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Office of Financial Assistance

Direct PLUS Loan

The Direct PLUS loan, provides parents (Direct PLUS) and students (Direct Graduate PLUS) with competitive rates and repayment terms.  The parent(s)’ creditworthiness is considered in determining their eligibility.

The Direct PLUS loan may be used by the parent of a dependent student (Direct PLUS) or a graduate student (Direct Graduate PLUS) who has borrowed the maximum amount of Direct Loan assistance. The loan is available to students regardless of the level of financial need. Direct Loans are funded by the US Department of Education through Villanova University and are managed by federal loan servicers, under the supervision of the Department of Education.  If you are a dependent student, your parent(s) can borrow up to your cost of education less all other financial aid received. Graduate students are also eligible to borrow up to their total cost of education less all other financial aid received. Direct PLUS Loans are not based on need but rather on the borrower's creditworthiness.

Villanova parents who wish to apply only for a Direct PLUS Loan for the 2020-2021 academic year are required to complete the FAFSA.

 

An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if the borrower does not repay the loan. The endorser may not be the student on whose behalf a parent obtains a Direct PLUS Loan. In some cases, you may also be able to obtain a Direct PLUS Loan if you document to the Department of Education's satisfaction that there are extenuating circumstances related to your adverse credit history.

**Beginning March 29, 2015, if you are denied for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan and later approved with an endorser or through the appeal process, you must complete PLUS Loan Counseling at https://studentloans.gov.  The Federal Direct PLUS Loan will not disburse until the counseling has been completed.

Parents and Graduate students can borrow up to an amount equal to the cost of attending Villanova, less any other financial aid received. This would include grants, scholarships, and other loans including the Direct Loan. Since interest is not paid by the Federal Government, family income has no impact on how much you can borrow.

All loans disbursed between 7/1/20 through 6/30/21 will be subject to a fixed interest rate of 5.3%.

For the most up to date information please visit studentloans.gov.

Fees are deducted from the loan funds and are included in the amount a parent will pay back. The US Department of Education charges a loan fee of 4.236 percent for loans 1st disbursed after October 1, 2019, and a loan fee of 4.228 percent for loans 1st disbursed on or after October 1, 2020.  This fee is deducted proportionately from each disbursement of your loan. 

For parents of dependent undergraduate students, repayment normally begins within 60 days after the loan has been fully disbursed. Parents may request an in-school deferment of repayment until after the student's graduation.

Graduate students will automatically receive an in-school deferment while they are enrolled at least half-time. Once you graduate, or drop below half-time status, repayment will begin within 60 days after your enrollment status has changed.

Direct PLUS and Direct Graduate PLUS Loans are funded by the US Department of Education through Villanova University. Under the supervision of the Department of Education, the servicers listed below are assigned to manage all Federal Direct Loans.  One-to-two weeks after the first disbursement, parents/students will receive a mailing notifying them of their selected loan servicer.

Servicers for Federal Loans:

Aspire Resources Inc. - Phone: 855-475-3335 - Website: www.AspireResourcesInc.com

CornerStone - Phone: 800-663-1662 - Website: www.MyCornerStoneLoan.org

Department of Education Student Loan Servicing Center (ACS) - Phone: 800-835-4611

EdManage - Phone: 855/479-0490 - Website: www.EdManage.MyEdLoan.com

ESA/Edfinancial - Phone: 855/337-6884 - Website: www.edfinancial.com/DL

FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA) - Phone: 800/699-2908 - Website: www.myfedloan.org

Granite State – GSMR - Phone: 888/556-0022 - Website: www.gsmr.org

Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc. - Phone: 800-236-4300 - Website: www.mygreatlakes.org

KSA Servicing - Phone: 877-292-4825 - Website: www.ksa.myedloan.com

MOHELA - Phone: 888-866-4352 - Website: www.mohela.com

Navient - Phone: 800-722-1300 - Website: www.navient.com

Nelnet - Phone: 888-486-4722 - Website: www.nelnet.com

OSLA Servicing -  Phone: 866-264-9762 - Website: www.osla.org

VSAC Federal Loans - Phone: 888-932-5626 - Website: www.VSACFederalLoans.org

  1. A completed FAFSA must be on file for the student
  2. Go to https://studentloans.gov to complete the Direct PLUS Loan application*.
    • For an Undergraduate student, the parent will need to sign in using their FSA ID and Password
    • For a Graduate student, the student will sign in using their FSA ID and Password
  3. Complete and sign the MPN at https://studentloans.gov.

*NOTE: Your loan is not complete and will not be certified by the Office of Financial Assistance until ALL of the above steps have been completed.

If you have any questions about the Federal Direct PLUS or Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan, please send us an email with your question, name, and Villanova University number to finaidloan@villanova.edu. 

Master Promissory Note
All borrowers seeking a Direct PLUS or Graduate PLUS Loan must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the US Department of Education. Through a Direct PLUS Loan MPN, you may receive multiple PLUS loans over a maximum 10 year period. You have to complete the promissory note only once. Thereafter, all you need to do is supply the amount you want to borrow each year and successfully complete the credit-check process. An MPN must be completed for each student enrolled.

If borrowing a Direct PLUS loan with an endorser, please note that a new MPN will need to be signed each academic year.

You may complete your Direct PLUS MPN at https://studentloans.gov.

*Credit Check
When you apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, the Department of Education will check your credit history. To be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan, you must not have an adverse credit history. If you are found to have an adverse credit history, you may still borrow a Direct PLUS Loan if you get an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history.

**Beginning March 29, 2015 if you are denied a Federal Direct PLUS Loan and later approved with an endorser or through the appeal process, you must complete PLUS Loan Counseling at https://studentloans.gov. The Federal Direct PLUS Loan cannot be disbursed until the counseling has been completed.

Additional Information

Application Process
Steps to complete a Direct PLUS/Graduate PLUS Loan:

Go to https://studentloans.gov to complete the Direct PLUS Loan application.

Complete and sign the MPN at https://studentloans.gov.

*NOTE: Your loan is not complete and will not be certified by the Office of Financial Assistance until ALL of the above steps have been completed.

If you have any questions about the Federal Direct PLUS or Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan, please send us an email with your question, name, and Villanova University number to finaidloan@villanova.edu. 

Master Promissory Note
All borrowers seeking a Direct PLUS or Graduate PLUS Loan must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the US Department of Education. Through a Direct PLUS Loan MPN, you may receive multiple PLUS loans over a maximum 10 year period. You have to complete the promissory note only once. Thereafter, all you need to do is supply the amount you want to borrow each year and successfully complete the credit-check process. An MPN must be completed for each student enrolled.

If borrowing a Direct PLUS loan with an endorser, please note that a new MPN will need to be signed each academic year.

You may complete your Direct PLUS MPN at https://studentloans.gov.

Credit Check
When you apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, the Department of Education will check your credit history. To be eligible for a Direct PLUS Loan, you must not have an adverse credit history. If you are found to have an adverse credit history, you may still borrow a Direct PLUS Loan if you get an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history.

**Beginning March 29, 2015 if you are denied a Federal Direct PLUS Loan and later approved with an endorser or through the appeal process, you must complete PLUS Loan Counseling at https://studentloans.gov. The Federal Direct PLUS Loan cannot be disbursed until the counseling has been completed.