Different Federal Student Loans

Federal student loan programs are set up to offer students federal aid to pursue a higher education. Most school expenses such as tuition, books, room and board, supplies and even transportation are covered in the federal student loan program.

Different Types Of Federal Student Loan Programs

Stafford loans are the federal student loans programs that are made available directly to the student, and are used to supplement scholarships, work-study, grants, personal, and family resources. These loans may be subsidized or unsubsidized depending on the financial need of the student. Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are guaranteed by the Department of Education and is done either directly, or through guarantee agencies.

Stafford loans can either be FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program), which are provided by private lenders, such as loan association, credit unions and banks, or they are FDSLP (Federal Direct Student Loan Program), which is provides to the students and their parents directly by the US Government.

A Parent Plus loan is another program which is available to the parents of students who are enrolled in a program that is included within the list of participating post-secondary institutions. These Plus loans cover a higher amount of total cost of education and they also have higher rate of interest. The parents, not the student, make the commitment. Plus loans are available for both professional and graduate students.

Graduate PLUS loan is another federal student loan program which is similar to the parent plus loan, and is a federally guaranteed unsubsidized loan up to the total cost of education. The loan is taken on the name of the graduate students, with their own signature and credit rating.

For undergraduate and graduate students, Perkins Loan is another type of federal student loan program. Here, the college is the lender, and it draws funds from the small pool of money that is provided by the federal government. These loans are given based only on the exceptional financial need.

Applying For A Federal Student Loan Program

To get the direct student loan, students must submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), even though unsubsidized loan is available to all the students irrespective of their financial needs. Each federal student loan program has it own advantages and disadvantages, and must be carefully analyzed to choose the best option.

If federal student loan programs are not able to meet your borrowing needs, there are many other supplemental programs available known as private or alternative loans. There are also parent loans available to the parents of undergraduate students.