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Financial Aid

Parent PLUS Loans

Federal Parent PLUS Loan (for Parents of Dependent Undergraduate Students)

The Parent PLUS loan is a federal loan that allows a parent to borrow funds to help meet your educational expenses. Unlike the Stafford loan, eligibility for the Parent PLUS loan is based on the borrower’s credit worthiness. A parent with an adverse credit history may still borrow a PLUS Loan if the parent gets an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Parent PLUS Loan if the parent does not repay the loan.

Repayment
  • Repayment begins when the loan is fully disbursed.
  • For loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, the borrower has the option of deferring repayment until six months after the dependent student ceases to be enrolled at least half time. Interest is capitalized upon entering repayment.
Interest Rate 7.9% fixed
Interest Subsidy The borrower (your parent) is responsible for interest that accrues from the date of disbursement.
Fees Origination Fee: 4%; Rebate Fee: 1.5%
Completion Requirements To receive a Parent PLUS loan:
Credit Worthiness To be eligible for a PLUS Loan, the parent must not have an adverse credit history. A parent with an adverse credit history my still borrow a PLUS Loan if the parent gets an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if the parent does not repay the loan. The endorser may not be the student on whose behalf a parent obtains a Direct PLUS Loan. In some cases, the parent may also be able to obtain a Direct PLUS Loan if the parent can document that there are extenuating circumstances related to the adverse credit history.
Annual Loan Limit Up to the Cost of Attendance (COA), minus other financial aid and resources.

Frequently Asked Questions about Parent PLUS Loans

Updated 3.18.2011