Can GradPLUS student loans be used for two graduate programs at once.?
I am thinking of attending two graduate programs at the same time this fall. I’ve been reading through the “Student Aid on the Web” website and I can’t find anything that says I can’t take out 2 student loans at the same time for two different schools (2 different universities).
Jose:
All the more power to you, if you can somehow manage to complete two full time graduate programs at the same time. I’ve been around graduate schools for many years, and I’ve never heard of that being attempted, let alone successfully completed. That would be a pretty amazing accomplishment, and I can only wonder if you are selling short the amount of work involved in completing a graduate degree.
(For one thing, unlike an undergraduate degree, the bulk of your study and education is not based in the classroom. Graduate education is a research degree, and you’ll spend a great amount of time in the field or the lab or working in an applied environment).
However – getting to your actual question – believe it or not, you ARE eligible to receive a PLUS at more than one graduate school simultaneously – here’s the language:
“Stafford/PLUS at multiple schools
Unlike Pell Grants, it is possible for a student who is
separately enrolled and eligible at multiple schools to get
a Stafford (and for a graduate/professional student or
parent to receive a PLUS) at more than one school for the
same period. The schools that the student is attending are
responsible for coordinating to make sure that the total
amount of the loans the student receives does not exceed
the applicable annual loan limit. In addition, the schools
must ensure that there is no duplication of non-institutional
costs when determining the student’s cost of attendance”
So – if you can pull off the work part – you CAN qualify for multiple PLUS loans.
I guess that’s what you were hoping for – good luck!
