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5 Best Banks for Federal College Loans

By Susan - Monday 15 Dec 2:00 pm

Federal college loans are the optimal choice for students looking for college funding that is affordable and easy to apply for. Although all federal college loans through separate institutions are very similar, there are some banks and financial providers that can offer you benefits and special offers that are slightly more appealing than others. Read more…

Federal college loans are government funded and federally guaranteed, and can offer students and parents of students extremely competitive interest rates that somewhat relieve part of the burden of college loan debt. All federal college loans will offer you a lower interest rate than private loans, and are offered to people with financial need. 

If you are searching for the best deal in your federal college loans and the most service orientated banks to make your application through, then you might want to consider one of the financial services providers listed below. They all offer federal college loans, but each one has a little something extra to offer over and above that. 

  1. Chase Bank – One of the front runners in the supply of college loans to students and parents of students. Their website offers detailed advice on the differences between private and federal college loans and has a link to the Free Application For Federal Student Aid, which needs to be completed for all would be applicants. 
  2. Sallie Mae – This financial services provider is the leading supplier of college loans in the country. Their federal college loans are divided into Federal Perkins loans and Federal Stafford Loans, one of which will need to be selected. Accounts can be managed online 24/7 for better convenience.
  3. Wells Fargo – With Wells Fargo as well as most other federal college loans, you can qualify to have a certain portion of your loan subsidized. Wells Fargo have loan specialists constantly on standby to assist you with any federal college loan queries you may have. 
  4. Next Student – Next Student have a wealth of helpful and useful information to help guide you through your college loan application process. Their website has numerous tools and applications to assist you in calculating what exactly you will require and how much it will set you back. Also known to be reliable and ready to assist. 
  5. Citibank – One of the benefits of signing your federal college loan with Citibank is that you could receive a further .25% reduction in interest charges by making your payments automated. This reward for you is extra security for them, so everyone wins. 

Although the above mentioned federal college loan providers are industry leaders, there are many more that are worth your interest and investigation. Each one might be federally guaranteed and made possible by government funding, but the individual service providers all need to stand out in some way by offering you the best college loan deal there is. Take your time to explore the pros and cons of each one before making this huge commitment towards your future.

Posted in: College Loans

How Can I Get Student Loans for College?

By Susan - Tuesday 25 Nov 7:12 pm

Applications for college can be hugely determined by affordability, and first choices can even be set aside by financial issues. With student loans for college, these problems can be diminished and students are able to actually apply to their first choice education facility without any worry. Student loans for college have in fact become so much in demand that many financial institutions have been set up solely to offer this service.

Applying for student loans for college is a fairly simple process, provided you are armed with the correct information when you embark on this exciting journey. Below is a guide for those who are unsure of where to start and how the process of applying for a student loan for college actually works.

You have a choice between federal finance options and private student loans for college. Federal student loans for college are generally a more attractive choice in terms of repayment options and interest rates, but sometimes the federal route doesn’t cover all your expenses in which case a private student loan for college would have to be applied for. The Federal option is a government secured student loan with minimal interest charges and deferred payments until graduation. No credit checks are carried out on federal student loans for college before implementation and there are no application fees payable. Private loans are a more complicated process, and will require credit checks being carried out on the applicant. Once approved, the interest rates are determined by the financial provider, and can be significantly higher when compared with Federal loans.

It is highly recommended that you apply for a federal student loan for college even if you speculate that you might not qualify. Contrary to popular belief, approval is not solely based on what monthly income comes into your household so it is worth attempting at the very least. You will need to fill out an application form to verify if you are eligible for federal financial loans and grants. It can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or can be mailed to your home address. Your parent’s tax information will be needed for submission when applying for a federal student loan for college, so it is imperative that this information be kept up to date. You will also need to submit your social security number and your high school diploma or equivalent, and you will need to be able to show that you are enrolled in a college program and that your student loan for college will be exactly that: for educational purposes only.

Private student loans for college are offered by most banks and a host of financial institutions that can be located by doing search on the internet. Some institutions are more highly recommended than others and offer more competitive interest rates and repayment options, so it is also important to do your homework and investigate the charges and benefits associated with each provider.

Applying for a student loan for college need not be the difficult process that you envisage when you are equipped with the right information, and you take it one step at a time.

Posted in: College Degrees, College Loans

What is a Stafford Student College Loan and how do I get one?

By Susan - Tuesday 25 Nov 6:34 pm

A Stafford student college loan is a federal government student loan that offers would be college goers a fantastic opportunity in terms of affordability of and accessibility to their studies. Stafford student college loans are available to anyone wanting to study. All you need do is apply.

Stafford student college loan are the most popular form of college funding across America, and billions of dollars have already been paid out to stabilize student’s studying careers. These student college loans offer extremely low interest rates and flexible repayment options to suit student situations. Payments can be deferred until after graduation allowing college goers the freedom to focus on their studies and not have to worry about repayments at this crucial time. There is also a 6 month grace period upon commencement of college before the student needs to start making their repayments on their student college loan. The government will sometimes also subsidize the loan for students who require a student college loan on a financial need basis, in which case the government will pay all the interest on behalf of the student while they are in school. Some loans taken out are unsubsidized in which case the student is responsible for the interest accrued throughout the loan repayment period. In the case of student college loans that are unsubsidized, the loans are not necessarily awarded in their full capacity and extensive calculations are made to arrive at an agreeable arrangement for both provider and student.

Before applying you need to be enrolled in a school that supports Stafford student college loans, and you should have a reasonable academic record to prove that you are serious about studying. You need to be a US citizen or a citizen of an eligible area, have a valid social security number and high school diploma or equivalent, and you may not currently be in default. There are many different institutions that offer federal Stafford student college loans, and the school that you wish to attend will be able to put you in contact with a reliable source that you can apply to. Sallie Mae and Chase are popular choices for all student college loans, and they also accept applications for Stafford loans.

To apply for your Stafford student college loan, you will need to fill out a FAFSA form – Free Application for Student Aid Form that can be completed online or downloaded from www.fafsa.ed.gov . For a subsidized loan, you need to establish your financial need through the college you will be attending. After filling out and submitting your FAFSA form, you will be notified by means of an award letter what your eligibility is. You should then apply for your Stafford student college loan.

Take note of the application expiration dates for your school, as you will need to have your Stafford student college loan approved and in motion before application cut off dates. From there on out, all your need to do is keep up a consistent flow of academic progression and you should be able to apply for another student college loan for your years to follow.

Posted in: College Loans