How to apply for Parent PLUS loans for my daughter's college - step-by-step guide needed

You need to go to studentaid.gov and sign in with YOUR FSA ID (not your daughter's). Once logged in, look for the "Apply for Aid" section and select "Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan." Make sure you have your daughter's school information and the exact loan amount you want to request. The credit check is instant, and if approved, you'll need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) right after. The whole process takes about 30 minutes if you have all your info ready.

Don't do it! parent plus loans have the HIGHEST interest rates of ALL federal loans (nearly 8% right now). They're also entirely in YOUR name, not your kid's. My wife and I are still paying off parent plus loans from 10 years ago because the interest is killing us. Look into private loans or scholarships before signing up for this trap.

im going thru this same thing right now for my son!! so frustrating how complicated they make everything. our financial aid office said we can apply anytime after june 1 for the fall semester but the sooner u do it the better. i think they only need your FSA ID since ur the borrower not ur daughter

I had a nightmare trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid when I was applying for my son's Parent PLUS loan last year. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Honestly saved me so much stress when we had questions about the credit requirements. The FSA agent was able to walk me through the whole application while I was on the phone.

Here's the step-by-step process for Parent PLUS loans: 1. YOU (the parent) must have an FSA ID - create one at studentaid.gov if you don't already have one 2. Your daughter must have a completed FAFSA on file for 2025-2026 3. Log in at studentaid.gov with YOUR FSA ID 4. Select "Apply for Aid" then "Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan" 5. Complete the application (requires your personal info, student info, school info, loan amount) 6. Consent to credit check (happens immediately) 7. If approved, complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) 8. The school will be notified electronically of your completed application 9. The funds will be disbursed directly to the school, not to you The process takes about 3-4 weeks from application to disbursement, but the credit decision is instant. Some schools have their own processes, so I recommend checking with your daughter's financial aid office after you apply. Also, be aware that there's a loan fee (about 4.2% currently) that's deducted from the loan amount before disbursement. So if you need exactly $13,000 to reach the school, request about $13,566 to account for the fee.

One thing no one mentioned - if you get denied for the Parent PLUS loan due to adverse credit history, YOUR DAUGHTER automatically becomes eligible for additional unsubsidized student loans in her own name. This is actually a strategy some families use intentionally. The additional amount is usually $4,000-$5,000 per year depending on her year in school.

There's one more option I forgot to mention in my first response - you can also bring an endorser (like a co-signer) if you're denied for the Parent PLUS loan but still want to pursue it. The endorser can't be the student, but could be another relative with better credit. If you go this route, you'll also need to complete PLUS credit counseling on studentaid.gov.