Georgia Institute of Technology

Graduate Student PLUS Loan


The Graduate PLUS loan is available to graduate students who are eligible for the Federal Family Educational Loan Program (FFELP). The loan is designed to help graduate students meet the difference between the Institute's estimated cost of attendance and other aid which the student is receiving. To receive the Graduate PLUS, students must meet the following criteria:

  • File the FAFSA for the current year

  • Be awarded and receive the maximum Stafford loan for which they are eligible

  • Complete the Graduate PLUS Loan Request Form

  • Meet the credit guidelines established by the lender

OSFA will prepare an electronic document for the loan and send it to the lender. The lender will perform a credit review. If the loan is approved, a document called a Master Promissory Note (MPN) will be sent by mail to the student. The student will complete the MPN and return it to the lender. The lender will forward the funds to OSFA. The funds will be credited to the student's Georgia Tech student account by the Bursar. If there is a refund available, the bursar will forward the refund to the student. If you have questions, please call our office, 404-894-4160.

Choosing a Lender for the Graduate PLUS Loans

Reasons for selecting a particular lender vary from student to student. Some choose a lender based upon name recognition, immediate benefits or the long term advantage of savings during repayment or prefer to borrow from a lender with which they already have a banking relationship. Georgia Tech participates in the Federal Family Educational Loan Programs (Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans; the Parent PLUS Program and the Graduate PLUS program) so that you can have a choice of lender.

We strongly encourage you to ask questions and carefully consider the following as you make your selection:

  • Will my loan be “sold”? Will the lender I chose service my loan throughout the repayment process?

  • Does my lender have a proven track record of providing efficient and timely service? Will my loan funds be sent electronically to Georgia Tech?

  • What, if any, fees will be charged for processing my loan?

  • Does my lender offer any interest rate reductions as a reward for making my payments on time?

  • Are the lender’s web site/services easy to use?

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will process your loan with any participating lender you choose. The Institute does not receive any financial incentives nor do any of our personnel receive financial benefits and/or inducements from any lender. We do have a responsibility to make the Graduate PLUS loan process as efficient as possible and to strive diligently to give our families the best advice. We do make the following recommendations:

  1. If you have borrowed a Graduate PLUS loan previously, and you are satisfied with that lender’s service, then we encourage you to stay with the same lender. Multiple loans from multiple lenders could require you to make multiple repayments at the same time.

  2. Graduate Students must notify us of your lender preference before we can finalize your Graduate PLUS loan. Your request should be made via the Graduate PLUS Loan Request Form.

Entrance Counseling

Before you can receive the funds from your Graduate PLUS Loan, you must complete an online counseling session required by federal regulations. It is very important that you know and understand your rights and responsibilities as a student borrower. Please contact our office if you have any questions. Students may click here to be directed to the Entrance Counseling page. You do not have to wait to complete this form and we strongly encourage you to complete this requirement as soon as possible to avoid disbursement delays and/or problems.

For more information about Graduate Student Financial Aid, please click here.

This website last updated on 06/17/08