Saba has been in operation for about 19 years. Does anyone know why they are still not approved to certify Federal Financial Aid for U.S. Students?

If you do a search on this forum regarding the topic, you will find that no school that caters mainly to American students has been able to get Staffords since 1995. Congress passed a law in that year requiring schools to have a student body made up of like 90% indigenous people to qualify for student loans. This law was passed to limit the growth of foreign med schools and protect American med schools interests.
Only Ross, AUC, and St. George's were allowed to keep the loans they already were offering because they threatened to sue. Saba was too young at that time to have staffords yet, and so could not ever get them after the passage of the law.

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PGY-1 Psychiatry

Thank you. That is a good explanation. You wouldn't happen to know if the school is doing something about getting approved would you.

Nope. I could be wrong, but I think the only way to fix it would be to get Congress to repeal the law. I forget the name of the law, it might be found if you do a search.
Ducman says there's a process...that's news to me, so maybe it will happen one day. I wouldn't hold my breath.
It's like this: If you have to have CA approval, go to a school that already has CA approval for licensure of it's grads.
Similiarly, if you have to have stafford loans, go to a school that already has them.

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PGY-1 Psychiatry

The school is in the process of Stafford approval. We recently had a 3rd party committee from Ireland come and visit the school. This is just one of the many procedures needed to move along this process.

The process and procedures are definnitely being followed, but do not get your hopes up.

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Ducman
Saba University School of Medicine

If there is indeed a law passed by Congress that requires to have 90% local students, what is the point of trying? Saba University School of Medicine will never have that many local students given the population of Saba and N.A. . Or, am I missing something here?

Seems they have relaxed the 90% rule, but they are still guninng for the offshore schools. Approval has been held up while the GAO investigates the Department of Education for giving loans to fake students attending a non-existent school in Europe (a GAO sting).

Saba is working on it, but they told us not to hold our breath.

Best of Luck!

Thanks for that refreshing news!

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I am glad to be a part of this web site. Every one using it is encouraged!

Edoki

Might want to take a look at this SMU thread in case any of u all want to write letters to congress or senate since it looks like congress supposed to be reauthorizing the bill again this yr..

see http://www.valuemd.com/ftopic33394.html

I'm sending letters to my Texas rep. and senator in Washington ASAP. I encourage everyone else to do the same. 8)

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PGY-1 Psychiatry