Direct PLUS Loans are federal loans offered by the U.S. Department of Education that parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay for college.
PLUS loans are fixed interest rate loans that can be used to help cover costs not covered by other types of financial aid. Parents may borrow funds for each dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half time.
The maximum PLUS loan amount you can receive is the cost of attendance (determined by the school) minus any other financial aid received.
One half of the loan amount (minus a federal fee) will disburse to the student's bill for fall. The other half (minus a federal fee) will disburse to the student's bill for spring.
Understanding Federal Direct PLUS Loans
To learn more about Federal Direct PLUS Loans, including eligibility guidelines, how much you can borrow each year, and current loan fees and interest rates, we encourage you to visit studentaid.gov.
STUDENTAID.GOV - UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL DIRECT PLUS LOANS
Take Advantage of our PLUS Partner Program!
The WLC PLUS Partner Program is our unique commitment to help pay a portion of the interest on your Federal Direct PLUS Loan. We will pay a designated amount of the interest for a maximum of four years while your son or daughter is enrolled at Wisconsin Lutheran College!
Explore Our PLUS Partner Program
Applying for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan
Determine the amount you need to borrow through a Direct PLUS Loan for the entire school year.
One half of the amount that you borrow will be disbursed to Wisconsin Lutheran College for your student's first semester bill. The other one half of the amount will be disbursed for your student's second semester bill. Loan funds are applied directly to your student's bill.
There is a loan fee on all Direct PLUS Loans. The loan fee is a percentage of the loan amount and is proportionately deducted from each loan disbursement.
Be aware: The system will allow you to request a "maximum" amount. That amount may be more than what you need to pay your student's WLC bill for the year. If you only want to cover your student's bill, do not request "maximum."
Apply for a Direct PLUS Loan After May 1
- Log in to studentaid.gov with PARENT FSA ID and password. Go to I'm a Parent.
- Apply for Parent PLUS Loan.
- First-time Plus borrower also Complete MPN (i.e. Loan Agreement) for Parent PLUS Loan.
You will receive a Disclosure Statement from the Department of Education via email or mail at the time of the first disbursement in fall. The Disclosure Statement is your confirmation that your loan has been processed. You can also view your Disclosure Statement online at studentaid.gov when the loan is first disbursed.
You have the right to cancel or lower your loan at anytime by contacting the WLC Financial Aid Office.
If your PLUS request has been denied, contact the Office of Financial Aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College at 414.443.8856 or via email.