FAFSA Parent Plus loan denial - will they force my other parent to apply?

they won't force ur dad to apply but you might need to contact financial aid office to get the additional unsubsidized loan. when my mom got denied last year i got an extra $4000 in unsubsidized loans automatically

The financial aid office won't automatically require your other parent to apply for the Parent PLUS loan. When one parent is denied for the PLUS loan due to adverse credit history, you become eligible for additional unsubsidized loans in your own name. However, this isn't always processed automatically. For the 2025-2026 aid year, you'll need to: 1. Make sure your financial aid office has documentation of the PLUS loan denial 2. Complete a request form for the additional unsubsidized loan (different at each school) 3. The additional amount is usually up to $4,000 for undergraduates in years 1-2 and $5,000 for years 3-4 Don't wait on this - contact your financial aid office immediately to start the process.

The additional unsubsidized loan amounts ($4,000 or $5,000 depending on your academic level) are annual totals, so they would be split between fall and spring semesters. If you're a first or second-year undergraduate, you'd receive about $2,000 each semester in additional unsubsidized loans.

same thing happened to me! my mom got denied for plus loan and my dad lives in another state and we dont talk. dont worry, they wont make your other parent apply. but u still have a gap to fill. have u looked at private loans? i know discover and sallie mae do student loans without parents

When a parent is denied for a Parent PLUS loan, your financial aid office should offer you two options: 1. Your parent can seek an endorser (similar to a co-signer) for the PLUS loan 2. You become eligible for the additional unsubsidized loan They won't automatically require your other parent to apply, though some schools might suggest it. This is especially true if your parents are divorced and you don't have much contact with one parent. For the remaining $10,500 gap, I recommend: - Check if your school has an installment payment plan (usually 3-4 payments per semester) - Contact the financial aid office about school-specific scholarships or grants - Look into part-time work opportunities through Federal Work-Study if you were awarded this - Consider a less expensive housing option if applicable Private loans should be a last resort due to their higher interest rates and fewer protections.

Absolutely! You should definitely ask your financial aid office for a professional judgment review (sometimes called a special circumstances review). Since your FAFSA was based on 2023 tax information, if your family has had any significant changes since then (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), this could help increase your aid eligibility. Be prepared to provide documentation of your parents' divorce and the limited financial support from your father. Some schools have specific forms for this process, while others may ask for a letter explaining your circumstances along with supporting documentation.

I've dealt with this exact situation with my daughter's FAFSA last year. Here's what I discovered after hours trying to get through to somebody at Federal Student Aid: Try using Claimyr.com to get through to a Federal Student Aid agent directly. It'll connect you to a real person instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent will confirm exactly what happens with the Parent Plus denial and what additional unsubsidized loan amounts you qualify for. In our case, one parent's denial was enough - they never contacted my ex-husband. The financial aid office just needed the denial documentation to process the additional unsubsidized loan.

guys stop suggesting private loans!!!! theyre basically SCAMS with how high the interest is. better to go to community college for 2 years and transfer than to get stuck with private loans. i had to drop out last semester cause i couldnt afford school anymore even with the extra unsub loan amount.

When my dad got denied for the Parent PLUS my school automatically added like $4k in extra unsubsidized loans to my aid package. I didn't have to do anything special. BUT my mom was deceased so maybe that's why they didn't try to make her apply lol. No but seriously every school handles it differently and $4k is probably not enough to cover your shortfall. Have you thought about maybe taking a semester off and working to save up some $? Lots of people do that.

Hey Adriana! I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my mom got denied for Parent PLUS. The good news is they definitely won't force your dad to apply - especially since your parents are divorced and he's not involved financially. Here's what worked for me: Call your financial aid office ASAP and ask specifically about the "additional unsubsidized loan for dependent students whose parents were denied PLUS." Don't just wait for them to automatically process it. At my school, I had to submit a one-page form, but some schools do it automatically once they get the denial documentation from your mom. For the remaining gap after the extra $4k, definitely ask about emergency grants or institutional aid. My school had a "student emergency fund" that I didn't even know existed until I asked. Also, if you have good grades, ask if there are any late-deadline scholarships you can still apply for. Don't give up on State University yet - there are usually more options than they initially tell you about!