This loan has a fixed interest rate of 7.6%* and a 4.264%* origination fee. Fees are deducted from the loan when disbursed to the school. In most cases, repayment of the loan begins immediately after the loan has disbursed; however, it may be possible to postpone payment.
Dependent students whose parents are denied a Direct Parent PLUS loan are eligible for an additional Direct Unsubsidized loan of $4,000 per academic year (first- and second-year students) or $5,000 per academic year (third- and fourth-year students).
Graduate/Pharmacy students who need financing in addition to the Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan may apply for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS (Grad PLUS) loan.
The Grad PLUS loan has a fixed 7.6%* interest rate and, a 4.264%* origination fee taken at the time of disbursement.
Unlike the Unsubsidized loans, there is no annual borrowing limit on the Grad PLUS loan, except the amount borrowed must not exceed the student's cost of attendance (COA) minus other financial aid.
For more information about the Direct Lending program, including program benefits and features, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
To be eligible for a Grad PLUS Loan:
To complete an online Parent PLUS or Graduate PLUS Loan Application, please visit www.StudentLoans.gov and click the blue "Log In" button. Parents must log in using their FSA ID, not the student's. After signing in, choose "Apply for a Direct PLUS Loan" from the left hand menu. Next, click the blue "Start" button next to the type of PLUS loan for which you are applying. Follow the steps to complete the application and credit check. In the “School Name” section, be sure to select the University of Saint Joseph.
The federal Direct Lending program requires that you meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for the Parent PLUS or Grad PLUS loan. These requirements are less strict than typically applying for private student loans, and are not based on your credit score.
To be eligible for a PLUS loan, you must NOT*:
*If you are ineligible due to extenuating circumstances involving a mortgage delinquency of less than 180 days, or due to medical expenses, but otherwise would qualify, you may still be eligible for a PLUS Loan.
Reading Time: 1 minute On April 17, 2019, the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (CIRC) held their 22ndAnnual Connecticut Immigrant Day at the state capitol. This ceremony recognized 19 immigrants living in the state of Connecticut who have made significant contributions to the state and nation, including the University of Saint Joseph’s (USJ) Campus Ministry Music Coordinator Ezequiel Menéndez.
Reading Time: 1 minute On Wednesday, June 10, 2019, Gengras Center transition coordinators/vocational teachers Kathleen Walsh and Caroline Wilson were recognized as Advocates of the Year by Harc, an organization that provides special needs support to individuals with intellectual and related disabilities and their families. The Advocate of the Year award recognizes outstanding achievements in the area of individual
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) is a staple on the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) campus. Throughout the 2018-2019 academic year, the CAE staff and its peer tutors moved beyond the Center’s walls: first, by enlisting the USJ community to help reunite a military service dog with his veteran handler, and then by presenting
Reading Time: 1 minute On Thursday, June 6, 2019, the Connecticut School Counselor Association (CSCA) visited the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) to host an all-day workshop called, “Social Emotional Learning through Yoga and Mindfulness.” Participants discussed how integrating the use of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) can be beneficial for students in the classroom. “CSCA
Reading Time: 1 minute The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) will welcome Amanda Devitt as the new athletic director. Devitt, who will serve as the first female athletic director at USJ, was most recently the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Services and Success at the University of Hartford. “I am extremely excited to be the next Athletic Director
Reading Time: 1 minute On May 10, 2019, Hartford’s AXA XL office – a multinational insurance firm – volunteered at the University of Saint Joseph’s Gengras Center for their annual Global Day of Giving. This year, the volunteers worked outside the Gengras Center to clean up the playground and surrounding areas from the winter. From removing weeds to filling
Reading Time: 2 minutes On Monday, May 6, 2019, the University of Saint Joseph’s department of Education– part of the School of Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education– held its annual Graduate Awards Ceremony. Gathering in the Crystal Room, students and their families enjoyed an evening of celebration, reflecting on their hard work and achievements from this academic year. Daniel
Reading Time: 2 minutes On Monday, May 13, 2019, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) held its 84th commencement ceremony at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Family and friends gathered in the audience as the University awarded 235 bachelor’s degrees, 500 master’s degrees, and more than 80 doctoral degrees. Among the graduates this year was the inaugural class