Canada Student Loans Vs US Student Loans

The Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) is an essential element of the Government of Canada. Through the agenda, the Government is working to ensure that the Canadians have the necessary skills to be able to compete with all countries in the future.

By providing loans to Canadians enrolled in full or part-time post-secondary education studies, the CSLP is able to offer individuals the opportunity to participate in the process of lifelong learning.

The Government has assisted over 3.8 million students with over $16 billion in loans since the CSLP was founded in 1964. However, up until July 31, 2000, the Government of Canada and participating financial institutions worked together to finance the loans.

Rules were changed and as of August 1, 2000, the Government of Canada formed the new National Student Loans Service Center (NSLSC) and they now directly finance all loans. There are two divisions of the NSLSC, one to manage loans for students attending public institutions and the other to administer loans for students attending private institutions.

As a result, these student borrowers have one student debt and make a single payment when repaying their loans. And they maintain a separate consolidation and repayment process for their risk-shared and guaranteed loans.

They were having problems and decided to reform their system. They began improving program results, reducing costs per student, reducing defaults, decreasing loans written off, enhancing tracking data, improving services to students for study, repayment and collections.

The most favorable student loan for a US student would be a Federal loan. They have lower interest rates, options to postpone payments, longer repayment terms and easier credit requirements.

The Federal loans in which a student can choose from are the Federal Perkins Loan and the Federal Stafford Loan. Both types of these loans can be either subsidized or unsubsidized due to the student's qualifications.

Next, is the Federal PLUS loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students), which is the final Federal loan program.

Private loans are designed to supplement Federal loans and are available from schools, banks, credit unions, and education loan organizations.

On terms for private loans, interest rates and fees vary according to the lender and your credit history and their rules of their individual company. They are not run nor governed by the Federal Government.

As you can see, students attending college here in the US could have many options, good or poor, without having a strong voice in the situation. It is usually dictated from their family's financial background and how they were encouraged to prepare for college.

Process And Procedures To Attain Student Loans

College costs have risen at a rate about double the CPI since 1968. I think that student loans have been a big factor in allowing colleges to have runaway budgets and almost total disregard for any cost/value return to the students. College loans are some of the most flexible and consumer friendly loans available. Understanding how to use the process of consolidating student loans to your benefit can help you to save a great deal of money. CollegeInvest is just such a resource.

College costs nowadays are through the roof and are only expected to rise in the future. Most students and/or their parents need to take out some type of loan to fund those ever-increasing tuition bills, but what if an individual has poor credit? College scholarships also aren't usually need-based, so anyone can apply (some are, however, so be sure to file your FAFSA ).

College officials have received gifts, trips, stock options and other benefits from lenders, while some colleges have agreed to recommend certain lenders if those lenders share the proceeds. In other cases, lenders provide staffing or call centers for a campus, posing as college representatives while answering students' questions about financial aid, including loans.

Private student loans, such as the Act Education Loan from the Student Loan Network, can help to bridge the gap between federal aid, the actual cost of education, and expected family contribution. Loans such as the Act Education Loan are independent of federal financial aid computations, and are based on the creditworthiness of the borrower, rather than need-based formulas.

Private student loans are based on an applicant's credit worthiness, often require a co-signer, are not need based, and upon approval the funds are usually sent direct to the applicant. Private Student Loans are issued based on credit thus carrying higher interest rates.

Private lenders may require a credit check and/or an income-to-debt ratio check on either you (the borrower), co-signer or both. These loans are not based on financial need but lenders may provide different types of loans programs based on a student's level of study. Private lending institutions offer student loans thinking that students will make a higher income as their level of education increases. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.

Private student loans take into consideration the credit history of the applicant to determine eligibility for the loan. In the event that the student has a bad credit record, the lending agency will require a cosigner having a good credit.

All About Non Teri Private Student Loans!

Today we need the right education if we want to do well in this business world. This thing is necessary since a good stable job is very tough to find. The top companies are always looking for those people who have a strong educational background. Education is now a way beyond the means of man or woman. When the parents are unable to provide the finance for the education then many college students apply for the loans. It is because the student needs the consistent source to fund for the educational costs. Other than educational cost, student also need to pay the tuition fees, housing, food and transportation fees that is connected with attending university/college.

There are profit and non-profit institutions that are working to provide the funds to those students who are financially not able to complete their studies. There are federal student loans & private student loans. One of the most common loan programs which are chosen by the students are Non Teri loans. The non Teri private student loans are most popular and common credit based loan programs available. These private student loans are credit based. In the non credit based loans the loan providers did not look for the credit of the student who is the borrower. It is an important factor since the students don't have the credit history when they are in school or colleges and doing their education. These kinds of loans are good for students who have poor credit history.

Since the non Teri student loans are credit based so the student who are interested in this loan program need to provide a cosigner who has a good credit history and is willing to be the student's cosigner. The credit history of the cosigner will increase the chances of approval of the loan for the student. So it's better to find a person that can be your cosigner and has a good credit history. Your parent's are the first choice to be your cosigner if they have a good credit history.

Credit Repair: Resolving a Student Loan Default

There is no statute of limitation for collection of student loans. Forget about hiding out until the collectors give up and fade away. They will hunt you down forever. And to make it worse student loan collectors have special powers that can make your life a misery. Fortunately federal law provides a variety of options that will aid your credit repair effort, help you stop collectors, and even come out ahead!

It’s Up To You

If you take action you can stop collectors, reduce your payments, and have the default status removed from your credit. But you have to initiate these efforts. If you don’t take action no one will help you and the situation will get worse. Are you are involved in a credit repair program? You have everything to gain by acting today. Let’s take a look at the powers the government has, and then explore the tools that you can use to put an end to the hassles once and for all.

Say Goodbye to Your Tax Refunds

If you are in default and have a tax refund coming you should expect it to be taken by the government. This is a virtual guarantee. If you want to avoid this action while you determine your options, you should act today to eliminate your next tax refund so that there is nothing to seize. This is easily done. Just decrease the amount of income withheld by your employer, or reduce your estimated tax payments if you are self-employed.

The Paycheck Surprise

Student loan collectors now have the right to garnish your wages without a court order. At the moment they are allowed to seize the lesser of 15% of your disposable income, or the amount of your disposable income in excess of $154 per week.

Social Security is Now Fair Game

In 1996 a law was passed allowing student loan collectors to seize the Social Security income of student loan defaulters. But there are limits to the amount that can be seized. The first $9000 per year, or $750 per month, is safe. And under all circumstances there is a limit of 15% of your total benefits that can be taken.

Cancellation of Student Loan Debt

It is theoretically possible to cancel your student loan debt if you had serious trouble with your school (such as it closing down while you were enrolled), if you became totally and permanently disabled after you took out the loan, or by convincing a judge to dismiss the debt in bankruptcy. If you pursue one of these options you should expect to be faced with extreme documentation requirements and slim odds of success. I’m sorry to say that after almost twenty years of counseling people on credit repair I have never seen anyone succeed in canceling their student loan debt. Fortunately there two easy methods of resolving your student loan problems that will help you stop collection efforts and establish a reasonable, affordable payment plan.

4 Steps To Make The Most Of Your Student Loans

Now that most of this year’s pomp and circumstance, cap-tossing, and graduation parties are in the memory banks, the reality of paying for college or graduate school is setting in. According to FinAid, two-thirds of college students borrow to pay for school – with an average loan debt of nearly $20,000. Ten percent of parents borrow for their students’ education, borrowing an average of $16,218. And those figures account only for undergraduate education. Graduate degrees can pack on an additional $27,000 to $114,000 in student debt.

Most Americans with student loan debt doubtless saw the flood of news articles over the past few weeks encouraging borrowers to consolidate their loans by the cutoff date – June 30 – before the annual interest-rate increase on July 1. On that date, because of the rising interest rate environment in the United States, rates on federal student loan debt increased by a substantial 1.84 percent. Now that student loan rates are no longer at the 3 percent interest rates they hit during the economy’s slowest days, it pays even more to be savvy about borrowing for school or returning to school.

And this year, borrowers also could be affected by two new rules that took effect July 1, making it all the more important to pay attention to smart financing options for student loans.

1. Interest rates on new Stafford Loans will not be variable, but will be locked at 6.8 percent.
2. Previously, if borrowers had multiple loans with one lender, they could only consolidate with the same lender, but as of mid-June, they can consolidate with any one lender.

If you missed the June 30 consolidation deadline, it’s too late for this year. But for those who did – or who are looking at borrowing for college or graduate school via new student loans starting this year or later – these four steps will help make sure you find your best financing mechanism for student loans.

1. Try again next year. If you have older student loans that you have not consolidated, make a note on your calendar to check rates prior to next year’s June 30 consolidation deadline. The maximum rate allowed for federal Stafford loans is 8.25 percent. For 2006-2007, the rate will be 7.14 percent for those in repayment, or 6.84 percent for those with in-school deferment. It is possible that rates still will not have hit the maximum by next June 30, and you then might be able to lock in lower rates.
2. Compare rates. Whether you’re looking at new loans or old ones, check to make sure you are getting the best deal. Check out some of the easy-to-use Web site calculators, such as the one in the Bills.com Savings Center.
3. Check your options. A few career fields – like teaching and emergency services in high-need areas – are eligible for loan forgiveness or debt reduction of student loans obtained to enter that field. Check with your school, professional organization or lender to determine if you are eligible for any of these programs.
4. Get help if you cannot pay. If you’re unable to make payments on your loans, contact a debt resolution professional or get other reputable assistance. Student loan debt typically is not eliminated by declaring bankruptcy, but you may be able to work out a payment plan with your lender if you do not have the income to pay the debt according to the original schedule. Student loans represent a serious financial commitment, and avoiding repayment has major repercussions.

Student loan debt is one of the few “healthy” types of debt, as it helps individuals better themselves, further their careers and society, and generate greater long-term earnings. With a bit of research, you can make the most of your student loans and your education – and even increase your financial know-how along the way. And in borrowing, as in education, there’s always next year to improve your situation.

Cash Back With Student Loan Debt Consolidation

Student loan debt continues to rise each passing year, and college costs, including graduate school costs, have outpaced inflation while federal student loan interest rates are close to record lows. According to studies conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, it is believed that approximately half of recent college graduates have student loans that, on an average, are in the range of $10,000. Along with such loans, the average cost of college is becoming twice as expensive as the rate of inflation.

Requirements Include Grace Period and Active Repayment of Debt

In order to be eligible for student loan debt consolidation, the student should no longer be enrolled in school and must be in the "grace period" of the loan. Or he should be in the process of actively repaying the loan, and the minimum loan amount required by most consolidation companies works out to $10,000 typically.

Through some student loan debt consolidation programs it is possible for the students to obtain cash back for consolidating their student loans. And, the bigger the balance is, the more money is returned. Also, interest rates can be low and not exceed 5.4 percent and there is also facility to obtain a one percent reduction after 48 consecutive on-time payments.

In addition, the better student loan debt consolidation programs do give a quarter percent interest rate reduction when the student uses his or her automated debit program to repay their loans. There may also be no fees or prepayment penalties as well as just one monthly payment to a single lender. As is the case with any other debt, student loan debt may have an impact (negative or positive) on the student's credit as well influence future decisions. For example, a student that has a student loan debt in excess of 8 per cent of their income will have their credit seen negatively when being assessed for future loans.

In order for the student to take student loan debt consolidation, he or she should be in grace, repayment, deferment or default status and student loan debt consolidation would result in a 0.6 percent lower rate of interest in case the student is consolidating variable rate Stafford loans during their six month grace period.

The student should be careful before taking to student loan debt consolidation and it is advisable for them to consolidate at current interest rates and hope that the rates will go down in the future. For students that have taken consolidation during their grace periods, it will go into repayment once the consolidation gets finalized and will thus result in forfeiture of the grace period.

How Student Loan Debt Consolidation can Save you Money

If a student is trying to cut down his existing debt, the student loan consolidation would be his best option. Whatever be your debt, you would have to go through a particular process if you want to consolidate your credit. The process is however an easy one and you can follow it without putting much of an effort.

You would need the following information if you are thinking about consolidating your existing loans
The process will put all your student loans together into a single big loan. So instead of paying multiple interests, your interest will be only for this loan. You would see that the interest, which you now pay for your consolidated loan, would be much lower than what you had been paying so long.

It would really be unfortunate if you have to bother about repaying a huge credit right from the beginning of your career. In fact, most of the graduates are now placed in this crisis. However, with the student loan consolidation program in the scenario, the problem of credit repayment becomes quite easy to handle.

The best thing about the consolidated loan is that it comes with an interest rate much lower than that of the other loans. The basic principle here is the same as refinancing a home for lowering the mortgage payment. Consolidating your existing loans which you had taken with higher interest rates, you now have to pay the interest for this single loan instead of multiple interests for multiple loans.

This lower interest rate on a single bigger loan will eventually spare you more money than you can expect. Some credit companies will reduce the rate even further for the students who consolidate their loans in their grace period. However, make sure that you stay away from the companies that demand repayment right after the grace period is over. Go for the companies which do not expect you to do so.

With consolidated debt, you not only save your money, but also your time and efforts as you now have only one monthly payment instead of several ones.

If you want to make things easier, you can ask the credit companies to adjust your monthly payments straight way from your bank account. Many companies will allow you to do this, and some companies will even reduce your interest rate further if you let them handle your payments directly.

How To Consolidate A Student Loan To Improve My Credit

Contrary to popular belief, private loans can be consolidated. Here is what you should know if you have them and are considering consolidation. 1. Do not consolidate them with federal loans even if they provide the option.

2. They can't consolidate until you're out of school and beginning repayment. 3. In most cases, consolidating private loans will leave you with a variable rate loan and it will not typically fix your loan rate (like federal consolidation).

4. Keep in mind that the best option is often to leave them alone. How to know? Remember that federal student loans are subject to unique terms and conditions and may not be combined with the Student Loan Consolidator Private Consolidation Loans.

Look at the benefits of your current lender. There are only about ten lenders that will consolidate any private loans. Most companies require that you have loans with them to be eligible to consolidate with them.

You should shop around and as mentioned, there are few companies that don't have stipulations in order to use their consolidations or refinance programs. Here's a published list: http://finaid.org/loans/privateconsolidation.phtml.

The lender, not the government, dictates the interest rates provided and most are linked to the Prime Rate. The most often asked questions regarding consolidation of private student loans are the following. Is there a certain loan amount that must be considered for private consolidation of loans?

Yes, the minimum loan amount is $7,500. And the maximum amount is $300,000. How can I find out how much I owe and when my private student loans will be approved for consolidation? By reviewing your recent monthly statement and your on-line account balances.

And once your required documentation has been received, a loan decision, if approved, will begin the process of paying off the loans you listed for consolidation. And you will be sent a letter of the confirmation.

Regarding interest rates, what is the interest rate on my loan after the first year and can I make interest-only payments in my second year? On the first anniversary of your loan closing, the interest rate on your loan changes to Prime Rate plus 5 percent to 5.75 percent.

This will depend on your credit history or if you have a co-signer. During the second year, you are still eligible to make interest-only monthly payments. It is only on the second anniversary of the loan closing that you must make the principal and interest payments.

Advice on Student Loan Debt Consolidation

The cost of an education not only includes tuition fees, but also living expenses and textbooks and other study materials. Most students and their parents are unable to pay for all of these expenses up front, but reason that the student's expected future earnings after their education is complete will be more than sufficient to pay off their educational loans. When these plans fall through, the former students can find themseleves in serious trouble and they should seek student loan debt consolidation advice. Debt consolidation is a debt reduction system that allows borrowers to bring together all their existing debts and loans into one payment. Taking a debt consolidation loan reduces the risk of a loan default and thereby improves the credit rating of the borrower, which can be helpful when potential employers do a background check, not to mention when the former student applies for car or home loans.

Student loans are a useful resource when students need to cover the cost of education. These loans can also fund housing and tuition expenses incurred during the period of education. Many students opt for government loans as well as private loans that help with their financial overload. Loan consolidation is another useful offer made by lending institutions when loan payments are due and students cannot afford to pay them off.

Student loan consolidation is offered by many lending agencies and is intended to improve the overall financial condition of students. Loan consolidation combines several loans into a single low monthly payment instead of different amounts to pay for each loan. This lowers the rate of interest and hence the burden on students is reduced to a considerable extent. Debt consolidation packages provide some of the best money-saving options to students.

Interest rates have the largest financial impact, as they form a substantial part of the total amount students spend in repaying their loan. Even a fraction of a percentage point in interest can equal a large sum of money over the lifetime of a loan. When looking for a lender to handle loan consolidation, students can save a lot if they compare interest rate offered by different debt consolidation companies before making a final decision.

Student loan consolidation is a way of managing debt, which enables students to bring together all their existing debts and loans into one payment plan. This means that the student will not be required to make payments to various creditors, and instead will shift to a single monthly installment system.

It is quite easy to apply for and get a student loan consolidation. The borrower has to only fill out a form and submit it to the lender. Many private lenders make these forms available online and that makes it even easier to apply. Such consolidation loans are a very good option for students who are struggling to repay their education loans. Most students who investigate private college education consolidation loans and federal student consolidation loans find that they are able to save money on interest, as well as reducing their monthly installment payments. Both the Federal Direct Loan and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs offer student loan consolidation. In addition to these, a number of private lenders and banks offer student consolidation loan programs.

Not every lending institution does offers interest rate reductions, but there are a few who do offer a wide range of percentage savings. Some lending institutions offer interest rate reductions just for making payments on time. Before making a decision, students need to compare available options and savings incentives offered by different debt consolidation companies and check their total savings over the course of the repayment term.

A Guide to Student Loan Debt Consolidation

Loans, which are given to students in order to help out in the imbursement of the expenses of professional schooling, are known as Student loans. The administration of the nation provides these loans at an extremely less interest rate.

A lot of universities and institutes provide student loan. There are various kinds of student loans. As a result there are various alternatives on hand for students to select from. There are mainly 2 kinds of loans to be had – Personal Educational Loans and Federal loans.

The students who are deciding on Federal Students loan plan are financed and overseen in the beginning by the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Programs. These loans can be acquired very easily with the help of student loan consolidation facilities. The Federal student loan plans gives out around sixty billion dollars in a year. The most familiar type of federal loan for students is Stafford loans.

Personal student loans are managed by usual lending organizations. A most frequently chosen loan is the Citibank student loan and the Sallie Mae Signature. These associations offer unsecured loans to a student and ask for a hefty rate of interest on it.

Student consolidation loan implies structuring your entire student loans into one loan with a single lender and a single repayment scheme. You can make plans to combine your loan just like reimbursing a house mortgage. At the time you merge the loans, the dues of your various existing loans are paid back, with the whole balance being played over into a single consolidated loan. Nevertheless towards the end you would have only a single student loan to pay back. The student in addition to his family members i.e. parents, might combine the student loan.

There are a lot of advantages of combining a student loan. For example the loan consolidation provides lesser monthly reimbursements, merging of the student loan reimbursements into only one monthly bill and the stoppage or the lock loan consolidation presents a lower, generally fixed, rate of interest for the time period of the loan in this manner setting aside hundreds of dollars as indicated by the rates of interest of your primary loan.

What is more there aren't any charges, fees and various down payment fines subsequent to the loan is being consolidated. The consolidated loan provides flexible reimbursement alternatives. The loan consolidation might be made without any co-signers or credit checks.

The rate of interest of the consolidated loan is worked out by find the average of the rate of interests of the entire loans, which are consolidated. The amount that comes out is rounded to the subsequent 1/8th of 1% and as a result the max rate of interest turns out to be eight point two five percent.

Loan consolidation is a great choice if it lessens the rate of interest of the present loans in particular when you are facing difficulties in giving monthly reimbursements.

All About Government Student Loan Debt Consolidation

Cost of Education

As a large section of the students today opt for higher education, the cost of education has increased considerably, and the students are compelled to resort to educational loans after school. So for those who are staggering under a huge credit, the government student consolidation loan is a perfect boon!

How Can a Government Student Loan Consolidation Help You?

With a government student consolidation loan, the students can combine and consolidate their existing loans into a new one, and thus reduce their monthly debt payments. With less to spend on their debt repayments, students would find it easier on their pockets.

The students get more time to repay the government loan consolidation. What's more, its interest rate is far less than that of the others. This pulls down the monthly payment amount, making it easier for the students and their parents. A student gain would most from this loan if he takes it after graduating, when his grace period is yet to end. He can thus avail of the lowest possible rate of interest on the new consolidation loan. With this loan, a student can do with signing only a single check a month. One can even consolidate private loans, but it wouldn't be possible to change the loans if he wants to go back to school.

Who can Opt For a Government Student Loan Consolidation Program?

Generally the students who have taken federal student loans are allowed to take a government student loan consolidation. It's necessary for the students to have more than one loan, and that too without any arrear on the existing loans. The students need to pass out of school before they take this loan. The time period allowed for repayment would vary according to the amount of loan consolidated.

The Loans that the Government Loan Can Consolidate – Federal Consolidation Loans – Federal Direct Consolidation Loans – HEAL/HPSL Student Loans – Parent Plus Loans – Perkins Loans – Stafford Loans – And many more.

When you consolidate the federal student loans, not only would it reduce your number of loans, but will also give you a better credit score. You would not even need any credit check in this case, as the federal student loans are endorsed by the US government.

You'd find the Government Student Loan Consolidation Easy

You can seek the help of the loan counselors in your school to know what steps you need to take to applying for these loans. Application for student loan consolidation quite easy- even an email or a phone call would be enough for applying and one could consolidate his loans within one to three months of applying.

Government Student Loans Free Important Info

Government Student Loans Free Important Info

I am sure your quest for Direct Student Loans has come to an end as you read this article. Yes, gone are those days when we have to search endlessly for Direct Student Loans information or other such information like College Loans For Students With No Credit, California Government Grants, Direct Loans Payment, Consolidated Federal Student Loan, College loans or even The Best Private Student Loan. Even without articles such as this, with the Internet all you have to do is log on and use any of the search engines to find the Direct Student Loans information you need.

Essentially, these are the considerations you should be supposing about when it comes to obtaining a student loan. Seriously thinking about each these, could help you avoid hassles in the future. Starting a new career with a large amount of debt, is not the way you want to begin your new life.Once you have a student loan, you have its monthly payments to take care of, and other bills to be paid too. It's when you have less of an income, and more expenditure that you end in debt, and it is then that you are most likely to consider student loan debt consolidation.Student loans are like any other loan. You need to be cautious of how much you borrow and how much you'll need to pay back. Weigh the costs and the benefits just as you would any loan, but don't let it keep you from returning to college or just starting out. The cost of not going is always much greater.

MEANWHILE -- I hope you have been able to get a full grasp of the main points related to Consolidating Student Loans or other related Federal Student Loans Grants, Education Services Student Loans, Direct Student Loans Servicing Center, Student Loans For College Expenses, Federal Student Loans GOVT and Private Student Loan No Co Signer in the first half of this article. Whether you answer Yes or No, keep reading as there is a lot more to uncover in this article that will excite you.http://available-grant-money.blogspot.com

The Internet has made the world so much easier and simpler; this is no different when it comes to student loan consolidation online. There are vast amounts of website available that have loan counselors ready to help you determine if they can be best suiting your situation. It could not be easier; all it takes are filling out a form or two and submit.

With an unsubsidized loan, the loan will be charged interest during the entire course of your school career. If the interest is left unpaid, it is then added to the principle amount of the loan. This tends to increase the amount you need to pay, as well as the time it will take you to pay off the loan.

If as related to Direct Student Loans as this article is, and it still doesn't answer all your needs, then don't forget that you can conduct more search on any of the major search engines like Google.com to get more helpful Direct Student Loans information.

A student loan debt consolidation plan is often the most commonly used and the most effective way to pay off your various student loans. However, if your loan was funded by the government, many times you can pay it off through their student loan forgiveness program. This works by agreeing to do a viable service for the community during a specific period of time. You might be called on to do service as a primary and secondary school teacher which serves low income children, or you can serve in the armed forces or law enforcement for a specific period of time. When you complete your community service work then some or entire loan can be forgiven.

General Types of Student Loans

Education, beyond that offered by public school systems can be a bit expensive. As a result, most students might need some amount of external funding to further their higher education plans. Grants and scholarships may help cover a part of the expenses, but then that privilege is available only for a cream of students.

Not everybody qualifies for grants and scholarships. Student loans help to solve this incongruence by offering a level playing field for all the student classes. A variety of student loans exists both federal and private and for a prospective student, it is just about finding a scheme that best suits their requirements and expenses.

Student Loans, as mentioned already, are either federal or state funded, or those offered by private parties and non-profit private institutions. Starting with the former, the Federal Student Aid or FAFSA can be applied online, and the process is quite easy as well.

Another thing to consider is that the applicant must provide accurate and genuine information while filling out the application. Also, it is advisable to apply for Federal student aid as early as possible, after January 1st.

Another useful federal financial aid package is the Federal Parents Loan for Undergraduate Students or PLUS that considers the good credit ratings of the parents in exchange of financial help for their children.

These low interest loans cover everything from tuition fees and books to housing, library, and supplies. PLUS also can be applied online by filling out the necessary formalities.

Private student loans, on the other hand, are offered by private banks or other financial institutions, and do not have any federal government involvement in the entire process. This type of loans are issued for both undergraduate and graduate students and most avail them to cover the expenses that cannot be otherwise paid by federal aids.

But, unlike federal student loans, where the applicant can know before hand if they qualify for the loan, private student loans do not offer any prior hints and the final approval is solely based on the credit review of the applicant or applicants parents by the lender. If the credit rating of the applicant is not acceptable for the bank, they will reject the application then and there.

One more aspect about private student loans is that it is issued in a first come, first served basis, unlike the federal student loans that is given away on applicants needs. So, if you are planning to apply for a private student loan, start reasonably early.

The best place to look for private student loans is the web. There are many private banks out there offering student loan schemes, hence, it is advisable that a prospective applicant may perform some research and comparison game before choosing the one scheme that suits his her needs requirements fully.

Taking references from previous borrowers is also a good option. Finally, before submitting the application, make it a point to read the fine print thoroughly. This helps solve a lot of technical problems that could arise at a later stage.

When deciding upon a loan its important to understand the difference between types of interest rate repayments. There are two specific types of repayment options and its important to factor these into your final payment schedule.

Subsidized loans are loans which generally have some or all of the interest paid by someone other than the borrower. This type of loan is generally used whilst the student is still in school. Examples of this type of loan would include the Subsidized Stafford Loan and Perkins Loan.

Unsubsidized Loans are loans which accrue interest from the day that the loan is disbursed to the borrower (or their school). Although the loan may be completely deferred (Example: you dont make payments for a period of time) and you may not be currently making payments the interest will still be accruing on the loan amount. Examples of unsubsidized loans include the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Parent PLUS Loan, private alternative student loans, and student loan consolidations.

You will need to make the decision as to which repayment schedule you make at the disbursement point of the loan. I would always counsel that it is better to struggle and slowly pay off the loan interest rather than deferring all payments until graduation. Often graduates are forced into bankruptcy due to deferred student loans.

Ultimately, you have alot of research to complete before diving into the application stage. Do take your time and establish exactly what you are seeking as it makes it all the easier when dealing with the respective loan companies.

Hopefully your loan process will be as painless and easy as your studies shall be.

Common Options And Facts to Consider

Student loan consolidation centers should have these 10 common options.

1. Offers minimal rates of interest, presently 1.625 percent fixed interest for the period of the student's federal loan; at present, the rate being offered by the "Department of Education" is a percentage of 3.37.

2. Through consolidation, a student can cut their payment every month by a maximum of 60 percent using student loan consolidation centers.

3. At the same time during the time of the grace period, there is a maximum of point six percent in interest rate that is deducted for consolidating loans or student credit refinancing.

4. Using auto debit, one can get an added 0.25 percent rate discount with student loan consolidation centers.

5. When a student pays on time for thirty six consecutive payments, he/she then is qualified for a maximum of 1 percent reduction on interest rate.

6. A student gets to keep or maintain all assistance and allowances concerning Federal or State benefits allowed to its borrowers such as delay or deferment and forbearance.

7. Student loan consolidation centers have payment options that are flexible.

8. There are no fees or any other charges or even advance payment or deposit penalties.

9. Does not require that one be checked for his/her credit or that one should have a co-signer.

10. Students having "Federal Direct Loans" are able to consolidate by means of the "Federal Loan Consolidation Program" provided by the government, while still attending school.

7 Student Loan Consolidation Facts to Consider

1. Interest rates for students that are already adults going to college or that they are on their way in their sixth month grace period will increase; Rates previously at 2.77 percent will rise to 4.66 percent starting July 1. Rates will have an increase from 3.37 percent to 5.26 percent for debtors that are paying their loans.

2. Students must only consolidate loans which are variable or changing rates, such as the Stafford Loans, and never fixed-rate loans such as Perkins loans, since Perkins loans are set at a fixed rate, therefore there is no benefit financially and one can unable to acquire loan forgiveness provisions services like nursing or teaching.

3. Student loan consolidation programs are never identical between lenders having fluctuating grace periods, interest rates, late payments penalties, and loan repayment period. Consolidation can bring about loss of certain benefits for example loan deferment and other loan forgiveness alternatives or options.

4. If married and your wife/husband has outstanding student loans as well, you both can opt to merge or bring together consolidation of the loans having an arrangement to repay in any case, of the total loan obligation or any change in the future of your marital status.

5. Student loans that are not paid can be consolidated if reasonable and agreeable payment planning was made between you and your guarantor or lender. Usually, you need to make voluntary and consecutive prompt and punctual payments.

6. When near the completion of your loan repayment, take into account forbearance or deferment when you are in need financially. As student loan consolidation will lower your monthly payments, this also points that extra interest accumulate over the span of the loan and will drastically raise total cost of the loan. To really benefit from consolidation, as much as possible, pay the equivalent monthly payment and always pay ahead of time.

7. To lower your student loan cost and its interest rate, you can opt not to consolidate all your available student loans; you can decide to include unsubsidized loans only or leave out loans with high interest with a low loan balance. Consult and seek advice from your lender student loan consolidation center on which loan options are best and right for you.

A Student Loan Consolidation Center Offers Finacial Relief

When does it make sense to approach a Student Loan Consolidation Center for help? If you are a young person or a parent who is trying to pay off student loans, it may make a lot of sense to consider consolidating all your outstanding loans into one loan with a lower interest rate.

Consult with the Student Loan Consolidation Center and ask about locking in the interest rate that you are paying at today's rates. That way, even if interest rates do rise, you will not be charged the higher interest rate. If you have signed an agreement for a student loan with a variable interest rate, the rate of interest charged on the money owed rises and falls with changes in interest rates.

By choosing a loan with a fixed rate, you avoid this possibility. The drawback to a fixed rate for a loan is that if interest rates should happen to fall, the borrower will still be required to pay the higher interest rate.

Reasons to Consider Consolidating

The two most common reasons for consolidating a student loan are to save money over time or to lower the monthly payments. There are advantages and disadvantages to both courses of action. If your goal is to save money over time, you may want to lock in a lower interest rate through a Student Loan Consolidation Center.

You may choose to pay off your loan early or make larger payments than the minimum required amount every month. Check with the staff at the Student Loan Consolidation Center to make sure that you will not be charged a penalty for paying off the loan early.

If your goal is to lower your monthly payment, you may be interested in extending the term of the loan over a longer period of time. Keep in mind, though, that if you choose to extend the term of your student loan, you will pay more in interest in the long run. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding.

However, if your current financial situation is such that you are having issues with cash flow and you need to get some breathing room now, taking steps to lower your monthly payment may be the best solution to the problem. In addition to the Student Loan Consolidation Center, the Sallie Mae Foundation also offers student loan consolidation services.