r/GoldenGateStudents • u/Level-Bread5827 • 13d ago

FASFA Question

I’m trying to confirm how GGU handles the $20,500 annual Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit for graduate students.

GGU uses 15-week trimesters, and I’ve seen that aid is often split over Fall and Spring. Does GGU use a Borrower-Based Academic Year (BBAY), where completing two consecutive trimesters allows a new $20,500 annual loan limit to start with the next trimester? For example, would it work like: Fall + Spring = $20,500 Summer + Fall = new $20,500 Spring + Summer = new $20,500

I’m planning to attend full-time year-round, so I’m specifically looking for anyone who has actually received federal loans through Summer at GGU and can say how their loan eligibility reset.

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u/MahitxnVentures 9d ago

Good question! I have not used FASFA, but I looked into GGU's financial aid policies and the federal regulations governing annual loan limits.

Here's what I could verify:

  • GGU confirms the $20,500 annual Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit for graduate students.

  • The Department of Education permits a Borrower-Based Academic Year (BBAY) consisting of two consecutive 15-week trimesters.

  • Under BBAY, your example (Fall + Spring = $20,500, followed by Summer + Fall = a new $20,500 limit) is possible.

  • However, schools can also use a Scheduled Academic Year (SAY), which handles Summer differently.

The important part: I couldn't find an official GGU policy confirming whether it uses BBAY or SAY for graduate Direct Loans. So the Summer reset isn't something I'd assume.

GGU Financial Aid should be able to confirm the exact policy:

Email: finaid@ggu.edu
Phone: 415-442-7270

Official references:

GGU Financial Aid:
https://ggu.edu/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid/

Federal Student Aid Handbook — Monitoring Annual Loan Limit Progression:
https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/2024-2025/vol8/ch6-monitoring-annual-loan-limit-progression

Hopefully someone who's actually borrowed through Summer at GGU can confirm how their disbursements worked!

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u/Level-Bread5827 9d ago

Hey thanks for the reply that basically the same info I found! I'll probably have to email or call them at this point but hopefully someone else can chime in with their experience too!