have responded to any requests from the University of Virginia for additional documentation, you should begin to check the status of your financial aid package regularly by logging into the Student Information System (SIS) beginning in mid-July

• There is no physical financial aid award letter sent to you; instead, the details of financial aid packages are available in the "Finances" section of the Student Center in the SIS: click on "View Financial Aid" to review the details, and to accept, decline, or reduce each component of your financial aid package

• You may also create a .pdf file of your financial aid award if you wish to print a hard-copy

International Prospective Students

Roughly thirty percent of the student body is composed of international students. International students are not eligible for Federal loans during either year. Therefore, there is no reason for international students to submit a University of Virginia Application for Financial Aid or Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Step One: Review Important Information

• Important Dates
• Merit Scholarships
• Loan Programs

Step Two: Determine Your Budget

• Review Darden's tuition and living expenses

• The Financial Guarantee Form, which is part of the I-20, will require budgeting an additional $7,000 for a spouse and $4,000 for each additional dependent

• Per University of Virginia policy, you cannot include family members in your budget when applying for a loan; the maximum allowable amount you may borrow is $65,000 per year through the Darden International Loan Program, or up to the total cost of attendance as indicated on the Request for I-20 Financial Guarantee Form if borrowing outside of the Darden International Loan Program

Step Three: Research International Loan Options

• The Darden School offers international students a Darden International Loan Program that does not require a co-signer

• International students may borrow up to $65,000 per year through this program; information about the interest rate, fees and terms will be announced in late April

• International students may find student loans with more favorable terms than the Darden Intenrational Loan Program if they apply with a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident as a co-signer

• International students applying for a private loan outside of the Darden International Loan Program can borrow up to the total cost of attendance as indicated on the Request for I-20 Financial Guarantee Form

Step Four: Submit the Request for Form I-20 (Enrolling Students)

• The University of Virginia Request for Form I-20 must be completed and submitted to Darden and immediately upon choosing to matriculate; it will have no bearing on admission decisions, and therefore should not be submitted with the application for admission

• International students who plan to utilize the Darden International Loan Program may list it as the "Darden School International Loan" in the box indicated for loans on the Financial Guarantee Form which is part of the Request for Form I-20

• The amount to be borrowed must be listed for each year a student intends to borrow from the Darden International Loan Program; the maximum amount allowed is $65,000 per year

• After the Request for I-20 has been submitted to the University of Virginia, the amounts listed to be borrowed cannot be changed, and therefore must be accurate upon initial submission

• Loan applications for the Darden International Loan Program will be made available online by mid-June for students who indicated they would borrow during the first year on the Request for I-20

• International students should plan their embassy interviews for early to mid-July and plan to arrive in Charlottesville by August 5, 2012 at the latest

• Additional information about the student visa application process can be found on the UVA International Students & Scholars Program website, as well as on the U.S. Department of State website