Basic Information

• To apply for this loan, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and must have filed the appropriate form:
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• 2008-2009 Supplemental Form for Graduate Students
• You must be enrolled at least half-time, submit all required documents, and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and loan eligibility.
• You must already have borrowed the maximum Federal Stafford Loan amount.
• You must meet federal minimum credit criteria.
• The current (2008-2009) interest rate is fixed at 8.5 percent, with a 10-year repayment term that begins when the loan is fully disbursed. However, you may defer payment until you graduate, withdraw or drop below half-time enrollment.
• There is no penalty for early repayment.

How To Apply

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the 2008-2009 Supplemental Form for Graduate Students to the Financial Aid Office. (For faxing instructions, visit www.usc.edu/contactfao.) Otherwise go to Step 2.
• Select any lender, and apply online. (After you are approved by the lender, the Financial Aid Office will be notified and the loan will be certified.)  If you choose a lender not listed on this page, fax a 2008-2009 Graduate and Professional Student Federal PLUS Loan Request Statement to the Financial Aid Office. (For faxing instructions, visit www.usc.edu/contactfao).
• If you need to complete a Graduate and Professional Student Federal PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN), your lender will contact you. The MPN is valid for all PLUS loans with this lender for up to 10 years.

Benefits of the Federal Graduate and professional student PLUS Loan

• You do not need to submit your tax returns to the Financial Aid Office
• Borrow up to the full cost of education — tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, books and supplies, and even transportation, less other aid received
• Fixed interest rate
• No prepayment penalty                           
• No income-to-debt ratio
• Credit check is less strict than private student loan                          
• Students who do not meet the credit requirements may apply with a co-signer (called an “endorser”)
• Postpone payments up to 60 months while student is in school
• Payment Flexibility: income-sensitive, graduated and extended payment options
• Accrued interest capitalizes once at repayment
• Federally insured against death and disability

Federal Graduate PLUS Lenders

Students may borrow from any lender.

USC has analyzed all known lender programs of this type offered to USC students. The terms of the analysis included, but were not limited to, interest rates, fees, repayment duration, and other repayment options. The lender program rankings that resulted from our analysis were reviewed by an independent accounting firm.

The top 10 lender programs for the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, based on the analysis described above, are displayed on this page in alphabetical order. Bear in mind that USC does not endorse or recommend specific lenders. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at www.usc.edu/contactfao.

Click here to view the Graduate and Professional PLUS lender comparison 2008-09