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Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan

A Grad PLUS loan is a federally guaranteed credit-based loan. Only graduate and professional students are eligible to apply for it.

A Grad PLUS loan is a federally guaranteed credit-based loan. Only graduate and professional students are eligible to apply for this loan. (Dependent undergraduate students are eligible for a Parent PLUS Loan.)

Please only apply for fall and/or spring Grad PLUS Loans. Because they have higher interest rates and origination fees, we award students Grad PLUS Loans for fall and spring. When a student applies for summer financial aid, we move as much unsubsidized loans as possible to the summer semester. 

  1. Beginning on May 1, 2023, navigate to https://studentaid.gov Apply For Aid and click on Apply for a Grad PLUS Loan.
  2. Click the blue login button.
  3. Select Award Year 2023-24.
  4. Decide whether you want to authorize KU Medical Center to pay for charges other than tuition and fees. If you wish for loans to pay other expenses (e.g., parking, Kirmayer fitness pass) charged to your student account, you will need to give authorization here. If you want to do this, check the box. If not, leave the box blank.
  5. Choose the state of Kansas and search for the Univ. of Kansas Medical Center and add our school.
  6. For "specify a reason for submitting this Direct PLUS Loan Request," select New.
  7. For Loan Amount Requested, select either "I want to borrow the maximum," or "I would like to specify a loan amount" and enter a specific amount. In either case, you may only receive the remaining need left in your cost of attendance.
  8. Loan Period:
    • For Fall/Spring select 08/2023-05/2024 (This amount will be split evenly between the two terms.)
    • For Fall Only select 08/2023-12/2023 (Only select this if the student will not be attending in the spring term.)
    • For Spring Only select 01/2024-05/2024 (Only select this if the student did not attend in the fall term.)
  9. Answer the Borrower Information with the required information about you the student.
  10. If you have not yet completed the Graduate PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN), you will need to do this at https://studentaid.gov Complete Aid Process and click on Grad PLUS MPN.

The Federal Loan Origination Applicant Services (LOAS) center will conduct a credit check on the Grad PLUS loan applicant. If the applicant is 90 or more days delinquent on any debt, has been the subject of a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a debt under title IV of the Act during the five years preceding the date of the credit report, the Grad PLUS loan will be denied.

The LOAS will issue a loan denial letter to the applicant that will identify the name and telephone number of the agency that provided the credit information. The applicant should call the agency and request a copy of the credit report. After reviewing the report, if the credit data is inaccurate, the loan denial decision may be appealed.

Please note that Student Financial Aid is not provided any information about the specific reason for the denial. All loan denial appeals are handled by the LOAS. The LOAS may be contacted at 800-557-7394, or you may write to the Direct Loan Origination Center at Applicant Services, PO Box 5691, Montgomery, Ala. 36103-5691.

If the denial decision was based on accurate information, the applicant has the option to obtain an endorser, which is similar to a co-signer, on the loan. The LOAS will include an Endorser Promissory Note and information with the denial letter mailed to the borrower.

When the LOAS center notifies Student Financial Aid of the loan denial, we will send out a PLUS Loan denial form. The purpose of this form is to provide options for the applicant to officially communicate to our office exactly what they plan to do about the denial. We will not cancel the application until we receive the form.

Graduate and professional students are eligible to borrow up to their full cost of attendance, minus other financial aid and resources. Here is an example:

  • Cost of Attendance: $43,000
  • Other aid awarded: $20,500
  • Amount student can borrow in a Grad PLUS loan: $22,500

Please contact our office at 913-588-5170 or email financialaid@kumc.edu to determine the amount you are eligible to borrow for the academic year. We strongly suggest you contact our office before you apply for the Direct Grad PLUS loan to verify that you are eligible to apply for the Direct Grad PLUS loan.

  • Must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be admitted to a graduate or professional program
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Must be enrolled at least half-time (read enrollment information)
  • Must not have any adverse credit history as determined by federal regulations
  • Must not be in default on any student loan

Beginning October 1st, 2020, Federal Direct Lending will deduct a 4.228% fee on any new Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans.

Repayment begins 60 days after the final disbursement for loans disbursed prior to July 1, 2008. For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, borrowers may be eligible for an in-school deferment if enrolled at least half-time and may be eligible for deferment of loan repayment for the six-month period following any period of borrower’s half-time enrollment.

There are various flexible options available. Interest-only payments and full deferment of payments are available while the student is enrolled at least half-time and during periods of unemployment, economic hardship, graduate fellowship or military deferment.

Here is an explanation of some benefits of borrowing federal loans rather than loans from private lenders.

Student Financial Aid

University of Kansas Medical Center
Student Financial Aid Office
Mailstop 4005
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, Kan. 66160

Location: G035 Dykes Library
Phone
: 913-588-5170
Fax: 913-588-8841
Email: financialaid@kumc.edu