FAFSA Parent PLUS Loan denied - success with appeals or alternatives?

Yes, I successfully appealed a Parent PLUS loan denial last year! The key is understanding that the Department of Education considers very specific things as 'adverse credit history.' In my case, I had a medical collection I didn't even know about that was causing the denial. For a successful appeal, you need to: 1. Request your credit report to identify the exact issue 2. Document the extenuating circumstances (one-time event, medical emergency, etc.) 3. Get a letter from your employer confirming stable income 4. Submit the appeal through studentaid.gov with all supporting documentation Alternatively, your daughter automatically qualifies for increased unsubsidized loan amounts due to the PLUS denial. The increase isn't huge (usually about $4,000-$5,000 per year for juniors), but it helps.

my sons plus loan was denied to. we tryed appealing it but got nowhere. the financial aid office was useless kept telling us to try private loans but who the heck is going to give a 19 yr old a loan with no credit??? ended up having to take a semester off and work full time. so frustrating

Contact your daughter's financial aid office IMMEDIATELY and ask about these options: 1. Additional unsubsidized loans (which you mentioned) - this is automatic with a PLUS denial 2. Emergency institutional grants - many schools have emergency funds for students in your situation 3. Payment plans - might be able to spread remaining costs over monthly payments 4. Professional judgment review - if your financial situation has changed since filing FAFSA Also, one late car payment shouldn't trigger a PLUS denial unless it was 90+ days late or sent to collections. Request your credit report right away to see what's actually causing the denial. Something else might be on there you don't know about.

I've been trying to reach someone at FSA about our PLUS loan denial for WEEKS with no luck. Always disconnected or on hold forever. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) yesterday and got through to an actual human in 20 minutes who explained exactly why our PLUS was denied and what documentation we needed for appeal. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Turns out our denial was due to a tax lien from 2019 that was already resolved but still showing on my credit. The FSA agent walked me through the exact appeal documentation needed.

Here's something many don't realize: if your Parent PLUS loan is denied, your daughter automatically becomes eligible for increased unsubsidized loan limits - the same higher limits that independent students get! For a junior, that's an additional $5,000 per year beyond the standard dependent student limits. For any remaining gap, look into these options: - School payment plans (usually interest-free) - Part-time campus employment - many roles pay above minimum wage - Local credit union private loans - sometimes have better terms for students - Scholarship search - even mid-year, there are opportunities DON'T panic and pull out high-interest credit cards or predatory private loans. A gap year is better than crushing debt.

My daughter had same problem last yr. What worked for us was getting the extra unsubsidized loan then doing a combo of payment plan + she got an on-campus job. The office also found her some small scholarship that had gone unclaimed for $1200. Every little bit helped!

THE WHOLE PARENT PLUS SYSTEM IS A SCAM!!! They KNOW parents will get denied then what?? Your kid just doesn't get an education? Or you take out PREDATORY private loans?? And the schools just keep raising tuition because they know the govt keeps handing out loans. It's all a racket designed to trap families in debt!!

Quick update on timelines since you mentioned classes starting soon: A Parent PLUS loan appeal typically takes 2-3 weeks to process. However, most schools will allow students to start classes with a pending appeal if you've submitted all documentation and have a payment plan in place for the remaining balance. I recommend: 1. Call financial aid office tomorrow and explain the situation 2. Ask about a temporary "registration hold waiver" while the appeal is processing 3. Get written confirmation of what happens if the appeal is denied 4. Submit a payment plan application for at least part of the balance This prevents your daughter from missing the start of classes while you're sorting out the funding.

After reading through this thread, I want to mention one more option that hasn't been discussed. Some schools have Parent PLUS Loan alternative programs designed specifically for families who get denied. These institutional loans often have more flexible credit requirements and sometimes lower interest rates than private loans. They're not widely advertised because schools don't want everyone choosing them over PLUS loans, but they exist at many institutions. Ask specifically: "Does the university offer any institutional loan alternatives for families denied for Parent PLUS loans?" Sometimes they're called "bridge loans" or "gap funding programs.

I'm a financial aid counselor and want to add a few important points that might help your situation: First, regarding the appeal - you mentioned only one late car payment, but PLUS loan denials are typically triggered by delinquencies 90+ days past due, bankruptcies, foreclosures, or tax liens. Check your credit report from all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) as there might be something else you're not aware of. Second, here's a strategy many families miss: If your appeal is denied, consider having your daughter's other parent (if applicable) apply for the PLUS loan instead. Each parent can apply separately, and one denial doesn't affect the other parent's eligibility. Third, contact your state's higher education agency - many states have emergency grant programs for students facing funding gaps. These are often overlooked but can provide $1,000-$3,000 in additional aid. Finally, if you're truly stuck, consider having your daughter take just 3/4 time enrollment (9-11 credits instead of 12+) for one semester. This reduces costs while maintaining financial aid eligibility, and she can make up credits during summer or winter sessions when costs are often lower. Don't give up - there are usually more options than initially apparent!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got my PLUS loan denial letter two weeks ago and have been scrambling ever since. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about institutional loan alternatives and the possibility of having my spouse apply separately. One thing I discovered that might help others: if you're working with a financial aid office that seems unhelpful, try calling the main financial aid number and asking to speak with a senior counselor or supervisor. Sometimes the front-line staff don't know about all available options, but the supervisors have access to emergency funds and alternative programs that aren't widely advertised. Also, I found out that some schools will allow you to audit a class (sit in without credit) for a much lower fee if you're just one or two credits short of full-time status due to financial constraints. It's not ideal, but it can help maintain enrollment status while you work out the funding issues. Hang in there - this process is incredibly stressful but there really are more options than it initially seems!