PARENTS & FAMILIES

Financial Aid Requirements

Students interested in receiving federal student aid will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) for each school year that they wish to be considered for federal aid. Federal student aid includes grants, work-study, and loans (student and parent loans). Therefore it is necessary to file a FAFSA® if a parent wishes to apply for a Direct Parent PLUS loan to help cover the educational costs not paid for by the student’s financial aid award.

Consent to Release Information

The Family Educational Rights Act (FERPA) does not allow student information to be shared without the student’s consent. Due to this, students must provide consent to allow their financial aid information be shared with parents or other individuals. This can be done by logging into the WOU Portal and clicking the Experience icon at the top of the page. Then navigating to the Proxy Management card and click the “Setup Your Additional Users” button. Refer to the following instructions to add additional users. The consent to release confidential information is only valid for 365 days.

PLEASE NOTE: Accounting and Business Services (ABS) does not send bills to parents/guardians or communicate with parents/guardians directly. Students are responsible for their WOU charges, and any financial information must be passed from student to parent/guardian. ABS employees may talk with parents/guardians only after the student has provided access through Proxy Management. Even after access is granted, ABS does not initiate contact with parents/guardians.

**View the 2026-2027 Federal Financial Aid Changes for recent updates.**

Parent PLUS Loan

Apply for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan starting April 1st.

The Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is a federal loan for parents to borrow on behalf of their dependent students. The Parent PLUS Loan has a moderately low fixed interest rate. For parents to be eligible to borrow this loan, students are required to be enrolled at least halftime (6+ credit hours). Parents must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen and pass a credit check.

The maximum amount a parent can request in a PLUS Loan is the student’s cost of attendance minus any other Financial Aid and/or scholarships they are awarded. PLUS Loans do not become a final part of the award unless a parent chooses to apply and is approved for the PLUS Loan.

Students must be offered an official award notification before a PLUS loan application will be processed. During the application processes parents must indicate the amount of PLUS loan, and the payment method you wish to use.

Remaining funds, after a student’s account balance has been paid, can be disbursed to either the student or to the parent. This is an option that parents select during the application process.

Interested in Borrowing Parent PLUS Loan for the award year?

Go to the Federal Student Aid website no earlier than April 1st.

1. Click on “Parent” tab.
2. Click on “Apply for a PLUS Loan”.
3. Log in with your FSA ID and password.
4. If your application is approved, complete a Master Promissory Note for the PLUS Loan.

Parent applicants must log in using their own FSA ID and password.

Do not use the student’s FSA ID and password to apply for a Parent PLUS Loan.

What happens if I am denied a Parent Plus Loan?

A credit check will be performed during the application process. If you have an adverse credit history, you may still receive a parent PLUS loan through one of these two options:

• Obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the parent PLUS loan if you do not repay it. The endorser cannot be the child on whose behalf you are borrowing.
• Documenting to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances relating to your adverse credit history.

With either option 1 or option 2, you also must complete credit counseling for parent PLUS loan borrowers. You may also wish to read this article to learn more about what to do if you are denied a PLUS loan based on an adverse credit history.

**If you are unable to obtain a parent PLUS loan, your child may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loans. Your child should contact the financial aid office for more information.**

You can find information about Private Education Loan Lenders on the ELM Select website. The lenders listed here are simply lenders who have loaned to WOU students in the last few years. Western Oregon University does not endorse any one lender. The information at this link is simply informational. The student has the right to whatever lender they want, should they pursue a private alternative loan.

You can begin requesting Private Loans for the upcoming academic year starting April 1st each year.

Federal Student Aid provides in-depth information on federal student aid programs, applying for financial aid, and repaying student loans.

FAFSA® on the Web is where students may file theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®). 

Parents can also view this resource page for a list of helpful links and this page for more information about College Preparation and the Financial Aid process.