Loans For The University Of South Africa

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by ltrvsi, Dec 30, 2009.

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  1. ltrvsi

    ltrvsi New Member

    Dear Friends,

    what kind of educational loans are available to Americans who would like to attend the University of South Africa?

    I know that Canadians can take out Provincial loans.

    Thank you,

    LTRVSi
     
    ltrvsi, Dec 30, 2009
    #1
  2. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Are you referring to loans for on-campus or distance education studies?
     
    sentinel, Dec 30, 2009
    #2
  3. ltrvsi

    ltrvsi New Member

    Loans for Americans for the University of South Africa

    Hello,

    I am referring to Distance Education learning at the University of South Africa.
    Anyone know of low interest loans for American's?
    Also the University of South Africa has no Federal code for Federal Aid.

    Thank you,
    LTRVSi
     
    ltrvsi, Dec 30, 2009
    #3
  4. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Also USA income tax benefits may not be available for foreign tuition (see IRS publication 970).
     
    Ian Anderson, Dec 30, 2009
    #4
  5. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Not sense they (UNISA) let their DETC accreditation lapse; unfavorably affecting U.S. student aid opportunity…
     
    major56, Dec 30, 2009
    #5
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    For foreign institutions, having accreditation from a U.S. organization is not required to have a federal code for financial aid.

    It doesn't matter in this case, though, since UNISA is an exclusively distance learning institution, and as of a few years ago, one cannot get federal financial aid for study by distance through foreign institutions, whether they participate in U.S. federal aid or not.

    So, to answer the original poster, your options are entirely private. Companies like Sallie Mae and MyRichUncle.com offer private loans for study, maybe something like that would help you.

    -=Steve=-
     
    SteveFoerster, Dec 30, 2009
    #6
  7. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Steve,

    From the DETC Accreditation Handbook – 2009:

    "The institution that uses, or seeks to use, accreditation by DETC to establish eligibility to participate in Federal student assistance programs (Title IV) must have a charter, license, or formal authority from the appropriate governmental bodies to offer all of the programs or courses it offers, when such authority is available or required. The loss of state licensure or required authority to operate will result in the contemporaneous loss of DETC accreditation and Federal aid eligibility."

    I don’t know if UNISA ever chose to take part in FSA Title IV while DETC accredited (e.g., did they ever have a FSA code number?), but according to DETC seemingly they could have. http://www.detc.org/downloads/accredhandbook/2009/C%20%2015%20%20REVPolicy%20on%20Institutions%20Participating%20in%20Title%20IV%2009.pdf Outwardly FSA Title IV would have been the factor in UNISA applying for U.S. DETC accreditation. Why else?
     
    major56, Dec 31, 2009
    #7
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    As I said, foreign institutions do not need accreditation from a U.S. organization to have a federal code for financial aid. An example is the University of Cape Town, which has a federal aid code but has never been accredited by a U.S. organization.

    That's why I don't think that was the reason. As for what the reason really was, that's a good question. Perhaps they thought that as a distance learning institution it would be an appropriate way to increase their credibility. Perhaps a UNISA decision maker met someone from DETC at a conference and got talked into it. Perhaps they read someone's blog entry saying that all the cool kids are getting DETC accreditation. All we can do is speculate. Well, or ask them directly, but I don't exactly have their vice-chancellor on speed dial. :)

    -=Steve=-
     
    SteveFoerster, Dec 31, 2009
    #8
  9. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Steve,

    And even if you did have the UNISA and/or DETC top management on speed dial … there’s the probability they wouldn’t directly answer the question anyway.:rolleyes:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 31, 2009
    major56, Dec 31, 2009
    #9
  10. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Oh, a marketing strategy in an attempt to recruit more students from the USofA, perhaps? And the fact DETC is a highly recognizable academic accreditation which infers a certain level of academic rigor recognizable to US students.
     
    sentinel, Jan 1, 2010
    #10
  11. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Perhaps so...

    If gaining DETC accreditation was a UNISA marketing strategy in their effort targeted at a larger potential U.S. student market share ... seemingly it wasn't successful in relationship to ROI (?).
     
    major56, Jan 1, 2010
    #11
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Perhaps that was their motivation, and then they dropped it again when they discovered that most Americans, even prospective students, have never even heard of DETC?

    My guess is that it's more likely that they were trying to harness international approval so as to look more impressive at home, rather than that they were trying to attract American students. But then I'm just speculating. :)

    -=Steve=-
     
    SteveFoerster, Jan 1, 2010
    #12
  13. major56

    major56 Active Member

    As you mention Steve … in that so few potential students are even aware of DETC, this would have seemingly been a poor marketing decision from the target audience’s perception; a marketing decision from UNISA’s perception (educator’s) vs. perception/s of the customer or prospective client (student). And botton-line, only the customer's perception regarding a product and/or service counts.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2010
    major56, Jan 1, 2010
    #13

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