American students studying in Edinburgh are having to access food banks amid delays in US student loan disbursement. Social work graduate students and US flatmates Sophie Dansereau, 31, and Darby Ellen, 24, are “overwhelmed” as the institution grapples with the major backlog in processing the cash.
The American students spoke to Edinburgh Live at their flat in Morningside, which they share with two other students from the states. None of the four flatmates have received their loans yet.
Sophie said: “We had a plan, we had a budget. We’re paying to be here and give all of our attention to our studies. But when you have to think very strategically about how you’re going to get food, that takes away from being able to give your full mental capacity to studying.”
As the students struggle to pay for food and rent, University of Edinburgh bosses say they expect all loans to be distributed by November 12 – nearly two months after term started on September 16. They attributed the delay to changes in the American student loan system and assured they are in contact with affected students to offer financial support.
In 2025, international students will pay £30,500 per year for the university’s two-year Master’s of Social Work programme. Americans commonly take out loans from the US federal government to pay for the cost of university.
These loans can help pay for other expenses like food and rent, as well as tuition. However, delays in processing US loans means that Americans at the University of Edinburgh are struggling to pay for their basic needs.
Darby said: “This puts me in a horrible position because I’m having to pick up more hours at work. This is impeding my studies. I wasn’t expecting to work this much. I’m working around 15 hours per week with my studies.”
Their main concern was the university’s communication on the matter, which the students called “appalling.” Usually, a Cost of Attendance (COA) form is sent to American students by the university – this form is filled out, sent back to the university and loans are disbursed.
However, the COA did not arrive and the students claimed the university never contacted them to inform them about delays. Sophie said: “The financial support team does not answer their phone and would not arrange a meeting with us when we went to their office.
“There’s been so much lack of communication. How were we supposed to know how to budget? We were just waiting for the loan to be disbursed but no one from the university told us when it would arrive. No one told us about the delays.”
The situation forced Darby to seek out a food bank referral to pay for the bare necessities. Darby said: “I need to reach rock bottom before I ask for support.
“Recently, I had to stand in line for a food bank. To do that and be left with passive responses from the financial team at the university is so frustrating.”
Sophie’s situation was exacerbated after her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina was recently devastated by Hurricane Helen – a storm which President Joe Biden has called a “catastrophic” and “history-making storm.”
Flood waters reached as high as 27 feet in parts of North Carolina, and has left millions without power across several states. Sophie continues to worry for her family as she struggles to pay for rent in Edinburgh.
She said: “I have a parent who could help support me, but now she’s living in a situation where she doesn’t have water and she doesn’t have power. You can’t assume everyone has a backup plan when you don’t know where everyone comes from.
“That’s what it feels like when there’s no options for funding. It seems like the university assumes that we come from wealthy families with the financial means to back us up, and that’s just not true with all students from the United States.”
A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “The university has experienced challenges with processing US Federal Loans, due to changes in the Federal Student Aid system. We expect all taught student loans to be disbursed by 12 November.
“We are in contact with affected students to ensure they have access to funds through our financial support team and are delaying tuition fees and accommodation payments to ease any concerns. Any student who requires support should contact [email protected] and we will prioritise their queries.”
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