Direct PlUS Loans are loans available through the U.S. Department of Education to professional or graduate students who meet eligibility requirements. Loans are available to students who enroll in graduate schools that participate in the Direct Loan Program. The Department of Education also offers Parent PLUS loans. Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Direct Consolidation Loans also fall into this category.

How Is Eligibility Determined?

To be eligible, an applicant must be a graduate or professional student enrolled at an eligible school at least 50 percent of the time. The student's program must be for a professional degree, certificate, or graduate degree. The applicant must not have an adverse credit history and meet the requirements to be eligible for federal student aid. A negative credit history might not be an issue if an applicant meets additional requirements. Federal government loans are available to most students to pay for graduate school. The field of study you choose, age, or race doesn't affect a student's eligibility. Income is a consideration but doesn't automatically prevent a student from getting approval.

General Requirements For Federal Aid

An applicant must qualify for a career school or college education to receive a federal student loan. A student must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent or have completed a high school education under a program that has approval under state law.

A student must be accepted or enrolled in an eligible certificate or degree program. A valid Social Security number is necessary for students unless they reside in the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Marshall Islands.

Students must be citizens or nationals. A person born in the U.S. or certain U.S. territories is a U.S. citizen. Students born abroad to American citizens are citizens through the naturalization process. Anyone born on Swains Island or American Samoa is an American national.

A student may be a citizen or natural by obtaining a green card using the necessary government forms, which shows proof of U.S. citizenship. You may also use a form from the U.S. Immigration Service. The record must show that you have been granted asylum, are a parolee, a refugee, a Cuban-Haitian entrant, or a conditional entrant.

A student may be approved for federal aid if they have the qualified status of an immigrant in a domestic violence situation. This status may be granted to any alien abused by a spouse who has a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States. This designation is found under the U.S. Governments' Violence Against Women Act.

All students with a T-visa or a parent with a T-1 visa are eligible for federal student aid. A student must agree to only use the funding they receive for education, must not be owed a refund for a grant, and is not in default on a federal student loan. Students must maintain good grades and satisfactory progress in a college or career school.

How Much Do Graduate Students Qualify For?


Several determining factors regard the amount of funding a student may qualify for, including the degree level and the cost of attendance. Graduate students know about filling out applications and know the differences between subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. There are several differences between loans for undergraduate and graduate students.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA for undergraduate students is generally for novices. Graduate students are considered independent and may qualify for a lower amount. Borrowing and interest rates for graduate students are higher. The process for loan approval is similar, but the options may be different.

Graduate students don't have to enter parental financial information on their FAFSA. if a student is married or is pursuing a master's or doctorate degree, they're considered independent and responsible for their financial obligations. When a student declares independent status, they report less income since family income doesn't have an impact on status.

Low-income students that qualify for Pell Grants at the undergraduate level aren't eligible to receive the grants for graduate school. The only graduate students that may be eligible for Pell grants may be enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program.