Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Disbursement Process
1. MSU requests and receives loan funds.
After Federal Direct Student Loans notifies MSU of the approved loans for disbursement, MSU requests the appropriate loan funds from Federal Direct Student Loans / U.S. Treasury. MSU receives the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan funds from the U. S. Treasury for eligible students and then prepares the funds for disbursement based on the prescribed schedule. The federally mandated disbursement schedule is based on a loan period and the assigned disbursement dates. If there are two semesters within the loan period, the school must disburse one-half of the loan for the first semester and the other half for the second semester, unless the first semester is past, then the school may disburse the entire loan in one disbursement. If there is only one semester within the loan period, then school will disburse the loan in one disbursement.
2. MSU processes the loan disbursement for delivery to the student.
The Student Loan Office and Account Services processes loan funds on the prescribed date of disbursement for delivery to the student after the student meets all the eligibility requirements, which includes the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan entrance counseling requirement for first-time Direct Graduate PLUS Loan borrowers at MSU and at least half-time enrollment for each semester within the loan period . Click here for online Entrance Counseling. MSU will automatically apply the loan funds directly to the eligible student's MSU student account (Please note that federal regulations prohibit MSU from disbursing Direct Graduate PLUS Loan funds after 180 days from the end of the loan period).
3. Student receives loan funds.
If the student has a credit balance (excess funds over tuition, fees and other charges) after the funds are applied to the student's MSU student account, Account Services will issue a refund to the student. A refund is available to the student either by direct deposit through Bull-e-bucks or by paper check. (Direct Deposit /Bull-e-bucks refunds are generally available three business days prior to final registration. Paper check refunds are available the first day of final registration). Please review your Student Account information on the MSU Intranet at https://mybanner.msstate.edu to see if your Direct Loan disbursement has been applied to your account.
