Please note: Credit decisions are good for 180 days. If credit approval has expired, increases in PLUS Loans or new PLUS Loan applications will automatically generate a new credit check.
The Federal PIN is no longer used. Students, parents, and borrowers are now required to use an FSA ID, made up of a username and password, to access certain U.S. Department of Education websites.
Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial and loan information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents.
If you have not yet set up your FSA ID and/or need to replace an existing Federal PIN, please visit the FSA ID website before visiting the Federal Student Aid website.
Click on the link that reads “Request a Direct PLUS Loan.”
Read the small print and then click on the “Parent PLUS” link at the bottom of the page.
Be sure to choose the correct period for the loans when you complete the PLUS application.
If you want a fall or spring PLUS loan, then choose the loan period from August to May.
If it is a PLUS loan for the summer term, then choose the loan period from May to August.
In the Student Information section:
Choose your principal repayment deferment option. It will cost you less overall if you choose not to defer principal repayments.
Choose the Other Charges option: If you authorize, PLUS funds will be used to pay any existing charges on your student’s Cal Central account.
Choose a Credit Balance option. Most parents choose “The Student” because this is the most efficient way to get funds to where they are needed. If you choose “Me,” any refund will be issued via paper check and mailed to you (the parent) at the address on your PLUS application.
In the School and Loan Information section:
Enter a specific amount in the Loan Amount Requested section to minimize your borrowing.
If you choose to borrow the maximum, additional PLUS loans will be processed anytime your maximum eligibility increases. This happens automatically, and will result in higher debt.
If you choose “I don’t know,” we will not process your application.
For Loan Period, be sure to choose the correct period for the loans when you complete the PLUS application.
If you want a fall or spring PLUS loan, then choose the loan period from August to May.
If it is a PLUS loan for the summer term, then choose the loan period from May to August.
Continue through the application. You will see your approval status immediately.
If you are approved, click on the “Complete an MPN” link and follow the directions. Take some time to read all the small print as it contains important information about interest, fees, your repayment obligation, and your borrower rights.
If you are not approved, you will be presented with some options. You can:
Appeal the decision. Decisions may be appealed by calling Applicant Services at (800) 557-7394.
Secure an endorser. If you have decided to pursue an endorser, the endorser will complete the “Endorse Direct PLUS Loan” section at studentloans.gov. The endorser will need their own federal PIN to sign the endorser addendum.
Not pursue a Direct Loan at this time. We will zero out your PLUS Loan and offer your student additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan if you choose this option.
Undecided. No action will be taken by the school.Note: If you change your mind about how to proceed after you have submitted your response, please let us know by contacting Cal Student Central. The case you submit should include your name and contact information, as well as your student’s name and the student ID number.
Once you electronically sign your MPN, it will be transmitted to UC Berkeley electronically and linked with your application.
The whole process will take a minimum of three business days, resulting in loan payments to Cal Central within five business days if all other basic eligibility requirements are met.
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
The Parent PLUS Loan can help parents finance a UC Berkeley education.
It provides financing to parents of undergraduate students who have no adverse credit history.
Even recent credit issues can be appealed if you had extenuating circumstances. See the “adverse credit history” information on the Federal Student Aid Parent PLUS Loan page.
Features of Parent PLUS Loans
This loan can be used to cover your student’s educational expenses that aren’t covered by other forms of financial aid. This loan can also be used to cover your “Expected Family Contribution” as indicated on your student’s financial aid award offer.
Repayment can be deferred until your student leaves school.
This loan has flexible repayment options.
We encourage you to read all about the PLUS Loan before applying. For information about interest and fees, deferment, repayment, and much more, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
Am I Eligible to Apply for the PLUS Loan?
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Families come in many different shapes and sizes! Biological and adoptive parents of undergraduates are eligible to apply. Step-parents can also apply if their information is included on the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). More than one parent can apply on behalf of each student, which can help unmarried parents share costs. Undergraduate students cannot apply for or accept a Parent PLUS loan on their parent(s)' behalf.
For more details about general eligibility, see the Federal Student Aid Parent PLUS Loan page.
In some cases, you won't be able to complete the online application. If you are not a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, have a defaulted federal education loan, or have filed bankruptcy that prevents incurring new debt, you won't be able to complete the online application. If this happens, your student, if eligible, may be considered for additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds. Please complete the Ineligible PLUS Borrower Form to let us know if you are ineligible for a PLUS Loan. The form should be submitted for each parent listed on the FAFSA.
When Can I Borrow?
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Apply as soon after April 8th as possible, each year for the upcoming academic year, and only after your student has received an official offer of financial aid that includes a Parent PLUS Loan.
For summer PLUS Loans, apply as soon after March 30 as possible after your student receives an official summer aid offer that includes a Parent PLUS Loan. Please Note: Summer PLUS Loans require a new application.
The final application deadlines, meaning that all required online processes must be completed, are listed below:
Attending Fall-only: November 30
Attending Fall and Spring or Spring-only: April 30
Attending Summer Sessions:
Summer Enrollment Periods:
Summer Loan Process Deadline
Session A Only
Second to last Friday of June
Any Session ending Aug. 14
Last Friday in July
Special Session ending before Aug. 14
Two weeks before end of Session
How Much Can I Borrow?
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As a parent, the maximum you may borrow for each undergraduate student at UC Berkeley is determined by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office and is listed on your student's financial aid offer.
By borrowing wisely, repayment will be manageable!
Note: You may not have to borrow as much as what is offered. Review your student's actual expenses and your finances carefully. Use this review to help you determine the least amount you need to borrow. Remember to consider any cash payments you can make from your current income or savings.
OK! I'm Ready to Apply. How Do I Do This?
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The PLUS Loan application and Parent PLUS Master Promissory Note are completed on the Federal Student Aid website. The PLUS Loan application for the upcoming academic year will be available in early April of each year. Apply only after your student has received an official offer of financial aid that includes a Parent PLUS Loan.
Simply click the green "Log In" button in the top left corner of the screen and log in using your own FSA ID and password. Don't use your student's FSA ID to log in!
What Happens if My PLUS Application Is Denied?
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If your PLUS loan application is not approved, you will be presented with four different options:
Appeal the decision by calling COD Applicant services at (800) 557-7394.
Secure an endorser. If you have decided to pursue an endorser, the endorser will complete Endorse a Direct PLUS Loan. The endorser will need their own Federal PIN to sign the endorser addendum.
Not Pursue a PLUS Loan at this time. We will zero out your PLUS Loan and offer your student additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan if you choose this option.
Undecided. No action will be taken by the school.
If you change your mind about how to proceed after you have submitted your response, please let us know by opening a case. The case you open needs to include your name, your student's name and student ID number, and it needs to be sent by the parent who applied for the PLUS Loan.
When and How Do I Receive the Funds/Refunds?
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Fall/Spring PLUS Loans are paid in two equal disbursements. If you apply before the year starts, or during the fall term, the fall disbursement will pay to your student account as early as 10 days before the beginning of the term, but not before you complete all online requirements. The spring disbursement will pay as early as 10 days before the beginning of the spring term.
If you apply for a fall/spring loan during the spring term, you will still receive two equal disbursements, but they will pay at about the same time.
A summer Parent PLUS Loan is disbursed no sooner than seven days before classes begin in the first Summer Session in which your student is enrolled.
Parent PLUS funds first pay outstanding charges on your student's account. If the amount of the Parent PLUS Loan exceeds the charges on your student's account bill, the excess funds will be refunded either to you or your student, depending on the choice you make on your online application.
Note: Most parents choose to allow the refunds to go directly to the student, as this is the most efficient way to get the funds to where they are needed. These funds can be credited directly to your student's bank account as long as he or she has signed up for Direct Deposit through the Billing and Payment Services Office. This is also a great opportunity for your student to begin to learn about managing money by developing and abiding by a spending plan. For more information about creating a spending plan and managing personal finances, please visit the Center for Financial Wellness website.
Alternately, refunds can be paid directly to you. If you choose this option, please note that your refund will be issued via paper check and mailed to you at the address on your PLUS Loan application. Please note: The process to refund directly to parent via paper check may take 7–15 business days during peak processing which is the start of each term.
What if I've Borrowed Too Much and Would Like to Reduce or Cancel My PLUS Loan
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Within 120 Days of Disbursement
You can cancel or reduce a paid loan through a request to the school for up to 120 days from the original disbursement date. It is important to remember that a reduction or cancellation of a paid PLUS loan will create a charge on your student's account that must be paid within no more than 30 days.
If you reduce your loan using these directions, send your payment to UC Berkeley once you see the charge on the student account.
To reduce or cancel a federal PLUS loan, the PLUS parent borrower should open a case with the requested change.
When you cancel your loan through the school by reducing the amount, a charge will be applied to your student account within 2 to 3 business days, which may create a balance due. You are responsible for paying this balance. Do not send a payment to your loan servicer if you are reducing the loan through the school.
More Than 120 Days After Disbursement
If it has been more than 120 days since your loan disbursement date, you cannot cancel your loan. However, you can make a payment to your servicer. Locate the servicer’s contact information by logging into your National Student Loan Data System account and clicking on the Financial Aid Review button.
In order to ensure that your payment is applied to a particular loan, you must include a letter with your payment that has specific instructions about how to apply your payment.
For example: "Please apply this $200 payment to my unsubsidized loan first disbursed on 01/10/09, paying off any accrued interest and then applying any remaining payment to the principal of that loan."
When Do I Begin Repayment?
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Repayment begins 60 days after the loan is paid out in full. For fall/spring loans, this typically means repayment begins in late February.
Repayment can be deferred while your student is enrolled at least half-time, however interest will continue to accrue. To defer repayment, you must contact your loan servicer.
The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a financing option with flexible repayment options. However, you should do research first on the Department of Education website, to make sure it’s the best fit for your needs. Review this Federal Student Loan Programs fact sheet to compare PLUS Loans with other types of federal loans.
To Apply for a Graduate PLUS Loan
Log in to CalCentral. We encourage you to accept the smallest amount of Grad PLUS needed for the year. You can accept less than the offered amount, which is your maximum current eligibility. You can also delay accepting any or all of your offer until you are sure you need it.
Complete the Grad PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN) online. Simply log in to studentaid.gov by clicking on the green “Log In” button and entering your federal PIN information. Note: The Grad PLUS MPN is not the same MPN that you may have completed for your subsidized or unsubsidized loan. It is exclusive to the Grad PLUS.
To receive a Federal Direct Loan at UC Berkeley, you need to complete required processes by the following deadlines at the latest:
Attending Fall-only: November 30
Attending Fall/Spring or Spring-Only: April 30
Attending Summer Sessions:
Summer Enrollment Periods:
Summer Loan Process Deadline
Session A Only
Second to last Friday of June
Any Session ending Aug. 14
Last Friday in July
Special Session ending before Aug. 14
Two weeks before end of Session
WHAT YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE
Accept your loan through CalCentral. Please Note: Your credit will be checked when you accept the loan and the School submits the loan record to the Dept. of Education.
After 2 to 3 business days, your Master Promissory Note and Entrance Loan Counseling will be received by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
After verifying that you do not have any blocks, that your financial aid application is complete, and that you meet all other basic eligibility requirements, your loan will disburse to your account.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE CREDIT CHECK CANNOT BE RUN AND/OR IS DENIED?
If you have a freeze on your credit, this may prevent the required credit check from being run, which will result in a pending credit status that will need to be resolved for the credit check to run. If possible, it is best to lift the credit freeze prior to accepting your Graduate PLUS loan, to avoid a "pending" credit status.
If the credit check shows that you have an adverse credit history, your Graduate PLUS loan will be denied, but you may still receive a grad PLUS loan through the following two options:
Obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the grad PLUS loan if you do not repay it.
Documenting to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances relating to your adverse credit history.
Your loan disburses to your student account and pays for any outstanding charges that you have for the term that the loan is disbursed.
If there is no outstanding balance on your student account when the loan is paid, or if your loan disbursement is larger than your balance, you will receive a refund.
If you are going to receive a refund, you will get a notification from Billing and Payment Services.
How Do I Cancel or Reduce My Grad PLUS Loan?
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Within 120 Days of Disbursement
You can cancel or reduce a paid loan through a request to the school for up to 120 days from the original disbursement date. It is important to remember that a reduction or cancellation of a paid student loan will create a charge on your student account that must be paid within no more than 30 days.
If you reduce your loan using these directions, send your payment to UC Berkeley once you see the charge on the student account.
To reduce or cancel a federal student loan, the student should open a case with the requested change.
When you cancel your loan through the school by reducing the amount, a charge will be applied to your student account within 2 to 3 business days, which may create a balance due. You are responsible for paying this balance. Do not send a payment to your loan servicer if you are reducing the loan through the school.
More Than 120 Days After Disbursement
If it has been more than 120 days since your loan disbursement date, you cannot cancel or reduce your loan through the school. However, you can make a payment directly to your servicer. Locate the servicer’s contact information by logging into your National Student Loan Data System account and clicking on the Financial Aid Review button.
In order to ensure that your payment is applied to a particular loan, you must include a letter to the loan servicer with your payment that has specific instructions about how to apply your payment.
For example: "Please apply this $200 payment to my unsubsidized loan first disbursed on 01/10/2019, paying off any accrued interest and then applying any remaining payment to the principal of that loan."