What Your Student Needs to Do

Submit their FAFSA at StudentAid.gov

• Complete the FAFSA online and include SHSU’s school code - 003606 and be sure to apply for the correct aid year.
• Look for your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education.

What We Do

• Starting Mid-November of each year, we begin downloading FAFSA information and review student eligibility for Financial Aid.

What Your Student Needs to Do

Your student must log into their MySam account and accept the Direct Parent PLUS Loan aid offer to process this loan.

What We Do

Wait for the Direct Parent PLUS Loan application; see Step 3.

What Parent Needs to Do

1. On or after April 15th, sign into StudentAid.gov with your parent FSA ID.
2. Hover over the Apply for Aid tab at the top and select Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan
   
3. Click on the Start button to begin your Parent PLUS Loan application
   
4. Follow the prompts to complete your Parent PLUS Loan application
5. Continue to Step 4 below for what you need to do if your credit is Approved or Denied
• Be sure to review the loan amount requested for the aid year.
• Choose to have the school pay the credit balance (refund) directly to you or to the student.

What Parent Needs to Do

If Your Credit is Approved

• Log into StudentAid.gov with your FSA ID and complete Loan Agreement for PLUS Loan (MPN).
• Complete PLUS Credit Counseling, if required by StudentAid.gov.
• Submit the PLUS Disbursement Authorization form to the Financial Aid Office. This form can be found on your student’s MySam account or at the Financial Aid front desk.

If Your Credit is Denied

1. Undecided OR I Will not Pursue the Parent PLUS Loan
• If this option is selected the Financial Aid Office will offer your student an additional unsubsidized loan if their budget allows.
2. Pursue an Endorser
• If this option is selected you will need to have your endorser complete the Endorser Addendum at StudentAid.gov.
3. Appeal Decision
If this option is selected you will complete an appeal at StudentAid.gov.

What We Do

• Once your loan application is approved, the master promissory note is submitted and the loan counseling (if required) is complete, the federal government sends us the completed loan documents. This typically takes 5-7 business days.
• Once the completed loan documents are received, we begin processing your loan. From Application to Disbursement, Direct Parent PLUS Loan takes approximately 15 business days to process.

What Parent Needs to Do

Complete all previously listed requirements and submit the PLUS Disbursement Authorization form, found on your student’s MySam account or at the Financial Aid front desk, to the Financial Aid Office.

What We Do

• Verify your student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status is in good standing.
• Verify your student’s enrollment meets disbursement requirements for this aid.
• Disburse the Direct Parent PLUS loan as a credit to your student’s account balance with the SHSU Cashier’s Office.
• Remaining balances may be disbursed as a refund to you or your student via their Bearkat OneCard preference.

1. Wrong School Year:
• Schools process for two award years simultaneously, so make sure the correct aid year is selected!
2. Social Security Numbers:
• If a wrong Social Security number is entered for the student or parent, the school will not be able to match the record to the student.
3. Reversed Information:
• If the first and last name are reversed, or if the parent data is entered in the student section, the school will not be able to match the record to the student's account.
4. Application must be completed annually:
• Keep in mind the parent loan application is different than the master promissory note and must be completed every year.
• The credit check for the Direct Parent PLUS Loan expires after 180 days.
5. MPN Completion Requirement:
• The MPN must only be completed by a first-time borrower one time per 10-year period. The only exception is when an endorser is involved, and the endorser must complete the MPN every year.