The school’s reaccreditation by the US Department of Education has been extended through 2023.
American citizens can apply for US financial aid when accepted to the Hertie School. The Hertie School is Title IV certified by the US Department of Education and its accreditation, as such, has been extended through 2023. Read our full press release here.
What does this mean?
This means that Americans wanting to study in our degree programmes, the Master of Public Policy or the Master of International Affairs, as well as our PhD programme in Governance can apply for federal financial aid the same way they would for a domestic Title IV university in the United States. This is done by following these steps (also listed in the dropdown menu below).
FAFSA loan application process for US students
Follow steps 1 through 7 if you wish to apply for a loan for the forthcoming academic year. Please start the loan application after you have been formally admitted to the Hertie School. For applications and further questions please contact the Hertie US loans team.
Please pay special attention to the deadlines outlined at the end of the section!
1. Explore all options before borrowing. Apply for Hertie scholarships and contact the financial aid team for further information on external scholarships.
2. Fill out the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application as early as possible, after admission. There is no special FAFSA for students planning to attend international schools. The information on your FAFSA is transmitted to us and your application will determine your eligibility for federal loan support. Remember to include the Hertie School's federal school code G41287.
3. Next, please submit the US Loan Application Request on MyStudies by July 1st. Please make sure to save and submit the request.
4. Complete the online entrance counselling course via the student loans website. The loan can only be disbursed if the entrance counselling is complete and on file. Please note that the entrance counselling is required only once and before your study period at Hertie.
5. Accepting a loan and submitting your bank information - The school will notify you (award email) of the loan amount that is approved.
You have the right to object two weeks after the award email was sent to you. You also have the right to decline the loan or to request a lower loan amount.
Please make sure that the Hertie US Loan team has your most recent bank information. Without you German bank account information the loan cannot be transferred.
6. The Master Promissory Note - To take out a direct loan, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). You can complete the MPN online at the student loans website. Please note that we cannot issue a loan without MPN (each loan type requires a separate MPN).
It is your responsibility to notify the Hertie US loans team immediately:
- of anything that affects your ability to repay your loan
- of any changes in your status, including graduation, and any changes to your name, address, or telephone number
- if you fail to enroll for the period covered by your loan
- about renewals, deferments and withdrawals
- about renewing your loan
- about deferring an existing loan
- if you withdraw from your programme, or if you drop below half-time enrolment status
- if you receive financial aid and then withdraw from your course or drop below the half-time enrolment requirement (the Hertie US loans team must first determine whether any of the money must be returned to the US Federal Aid Program)
7. Exit counselling - You have to complete a mandatory exit counselling before starting the repayment of your loan. It In order to receive your final transcript and degree the Hertie school requires you to complete the exit counselling following the instructions on the student loans website .
Deadlines and Timelines
- June 1 - Loan application deadline and admitted students must complete entrance counselling and Master Promissory Note (MPN)
- July 1 – August 15th- award letter will be sent/typo3/
- October 1 - due tuition is deducted from awarded sum and living costs will be disbursed to students * The Hertie US loans team cannot guarantee a loan award if you do not meet these deadlines.
“As demand from North America continues to grow, we are pleased to offer opportunities for our students to come and learn with us here in Berlin,” says Helmut K. Anheier, President of the Hertie School.
At least 13 percent of Hertie School students are American, half of whom receive federal education funding. Since January 2013 the Hertie School has been accredited by the US Department of Education, making it the second university in Germany to fulfil the US agency’s strict requirements regarding the quality of its study programmes and its overall financial stability.
How you can apply
US applicants who are accepted by the Hertie School can apply for the following funding options:
General information about other financial aid and scholarship opportunities can be found here.
