Monday, May 28, 2007

Private Education Loans

Education loans are sought by people who don’t have personal funds for their education. Private education loans, also known as alternate loans, are those that are taken when federal loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs are not sufficient. A private education loan would cover all education expenses such as: tuition, room and board, uniforms, transportation, fees, books and even a computer.

Private education loans are not guaranteed by the government unlike federal loans. These are generally offered by private trusts, philanthropic and non-profit organizations. The loan amount can range between $1,500 and 30,000. Generally, the loan amount would cover the entire cost of education, minus any federal grants or scholarships. All US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents can apply for a loan. Students who are applying for their own loans should be US citizens, should have a good credit record and meet certain conditions. Foreign students can apply with an eligible US cosigner. The interest rates for these loans are higher than those for federal loans ranging between 8-10%. Maximum repayment period is 20 years and is based on the loan amount. Minimum monthly principle and interest payment for some of these loans is $25. Repayment options are of many kinds. These include immediate payment of principle and interest, immediate repayment of interest, deferment of principle, and deferment of both interest as well as principle.

These examples are contingent on the kind of loan taken. For graduate/professional loans, both principal and interest are automatically deferred while the student is in school, and during the six months following graduation or from the time the student ceases to be enrolled in school at least half-time. Private education loans cannot be consolidated with federal education loans.

These days, there are many options of private education loans. Even the application process has become very fast and simple with web-based and telephonic applications.

Education Loans provides detailed information on Education Loans, Government Education Loans, Private Education Loans, Higher Education Loans and more. Education Loans is affiliated with Consolidate College Loans.

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Monday, May 14, 2007

The Secret To US Department of Education Loans

If you have heard about any kind of Federal financial aid for students, you are already familiar with US Department of Education loans. The US Department of Education handles all government aid for defraying the cost of attending college in America, from grants to loans. The first thing that you will need to do to apply for US Department of Education loans is to fill out a FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. FAFSA forms compare the amount of money required to attend a specific college to the amount of money that can be expected to be paid by the family of the attendee. Any difference is the amount of money eligible for student aid.

Qualifying for US Department of Education Loans

US Department of Education loans have specific qualifications that an applicant must meet to be eligible. The qualifications include US Citizenship (some non-citizens with social security numbers are also eligible), financial need, possession of a valid Social Security Number, and proof of eligibility for higher education in the form of a high school diploma, General Education Development (GED) certificate, or similar. Furthermore, applicants for US Department of Education loans must be in good financial, academic, and legal standing. In other words, they must be registered with the Selective Service if required, they must not have defaulted on a student loan in the past, they can have no record of conviction on charges of sales or possession of drugs, and they must maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) to continue to receive student loans from the Department of Education.

Types of US Department of Education Loans

There are three main possibilities when considering US Department of Education loans: grants, which are monetary gifts, student loans, and work-study programs where the money for education is earned. Only in the case of student loans does the money need to be repaid. Most federal grants are based solely on financial need, and some are given on a first-come-first-served basis, so it is important to apply as early as possible.

Work-Study programs are not technically US Department of Education loans, but they are a federally mandated way to receive financial aid to attend college. A number of work-study hours are specified as part of the financial aid package. These usually involve jobs working with non-profit companies or on campus, and pay a modest salary. The money earned can be used for college tuition.

True US Department of Education loans include the Perkins Loan, the Stafford Loan, and the PLUS loan for parents. Perkins loans have a particularly low interest rate and can be paid back over a time period of as long as 10 years. There are a limited number of Perkins Loans available to each school every year. The Stafford Loan has a higher interest rate than the Perkins loan, and doesn’t necessarily offer a grace period after graduation. However, there are more Stafford loans offered by the US Department of Education every year. Stafford loans are even available to students who don’t have a pressing financial need. Stafford loans may be paid off over a period of as long as thirty years.

PLUS loans are the final type of US Department of Education loans. They are offered to parents of undergraduates, as opposed to the students themselves. Payments on Federal PLUS loans start two months after the money is received, and can be paid off over a ten-year term.

About The Author

Mark Kessler's website offers a comprehensive free resource of college financial aid. Don't even think about paying for school until you've read this about Consolidating Student Loans, as well as Alternative Student Loans, ACS, Bad Credit, and US Department Of Education Student Loans, including a variety student loan articles.==> studentloans.seeking411.com