Applying for the Parent PLUS Loan

The Parent PLUS Loan is a federal loan that a parent of a dependent undergraduate student can use to help pay education expenses. Follow the steps below to apply for a Parent PLUS Loan once the financial aid offer has been viewed on CheckMarq. 

Note: Learn more about the Parent PLUS loan, including interest rates and eligibility criteria.

  1. View your Financial Aid Offer
    Log in to CheckMarq. Under the Financial Aid tile select Accept/Decline Aid.
    Find the 
    OPTIONAL Loan (Parent/Student) line on the offer. The Optional Loan cannot be accepted on CheckMarq. The Offered amount listed is the maximum that can be applied for. 



  2. Apply Online

    The parent applying for the Parent PLUS Loan will apply online at studentaid.gov/plusapp. The parent borrower must log in with their FSA ID username and password, do not use the student’s FSA ID to log in.

    Click or tap Start next to the Direct Loan Application for Parents to begin.



    For information on the Parent PLUS loan or to see what information is required for the application click or tap Learn More.

    An immediate credit decision will be given. Loan information will be sent to Marquette University to be added to the student’s offer. A Financial Aid Notification (FAN) email will be sent when the loan has been added.


  3. Final Step

    Upon approval, you will be directed to complete the Parent PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you do not complete the MPN at the time of approval go to studentaid.gov/mpn and log in to complete it.

    If the credit is denied, you will be given information on your options, to return to these options at a later time go to studentaid.gov. Loans approved after completing the appeal process or obtaining an endorser will require the completion of PLUS Loan Credit Counseling through studentaid.gov.