What is a Direct Parent PLUS Loan?A Direct Parent PLUS Loan, often just called a Parent PLUS Loan, is a type of loan that parents can obtain to help pay for his or her student's educational expenses. A Direct Parent PLUS Loan is the perfect way to cover the remaining educational expenses after the student's additional financial aid assistance. These loans are appealing because they offer relatively low interest rates that are fixed at only 7.9 percent. Federal loans offered to the students typically have lower interest rates, but a student have minimal borrowing power due to his or her age and limited credit history. Additionally, these loans accrue interest from the date of the first payment disbursement until the parent has completely paid off the loan.Who Qualifies for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan?A person can qualify for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan if he or she is the student's biological or adoptive parent. Some situations allow for the student's stepparent to qualify for the loan. To be deemed eligible for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan, the parent must have a good credit history or be able to obtain a friend or relative co-signer for the loan. Additionally, the student must be a dependent and be enrolled in classes at least half-time. Lastly, the parent and the student have to be either U.S. citizens or qualified noncitizens to qualify for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan.What is the Application Process?To obtain a Direct Parent PLUS Loan, a parent must fill out and submit a Direct PLUS Loan application and a Master Promissory Note. The Master Promissory Note is the parent's agreement to repay the loan, interest and fees in full over the designated amount of time. The Master Promissory Note lists the terms of the loan and the repayment agreement. The Master Promissory Note typically covers all subsequent loans, but a parent must submit a new loan request each year that the student needs financing for school. The parent can submit both the Master Promissory Note and the application online at www.studentloans.gov. Once the loan is approved, the payments are disbursed directly to the student's educational institution.