jdub is correct.

All schools have to establish a time line of either semesters or credit hours that once exceeded, a student is not considered to be making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) due to exceeding the time frame. The school’s established time frame is meant to keep students from being eternal students on the government’s dime. Schools are free to establish the number of semesters/credit hours attempted to determine when a student has exceeded the maximum time frame.

So the answer is yes, at a given institution, 8 semesters could be the limit. However, as each institution is unique and the number of credit hours/semesters varies from school to school, you should contact your school’s financial aid office for information regarding maximum time frame. This information may also be found on the financial aid office’s website in the SAP policy. It should also be available in your school’s catalog.

The best you can do is to work out some type of repayment plan with your medical providers.

Contrary to what some people may tell you, medical debts are legitimate obligations that must be paid. A colleague of mine erroneously stated that as long as you send them “something” every month there’s nothing they can do to you. That simply is not true.

The medical provider can (and probably will) sue you for the amount you owe. Go to their office and see what kind of deal you can make. Most of the time, medical providers will work with you–especially in your situation–but they will expect payment in full within some time frame.

It would be sad if you graduated from college and this debt obligation on your credit report caused you to miss the opportunity of getting a job. The guy who answered above that “you don’t give a **** about your credit rating is a misinformed. You’ll never get a job with a credit rating that is bad.

sure, Bankrutpty, OR cal the hospital, tell them THEY HAVE TO MAKE you a deal, like payment arrangements and cut the bill down by 50% or you will declare bankruptcy!! just watch how fast they will be wnating to negotiate with you.

I have heard if people getting a 75% discount by doing just that.

EDIT- OMG DO NOT DO WHAT THE PERSON ABOVE SAYS!! do not give them your bank account number no no no!! don’t tell them about your credit at all, tell them if anyhting you don’t give a shit about your credit,

the person above is a BAD answer!!!

edit- let me steer you- the gov, of where i live in oregon jsut signed a bill banning the use of credit info for hiring, unless you work WITH cacsh.

and bad credit will not matter once the Obama depression is over! that won’t be till after republicans take back the house in november,.

That is untrue. Here are the limits for the federal stafford loan:

Loan limits
Dependent Annual loan limit
Freshman $3,500*
Sophomore $4,500*
Junior or senior $5,500

Independent Annual loan limit
Freshman $7,500*
Sophomore $8,500*
Junior or senior $10,500
Graduate or professional $20,500*

Undergraduate dependent lifetime limit $23,000
Undergraduate independent lifetime limit $46,000
Graduate or professional lifetime limit** $138,500
*For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2007.
**Exceptions may apply to certain graduate students.

Go talk to the billing office at the hospital and ask them to write down as much as possible, and let you pay $10-$20 a month for as long as you must without interest. Let them know that when you graduate and get a good job you will pay much more each month. That is the best way to keep them from dinging your credit and from turning it over to collections. If you have good credit, tell them you do, and that you want to protect your credit. That way they will know you are motivated to make regular payments. Set up your bank account to make a monthly payment every month. Never miss a payment.

it doesn’t matter, i am on my 12th semester undergraduate, i am an eternal student i know, but i get financial aid still

Check out this site:

i only know of medical ones….But you have to agree to work for a specific hospital for 2-3 years…

There are some programs in which some of the loans are forgiven if you perform certain kinds of work such as teaching in inner cities or in economically disadvantaged areas. You might want to look into those.

Failing in that, start making provisions to pay back the loans. You knew you would have to pay them when you took them out.