• The maximum PLUS Loan amount that may be requested is equal to the student's Cost of Attendance minus any other anticipated financial assistance.
• Estimate your education expenses using the information on our Tuition & Fees pages.
• The total loan amount is reduced by the amount of the origination fee, meaning the amount disbursed to the student account will be less than the total loan amount requested. 

Need to decrease your loan? Send a detailed email to our team.

To increase an existing loan, complete a new PLUS application for the new total amount. Note, this may result in a new credit check.

If you are requesting less than the maximum, you may choose to add the amount of the origination fee to your requested loan amount.

• To include the origination fee in your requested loan amount, determine how much you need to cover your expenses (net amount) and divide that amount by .9577.
• Note: The origination fee is set annually and applies to loans first disbursed after October 1st each year.
• Example: To receive a net amount of $5,000 applied toward your student account, divide $5,000 by .9577 for a total loan request of $5,221.

In addition to the FAFSA, all of the following must be completed. 

• PLUS Loan Application for Parents 
• PLUS Master Promissory Note for Parents (Must use your own FSA ID to login, not your student's)
• Title IV Authorization Form to instruct Brown University on how to apply your federal funds toward charges on your student's account. This MUST be completed by the PLUS Loan borrower.
• Parents who are initially denied and later approved, must also complete the PLUS Loan Credit Counseling. 

Your completed PLUS Application and completed loan requirements will be sent electronically from the U.S. Department of Education to Brown's Student Financial Services.

In addition to the FAFSA, all of the following must be completed. 

• Apply for AND accept your maximum Unsubsidized Loan (required before PLUS will be processed.
• PLUS Loan Application for Graduate/Professional Students
• Grad PLUS Master Promissory Note 
• Grad PLUS Entrance Counseling
• If you are initially denied and later approved, you must also complete the PLUS Loan Credit Counseling.

Your completed PLUS Application and completed loan requirements will be sent electronically from the U.S. Department of Education to Brown's Student Financial Services.

You may still receive a PLUS loan through one of these two options:

1. Obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the PLUS loan if you do not repay it. The endorser cannot be the child on whose behalf you are borrowing.

2. Documenting to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances relating to your adverse credit history.

With either option 1 or option 2, you also must complete credit counseling for PLUS loan borrowers. You may also wish to read this article to learn more about what to do if you are denied a PLUS loan based on an adverse credit history.

Parents: If you are unable to obtain a parent PLUS loan, your child may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loans. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Graduate/Professional Students: The credit counseling is separate from the entrance counseling that is required for Graduate/Professional Student borrowers and does not satisfy the entrance counseling requirement in any way.