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Parent PLUS Loan

Application Process

Parent PLUS loans are federal loans in the parent's name for their student's educational expenses. These are credit-based loans (requiring an application and subject to a credit check). Only parents of undergraduate students considered dependent for federal aid purposes can apply for this loan. The application usually becomes available in late March or early April for the upcoming academic year.

  1. The student must complete and submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  2. The parent must go to the Parent PLUS Loan application on the Federal Student Aid website
  3. The parent must log in with their Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) - not the student’s
  4. If prompted, read and accept the terms and conditions of the platform
  5. Complete the application, review the information for accuracy, and submit

Fall Priority Processing Deadline: July 15, 2026

To allow for processing time and avoid late payment consequences, parent should apply early so the loan shows as anticipated aid towards your semester’s charges. If WVU does not receive the loan application by the priority processing deadline, it may not be processed by the beginning of the semester.

Borrower Responsibility

The parent is the borrower for the parent PLUS loan, and the loan will not transfer to the student. Only parents of undergraduate students considered dependent for federal aid purposes can apply for this loan. The application is subject to a credit check. This means the parent is responsible for:

Students must also be meeting satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility to receive the loan.

Tips on Applying

  • Make sure you select the correct Aid Year at the top of the application (example: Summer 2026 would be the 2025-2026 year; Fall 2026 and Spring and Summer 2027 would be the 2026-2027 year)

  • Carefully read the options about in-school and post-enrollment deferment

  • Make sure the loan is sent to West Virginia University - School Code/Branch G03827 - not other schools with similar names such as WV State, the hospitals, or Parkersburg)
  • Choose the right Loan Period:

    • For both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, it would be August 2026 through May 2027
    • For Fall 2026 only, it would be August 2026 through December 2027
    • For Spring 2027 only, it would be January 2027 through May 2027
    • To apply for Summer 2027, it would be May 2027 through August 2027

Borrowing Limits

Annual Limit: The maximum amount that may be borrowed over a full academic year for each student.

Aggregate Limit: The maximum amount that may be borrowed for the duration of each student's dependent student status while pursuing their undergraduate degree.

Limit Type Amount
Annual Limit $20,000 per student
Aggregate Limit $65,000 per student

Parents of dependent undergraduate students who meet the legacy criteria outlined by the OBBB Act may be eligible to borrow up to the student's remaining cost of attendance minus other financial aid. To learn how to calculate this amount, visit our Cost and Resource Planner webpage.

Parental Circumstances

Dependent undergraduate students whose parents are unable to apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan due to exceptional circumstances may still be able to borrow an additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

For consideration, complete the Parent PLUS Override Request for the appropriate aid year if your parent(s) are unable to apply for a parent PLUS loan. Please submit the completed form to the WVU Hub.

Download the 2026-2027 Parent PLUS Override Request form Download the 2025-2026 Parent PLUS Override Request form

Endorser Information

If the parent PLUS loan is denied due to credit history, the U.S. Department of Education will send the parent information about appealing the credit decision or using an endorser/cosigner.

If the parent does not pursue these options, the student may be eligible to add up to an additional $4,000 to their unsubsidized loan for the aid year for a freshman or sophomore (1-59 earned credit hours), or up to an additional $5,000 to their unsubsidized loan for the aid year for a junior or senior (60+ earned credit hours). Students will be notified via their MIX email regarding how to apply for the additional loan amount.

If your parent PLUS loan is denied and you seek an endorser, they will need to complete the Endorser Addendum.


Before completing the addendum, your endorser will need:

  • Their own Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)
  • The borrower's last name and either the Endorser Code or the Award ID (provided to the borrower via email by the U.S. Department of Education after the loan is denied)
  • Endorser's personal information (address, phone number, email)
  • Endorser's employer information (name, address, phone number)
  • School name (West Virginia University)
  • Reference information for two people with different U.S. addresses who have known the endorser for at least 3 years (names, addresses, phone numbers, and relationships to endorser)

To complete the Endorser Addendum, the endorser must:

  1. Log into the Federal Student Aid website with their FSA ID
  2. Click on "Complete and Endorser Addendum"
  3. Fill out the requested information and submit

If the parent's loan application is denied and reinstated, they must also complete Plus Credit Counseling:

This could be due to an endorser or providing satisfactory documentation to the U.S. Department of Education regarding extenuating circumstances related to an adverse credit history.

  1. Log into the Federal Student Aid website with their FSA ID
  2. Click on "Complete Loan Counseling (Entrance, Financial Awareness, Exit)"
  3. Click on the "Start" button to the right of "PLUS Credit Counseling" and complete the counseling process

Disbursement Requirements

Complete Loan Requirements

Funds cannot be disbursed to your student account until all requirements are complete. First-time borrowers must complete both Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for their loan After you are approved for the loan, you must:

  1. Log into the Federal Student Aid website with your FSA ID
  2. Click on "Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)"
  3. Scroll down to "PLUS MPN for Parents" and click on the "Start" button on the right to begin

Enrollment

The student must be enrolled at least half-time for the semester in federal and state aid-eligible courses for loans to disburse as payment.