Santa Clara University

My parent(s) has applied for a Federal PLUS Loan but has been denied. What are our options?

If the parent borrower has been denied a Federal PLUS Loan, the student is eligible to borrow an additional William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan - Unsubsidized for the following amounts, based on the student’s grade level:

• Up to $4,000 per year for freshmen and sophomores
• Up to $5,000 per year for junior and seniors

Please follow the instructions below if the student is interested in receiving this additional loan money:

1. The parent must provide the Financial Aid Office with a copy of the Federal PLUS Denial Letter from the lender.
2. The student must submit a written statement to the Financial Aid Office requesting the additional Federal Direct Loan - Unsubsidized due to the Federal PLUS Loan denial. NOTE: this written request must be signed by the student (if faxed) or e-mailed to the Financial Aid Office from the student’s e-mail address. By submitting this request, the student is agreeing to take on additional loan debt and our office must receive this request from the student.

Both of these requirements (Federal PLUS Denial Letter and student’s statement of request) should be faxed to the Financial Aid Office at (408) 554-2154 or e-mailed to financialaid@scu.edu. The documents can also be mailed to the Financial Aid Office at:

Santa Clara University
Financial Aid Office
500 El Camino Real
Varsi Hall, Second Floor
Santa Clara, CA 95053 USA

If there is an error on your credit report that has caused the Federal PLUS Loan denial, please contact the lender directly for information on appealing the credit decision.

Please contact the lender if you are interested in obtaining a co-signer (endorser) for the Federal PLUS Loan.

The student may be eligible (generally with a co-signer) to apply for a Private Alternative Loan to assist in covering tuition and other costs.