Apply for a Graduate PLUS Loan

We recommend using your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan eligibility before applying for a Graduate PLUS Loan, as the Unsubsidized Loan has a lower interest rate and lower origination fee.

What You Need to Know Before Applying

• Fordham’s academic year begins in the fall and ends in the summer.
• If you already have a Graduate PLUS Loan for this academic year and wish to increase it, submit a request using the Graduate PLUS Loan Request Form.
• The application process includes a credit check to ensure you do not have an adverse credit history.
• To be eligible, you must be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree or certificate program

What You Need to Know When Applying

Selecting your Loan Period

• 09/2025 – 12/2025: One disbursement at the beginning of the fall term.
• 09/2025 – 05/2026: Even disbursements across the fall and spring terms.
• 09/2025 – 08/2026: Even disbursements across the fall, spring, and summer terms.
• 01/2026 – 05/2026: One disbursement at the beginning of the spring term.

Requesting Your Loan Amount

• Use the Cost of Attendance to determine how much to borrow.
• A 4.228% origination fee is deducted from each loan disbursement. To calculate the total loan amount you should request, divide the amount you need by 0.95772.
• We recommend requesting a specific loan amount, but you can also select “unknown” or “maximum” as your loan amount.
• If choosing “unknown” or “maximum,” you must provide Fordham with a specific loan amount using the Graduate PLUS Loan Request Form.

Use the PLUS Loan Calculator below to determine how much to request.