Direct PLUS Loans
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans
Under this federally guaranteed loan program, starting in Fall 2026 parents of students may borrow up to $20,000 per student per year, with a maximum lifetime limit of $65,000 per student.
- Legacy Provision: If the student or parent borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while the dependent student is enrolled in a program of study, the parent can continue to borrow under current loan limits for 3 academic years or the remainder of their dependent student’s expected time to credential, whichever is less. This Legacy Provision allows those eligible parents of a student to continue to borrow a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan each year up to the total amount of education costs less any financial aid and/or other loans.
The student must submit a FAFSA in order for their parent to borrow a PLUS Loan. Please visit the Federal Student Aid Direct PLUS Loans for Parents website for complete program details.
PLUS Loan applications are submitted online through https://studentaid.gov. The parent must pass an independent credit review. The federal PLUS Loan does not factor in debt-to-income ratios in the approval process.
For the 25-26 academic year, the PLUS Loan has a fixed interest rate of 8.94% and an origination fee of 4.228%.
If you have an adverse credit history, you may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan through one of these two options:
-
Obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if you do not repay it. If you are a parent borrower, the endorser cannot be the child on whose behalf you are borrowing.
OR
-
Documenting to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances relating to your adverse credit history.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans
Due to recently passed federal legislation, the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program will be eliminated on July 1, 2026.
- Legacy Provision: If the student borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in a program of study, the student can continue to borrow the Graduate PLUS Loan, up to the total amount of education costs less any financial aid and/or other loans, for 3 academic years or the remainder of their the student's expected time to credential, whichever comes first.
New students entering in the 2026-2027 academic year will not be able to access this loan program.
For those included in the legacy provision, the student must submit a FAFSA in order to borrow a Graduate PLUS Loan. Please visit the Federal Student Aid Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate or Professional Students website for complete program details.
PLUS Loan applications are submitted online through https://studentaid.gov. The student must pass an independent credit review. The federal PLUS Loan does not factor in debt-to-income ratios in the approval process.
For the 25-26 academic year, the PLUS Loan has a fixed interest rate of 8.94% and an origination fee of 4.228%.
If you have an adverse credit history, you may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan through one of these two options:
-
Obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if you do not repay it. If you are a parent borrower, the endorser cannot be the child on whose behalf you are borrowing.
OR
-
Documenting to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances relating to your adverse credit history.
Instructions
For more information, go to the PLUS Loan section of the studentloans.gov page.