Financial Aid Office

Direct Graduate PLUS Loans

St. Catherine University now participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program for PLUS Loans. These are low-interest loans specifically for graduate students.

Loan authorization instructions

  1. Complete a Federal Graduate PLUS Loan Request and Credit Authorization for the appropriate aid year. Click on the link below to print the form, then mail or fax the completed form to our office.
    Summer 2012 Federal Graduate PLUS Loan Request and Credit Authorization »
    2011-12 Federal Graduate PLUS Loan Request and Credit Authorization »
  2. Complete the Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN), which is the written contract between you, the borrower, and the lender. This can be completed online at the Direct Loan website. Sign in to the "Manage My Direct Loan" section of the site using your social security number, last name, birth date, and FAFSA PIN. Select "Complete Master Promissory Note," then "Graduate PLUS."

    And, if you are a new borrower:
  3. Complete the Loan Entrance Counseling, which is also available online at the Direct Loan website. Sign in to the "Manage My Direct Loan" section of the site using your social security number, last name, birth date, and FAFSA PIN. Select "Complete Entrance Counseling.".

Receiving your loan

The Direct Loan Program will send a loan disclosure statement when your loan has been processed. Save this statement to compare to your online bill later. It will show the total amount of your loan, the disbursement amounts and the estimated disbursement dates. This is an estimate for when the funds will be transferred, NOT the date the funds may be released to you.

Denial

Any PLUS Loan borrower with adverse credit may be denied the PLUS Loan. If your credit is denied, you will receive notification from the direct loan servicer. You can:
  • Seek a credit status override. Contact the Direct Loan service at 1-800-557-7394 and Equifax (their credit bureau) at 1-800-685-5000.
  • Request a review. If you have extenuating circumstances, provide documentation to the Direct Loan service.
  • Have a third party endorser co-sign the PLUS Loan application. Contact the Direct Loan service at 1-800-557-7394.
  • Choose not to pursue the denied PLUS Loan. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss options.

Loan Comparisons

To compare the terms of the different loans available to you and help determine which loans would best meet your needs, use our loan comparison chart.