<p>Hi guys. I've almost decided where I'm going to study for the next four years. School I chose is affordable to my parents, however, it would be better if I could get slightly more money in loans. I've already took $5500 in federal loans. I'm dual US citizen but my parents aren't US citizens. I know that student can get additional $4,000 in unsubsidized loans if his/her parents are denied for PLUS loans. I guess, my parents would be denied for these loans anyway but since they are not US citizens I don't know how they can apply for them. How can I apply for this additional $4000 in unsubsidized loans? </p>
<p>YOU cannot. Your parents can try to apply. You do have to have a FAFSA on file. One parent would go throughg the procedure on the website and when denied, you are automatically eligible for the $4K. </p>
<p>Um…are the non-citizen parents eligible to even APPLY for a Plus Loan? I’m not sure.</p>
<p>They’d have PINs so they can APPLY. They have to have PINs to fill out their section of the FAFSA so that their offspring who are citizen/perm resident can get the Direct loans. They can certainly try and see how far they get. </p>
<p>@cptofthehouse @thumper1: I already submitted my FAFSA. While filing it out my parents didn’t have to be US citizens to sign the application. They sent their signatures by mail and we put 0’s in social security fields. They didn’t need PINs therefore. I know that one of my parents has to apply for these PLUS loans and when he or she is denied I can get additional $4000 in loans. Do you think my parent can go through this process without being US citizen and without PIN? That additional loan will allow me to study at my top choice university. Otherwise I will have to consider other choices ;/</p>
<p>You can try. I just searched for info, and saw a few things specific to some colleges that said that both parents AND student needed to be U.S. Citizens or eligible non-citizens. </p>
<p>Since they didn’t need PINs for the FAFSA, I’m really not sure they can apply. You can PM a poster Kelsmom. Maybe she can answer this. She is a financial aid officer.</p>
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<p>As non citizens/permanent residents they do not have PINS (everything they do on the FAFSA has to be done manually). The challenge is not so much that they will be denied a loan, they are not even eligible to apply for a loan. This is an issue that you should address with you financial aid officer so that you will know how to go forward.</p>
<p>Sybbie is correct. They are not eligible to apply for a Parent PLUS loan, which requires the parent to be eligible by federal financial aid standards. Because they are not U.S. citizens or eligible in any other way, they cannot apply. The financial aid office is the place to go … they will tell OP what needs to be done.</p>