Parent PLUS Loans

• Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 units)
• Parent(s) may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus financial aid and outside resources
• Interest rate and loan fees for the year are determined annually on July 1
• Begins accruing interest at the time of disbursement (unless borrower requests a deferment)
• Processing fee deducted from each disbursement
• First payment is due within 60 days of final annual disbursement
• Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA
• Credit check required
• 2026-27 loan offers can be accepted or declined in MyAwards beginning mid-late July. Requirements can be completed after the loan has been accepted.
• 2026-27 loan requirements and entrance counseling files will be uploaded starting mid-late July. Keep confirmation(s) for your records. 

Eligibility

Biological and adoptive parents of dependent undergraduate students are eligible to apply. Step-parents are also eligible to apply if their information is included in the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA. More than one parent can apply on behalf of each student, which can help unmarried parents share costs. Students cannot apply for or accept a Parent PLUS loan on their parent(s)' behalf.

For more details on eligibility, see Federal Student Aid Parent PLUS Loan.

Please note:

• If a biological parent is not listed on a student's FAFSA, the student's birth certificate will be required to confirm eligibility.
• If a parent is not a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, has a defaulted federal education loan, or has filed for bankruptcy, which prevents incurring new debt, they won't be able to complete the online application. If this happens, the 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.

Parent Direct PLUS authorization

Parents can update their authorization for UC Davis to use Parent Direct PLUS Loan disbursements to pay for other educationally related charges incurred at school. Changes to your authorization will become effective in the next consecutive quarter. Parents may request a change by submitting a Parent Direct PLUS Authorization Form.

Parent Direct PLUS address change

Parents can update their mailing address for a Parent PLUS refund check if the parent borrower is to receive a refund. This form must be completed by the parent borrower who applied for the Direct Parent PLUS Loan. Changes to the mailing address will become effective in the next disbursement of the Parent PLUS Loan. Parents may request a change by submitting a Parent Direct PLUS Change of Address Form.

Parent Direct PLUS loan limits

Review annual and aggregate loan limits for Parent PLUS loans, for both legacy and new borrowers, as determined by the One Big Beautiful Bill, or OBBB.

Legacy provision

Parents may continue to borrow under the current rules up to the cost of attendance, less all other financial aid offers, for up to three additional years if:

• The student they are borrowing for is enrolled in the same program they were attending before July 1, 2026.
• The parent borrowed a Parent PLUS loan for that student and received a loan disbursement before July 1, 2026.

New borrowers

• Beginning July 1, 2026, Parent PLUS loans will be capped at $20,000 per student per year, with a $65,000 lifetime limit per dependent student.
• There are no changes for undergraduate loans, although undergraduate loans will count towards the new lifetime limits.

PLUS Loan application process

Parent PLUS FAQs

• What if I am unable to request an endorser or appeal my Parent PLUS credit decision?
• Parents can complete the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Change Form to decline the loan. The student will qualify for an additional unsubsidized loan if the parent is ineligible for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan. The student will need to submit a change in aid or unsubsidized loan form to request the increase. Students can review the loan limits at studentaid.gov. Review the Independent and dependent undergraduate students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS loans chart.
• My parent applied for the Parent PLUS Loan and it has been more than 5-7 business days, why are the requirements not displayed as Satisfied and the loan not yet issued to Aggie Bill?
• To process a Parent PLUS Loan application, please ensure the following steps have been taken:
  
  1. Parent applied for the PLUS Application through studentaid.gov
  2. Parent received a credit decision at the end of the application:
            a. Received a confirmation email that the parent was approved. Continue to step 3.
            b. Received a confirmation email that the parent was not approved. See Application Process Step 9.
  3. After approval, the parent completed the Parent PLUS Master Promissory Note, or MPN, with the following selections completed:
            a. MPN for Parent of a dependent was selected.
            b. Parent’s information was used to submit the Parent PLUS MPN.
  4. If your parent was approved and the PLUS MPN was completed, please submit the following documents via Contact An Expert:
            a. An email from studentaid.gov that confirms the parent was approved for the Parent PLUS Loan.
            b. A copy of the completed Parent PLUS MPN.
  
  If additional information is required after these documents have been submitted, we will reach out to you via email.