• Go to studentaid.gov (Parent PLUS loans cannot be accepted in MyMadison).
• Log in with your (parent) FSA ID and password.
• Apply for an amount no greater than the amount offered on the Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer.
• If this is your first Parent PLUS Direct Loan for this student at JMU, then you will need to complete a Loan Agreement for a PLUS loan (MPN) at this site as well.

Please do not apply for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan before receiving your Financial Aid Offer.

Direct Parent PLUS, Direct Grad PLUS and Federal Work Study offers cannot be accepted in MyMadison and require added steps to obtain the award(s).

Direct Parent PLUS Loans require a loan application and can only be applied for by a parent borrower.

Summer Term Parent PLUS Loan
If you wish to apply for a Parent PLUS Loan, then please read the Summer 2024 Financial Aid Instructions and make sure your student fills out a JMU 2022 Summer School Financial Aid Application.  The application can be found at the end of the Summer Aid Instructions. Your PLUS Loan cannot be processed if your student does not complete a JMU 2024 Summer Financial Aid Application, as that is necessary to determine your eligibility to apply for this loan.

Once these steps are completed you will receive a Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer with directions for completing the application process.  As in the fall and spring terms, parents cannot apply for the PLUS Loan via MyMadison, but will complete the application through a different process that is outlined on the Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer.

Fall and Spring Term Parent PLUS Loan
If you wish to apply for a Parent PLUS Loan for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year, then you will need to wait until you receive your Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer.  The process of e-mailing those to parents will begin around the end of June.  It is important that you do NOT attempt to apply for your loan until you receive the Financial Aid Offer, as it will not be processed.

If you are applying for a Parent PLUS Loan for theFall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year, then follow the instructions outlined on the Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer.

• Beginning in October of each year, complete the FAFSA on https://fafsa.gov (School Code: 003721)
  • Parents and students filing their FAFSA for the first time will each need to create an FSA ID on https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/.
  • Make sure your student includes JMU on their list of schools.
• If your student is selected for verification, then your student may be required to submit more documentation before a financial aid package can be generated.  
• Receive your Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer at the parent e-mail address listed on the FAFSA (if no e-mail address is provided, the notice will be mailed)
  • Your student will receive a separate Financial Aid Offer outlining all of your student's eligibility. 
  • Your Parent PLUS Loan Financial Aid Offer will only contain information about your PLUS Loan eligibility and will not include information regarding your student's Financial Aid Offer.