Quick Links

Parents

Parents Make A Difference

No matter if you are the parent of a current undergraduate or the parent of a future undergraduate - you play an important role in the academic and financial success of your student.  Here are some tips from Student Financial Services and TG to help make the transition easier -

  • Talk with your student about their college goals.
  • Attend college and financial aid nights to learn more about the process and ask questions.
  • Never pay someone to complete or assist you in completing the FAFSA - the application is free to complete and there are lots of resources available to you without paying someone for information.
  • Be willing to provide your student with information to complete the financial aid process (there are sections on the FAFSA that require parental information).
  • Make sure your student completes the FAFSA and CSU-Pueblo Scholarship Application prior to the March 1st priority deadline each year.
  • Encourage your student to be involved on campus - there are plenty of opportunities on campus to make connections and resources available for assistance.  Student Academic Services, Student Support Services, Student Health Services, First Year Programs, the Career Center, Student Counseling Center, and the Office of Student Activities are just a few of the many resources available to our students.

FERPA

Please be aware there are limits to the amount of information you are able to discuss with a member of Student Financial Services due to FERPA rules.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education, this includes Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Student Financial Services strongly encourages you to have your student take the lead in gathering information and asking questions as it relates to their finances and academics.  However, if you foresee there will be a need for you to assist on the student's behalf, please have your student visit Student Financial Services to sign a Consent to Release Information.

For more information on FERPA, please visit the CSU-Pueblo Records site.

PLUS Loan 

The Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students enables parents who do not have an adverse credit history to borrow to pay the education expenses of each child who is a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half time. The interest rate is a fixed rate of 7.9% and there is a fee deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement. Credit checks are conducted to determine loan approval. If the loan is denied the parent (borrower) will be notified once the application is completed. Repayment on the PLUS begins 60 days after the final loan disbursement for the period of enrollment for which the loan is made, or borrowers may choose to defer payments until 6 months after the date the student ceases halftime enrollment. Parents may borrow up to a student’s full Cost of Attendance (COA), minus any other financial aid and direct resources.  

To apply for the PLUS loan, parents must complete the online PLUS application & the Master Promissory Note.  Both of these items can be completed through www.studentloans.gov.

Other Commonly Requested Information

Other Resources

News and Articles