Loans: Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
Beginning Fall 2008, IU will be a participant in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program.
The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan program allows a graduate or professional student to borrow a PLUS Loan on their own behalf. The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan requires a special application and requires credit approval. The borrower must also sign a Master Promissory Note in order to receive the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.
Please contact our office for detailed information about the Federal PLUS Loan for the summer.
2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR
Borrower Benefits
- Federal Direct Loans come through the U.S. Department of Education using funds obtained from the U.S. Treasury. This process ensures that the borrower will have a reliable and predictable source of funding.
- Interest rate reduction of .25 percent for borrowers who make their payments using the Electronic Debit Account (EDA) program.
Details
- Fixed interest rate of 7.9%.
- Origination fee of 4% will be assessed by the Direct Loan servicer.
- The loan is unsubsidized, meaning that interest begins accruing immediately upon the loan’s first disbursement.
- To be eligible, the borrower must:
- complete and submit the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan request available at our office or on our website (under Forms > Applications) which acts as the loan application,
- be pursuing a graduate or professional degree,
- be enrolled at least half time and meet all regular eligibility requirements (including satisfactory academic progress),
- have filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and have received the maximum annual Federal Direct Stafford Loan eligibility, and
- meet specified credit requirements.
- If the loan application is denied due to credit history, the borrower may still receive a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan if able to obtain an endorser who can gain approval based on credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the loan if the borrower does not repay it.
- A signed Master Promissory Note must be on file with the Direct Loan servicer for Federal Graduate PLUS Loan funds to be disbursed.
- Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans cannot be processed after the final day of the term for which the student was enrolled. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the application for this type of loan and clear any holds that they may have on their financial aid accounts well in advance of the end of the term to ensure adequate processing time.
- Deferral of repayment until six months after the student graduates or drops below half time enrollment is available if the student completes the Direct Loan In School At Least Half Time Deferment Form.
- The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan may be processed for up to the amount of the Cost of Attendance, minus any aid the student is already receiving.