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Federal Parent (PLUS) Loan

Federal Direct Parent Loans are credit-based loans borrowed by parents for dependent students who are enrolled at least half time. Beginning July 1, 2023, the interest rate for Federal Parent Loans is 8.05 percent. A parent can be a student's biological or adoptive parent or the student's stepparent, if the biological or adoptive parent has remarried at the time of application. Federal Direct Parent Loans are loans that do require credit approval. Interest begins accruing at the time of disbursement. The parent can choose to pay the interest or defer it as long as the student remains in school at least half time. Repayment begins within 60 days from when the student is no longer enrolled.

Read more about and apply for the Federal Parent Loan Program. 

Parents who are interested in borrowing a Federal Parent Loan will need to complete the following steps. Be sure to indicate which academic year, you are borrowing for, such as 2023-24. The 2024-25 academic year should be opened at the end of April.  

Please complete the following checklist:

  1. Determine how much to borrow; visit our online 2023-24 Annual Cost and Payment Calculator. We encourage parents to apply for the total amount of parent loan needed for the entire academic year. By doing just one parent loan for the academic year, a parent's credit will only be checked once and the funds are guaranteed. Parent loans borrowed for the academic year are disbursed according to the number of terms the student is attending, once the student's financial aid file is complete. (Interest is charged only on the amount disbursed.)
  2. Using your FSA ID, log into studentaid.gov and complete the 2023-24 Federal Direct PLUS Loan Application for Parents. Parent borrowers will be notified immediately if they are approved or denied for the loan.

What to expect:

  • The loan process will take about 20 minutes.
  • You must complete the application in a single session.

What information you will need:

In order to fill out the application, you will need:

  • The award year for which you are applying
  • Parent's verified FSA ID
  • Requested loan amount
  • School name
  • Student information
    • Student first name, middle initial and last name
    • Student Social Security number
    • Student date of birth
    • Student permanent address
    • Student telephone number
  • Personal information
    • Permanent address
    • Mailing address (if different from permanent address)
    • Telephone number
    • Email address
  • Alien Registration Number (if you are an eligible non-citizen)
  • Employer information
    • Employer name
    • Employer address
    • Employer telephone number

What happens after the application:

  • You will receive a notice immediately that you have been approved or denied.

Approved borrowers:

  1. Complete an electronic PLUS Master Promissory Note.
  2. Indicate the amount you want to borrow based on Step 1 in the online application process. (Whitworth does not calculate how much is owed to determine the loan amount.) The parent borrower determines the amount to borrow by entering one of the following in the request process:
    • An amount owed for the year (factoring in loan fees of 4.228 percent (for 2023-24 this is just an estimate)
    • An amount that works with other resources
    • "MAX" – Whitworth will calculate the maximum the parent is eligible for based on their student's cost of attendance minus other financial aid resources. This amount may or may not exceed the amount owed.
  3. Print, complete and return the Parent Loan Self-Certification Form. This form is required for all new loans and for all parent borrowers. Whitworth must confirm parent borrowers meet all parent loan eligibility requirements before disbursing funds onto a student's account.

Denied borrowers will be given the following options during the online process:

  • Find an endorser/co-signer. The endorser should not have any adverse credit history and is required to complete an online addendum.
  • Request the additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for the student. Students are eligible for additional unsubsidized loan funds if the parent is denied a parent loan.
  • First- and second-year students can borrow an additional $4,000.
  • Third- and fourth-year students can borrow an additional $5,000.
  • Appeal/challenge the credit decision. Parent borrowers who choose to appeal the credit decision, and are approved, will be required to complete PLUS credit counseling before the school can disburse any funds on their behalf. Complete the PLUS credit counseling.

If you have questions related to online processes for the Federal Parent Loan, please contact U.S. Department of Education Applicant Services at 800.557.7394.

For information and resources about student loan repayment, visit studentaid.gov.

If you have questions related to loan processes at Whitworth University, please contact the financial aid office at 509.777.3215. To submit a complaint related to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the student loan advocate at loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov.

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