Student Aid on the Web

www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov

Click on Students, Parents and Counselors

At this Web site you can

• Find information on federal student aid.

• Use “MyFSA” to create a personalized folder to record your interests, career and college searches to help you decide on a career and locate schools offering majors in that field. Track your progress in the college planning and application process by applying to schools online, access other sources of nonfederal aid, and store your personal information to populate fields on FAFSA on the Web.

• Use FAFSA4caster to get an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid, and an early start in the financial aid process. When you’re ready to apply for aid, much of the information you enter in FAFSA4caster will populate the FAFSA on the Web.

• Apply online using FAFSA on the Web (the online version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA).

• Obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN to sign your FAFSA on the Web.

• Look up the status of your federal student loan.

\

College.gov

www.college.gov

This Web site is designed to motivate high school students with inspirational stories and information about planning, preparing, and paying for college.

Free Help Completing the FAFSA

www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/completefafsa

This Web site explains how to complete the FAFSA and the purpose of FAFSA questions.

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

(Direct Loan)

U.S. Department of Education as lender

www.ed.gov/DirectLoan

Use this Web site to find out more information on the Direct Loan Program, such as repayment options and interactive calculators.

Direct Loan Servicing Online

U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (information on various careers and their earning potential) www.bls.gov/oco

Student Aid on the Web

www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov

Click on Students, Parents and Counselors

At this Web site you can

• Find information on federal student aid.

• Use “MyFSA” to create a personalized folder to record your interests, career and college searches to help you decide on a career and locate schools offering majors in that field. Track your progress in the college planning and application process by applying to schools online, access other sources of nonfederal aid, and store your personal information to populate fields on FAFSA on the Web.

• Use FAFSA4caster to get an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid, and an early start in the financial aid process. When you’re ready to apply for aid, much of the information you enter in FAFSA4caster will populate the FAFSA on the Web.

• Apply online using FAFSA on the Web (the online version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA).

• Obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN to sign your FAFSA on the Web.

• Look up the status of your federal student loan.

College.gov

www.college.gov

This Web site is designed to motivate high school students with inspirational stories and information about planning, preparing, and paying for college.

Free Help Completing the FAFSA

www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/completefafsa

This Web site explains how to complete the FAFSA and the purpose of FAFSA questions.

The

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

(Direct Loan)

U.S. Department of Education as lender www.ed.gov/DirectLoan

Use this Web site to find out more information on the Direct Loan Program, such as repayment options and interactive calculators.

Direct Loan Servicing Online

U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (information on various careers and their earning potential) www.bls.gov/oco

Frequently Requested Telephone Numbers

Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC)

1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) TTY users can call 1-800-730-8913

Callers in locations without access to 1-800 numbers may call 319-337-5665 (this is not a toll-free number).

The FSAIC staff can answer your federal student aid questions and can tell you what you need to know—FREE—including:

• Information about federal student aid programs,

• Help completing the FAFSA,

• Help in making corrections to your Student Aid Report (SAR), which contains your application results,

• Information about the process of determining financial need and awarding aid, and

• Information about your federal student loans.

You can also use an automated response system at this number to find out if your FAFSA has been processed and to request a copy of your SAR. You can also write to the FSAIC at the address at the bottom of this page.

Direct Loan Servicing

1-800-848-0979 | TTY users can call 1-800-848-0983

Direct Loan Consolidation

1-800-557-7392 | TTY users can call 1-800-557-7395

Inspector General Hotline

To report student aid fraud (including identity theft), waste or abuse of U.S. Department of Education funds.

1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733) E-mail: oig.hotline@ed.gov Web site: www.ed.gov/misused

www.dl.ed.gov

Use this Web site to make Direct Loan online payments, view account balance, change billing options, enroll in electronic services, and much more.

Technorati Tags: college loan, college loans, college student financial aid, education loan, fafsa student loans, federal student aid online, federal student aid website, federal student finacial aid, Federal Student Loan, federal student loan aid, financial aid for college students, financial aid for graduate students, financial aid student loan, online student financial aid, private student loans, student, student aid loan, student aid loans, student aid online, student loan aid, student loan consolidation, student loans, student loans financial aid

Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, plays a central and essential role in the nation’s postsecondary education community.

Federal Student Aid’s core mission is to ensure that all eligible individuals benefit from federal financial assistance—grants, work- study, and loans—for education beyond high school. The programs we administer comprise the nation’s largest source of student aid. Every year, we provide more than $83 billion in aid to nearly 14 million postsecondary students and their families. Our staff of 1,100 is based in 10 cities in addition to our Washington headquarters.

You have many postsecondary education options from which to choose. Whether you decide to attend a four year college or university, community college or technical school, the knowledge you gain will be of value to you for the rest of your life, no matter where you go or what you do.

A postsecondary education gives you more opportunities. Those who receive education credentials beyond a high school diploma have more job options and earn much more than those who do not pursue an education beyond high school. For example, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a bachelor’s degree earns almost double what someone with only a high school diploma earns.

Pursuing education beyond high school is an opportunity you should not deny yourself simply because you are not sure it’s for you. Many students don’t know what career path to follow. But exposure to different academic subjects, people and points of view helps you decide what career is for you. After high school, you get to study what you are interested in and, when you graduate, you will get paid for your knowledge.

So go for it, and let us help you make it happen.

Technorati Tags: Federal Student Loan, undergraduate student loans

Paying off student loans can sometimes become too much of an effort, especially if once you graduate and join the workforce, your job does not provide you a reasonable income.

You may find yourself struggling to make ends meet every single month and paying off your student loans may imply huge sacrifices. Even if you can afford the monthly payments, you will still be attached to your student loan debt for years, being unable to undertake projects like starting your own business or buying a house due to the fact that no large amount loan will be available until you finish paying off your student loans.

Getting a Waiver

Would not it be great if you could obtain a waiver on your student loan debt? You could find yourself not having to pay those monthly installments anymore and you would be free to use the extra money for any purpose you may have in mind. If you are wondering if this is possible, read on because the answer is yes. What you need to know is that with the exception of certain situations,student loan debt cannot be totally eliminated without having to pay. Bankruptcy does not discharge student debt unless it causes severe hardship on the debtor and prevents him from satisfying basic needs, such as buying food, paying for medical bills, renting, etc. However, you can get rid of part of your student loan debt if you meet certain requirements. What you need to understand is that we are talking about a reduction on the loans principals that will also imply a reduction on the amount of money you pay on interests. The importance of this fact is that a reduction on the interest rate or interests forgiveness can be easily accomplished by student loan consolidation but it will not save you so much money as a waiver on the capital of the loan would.

Government Debt Forgiveness

The government agencies that grant federal loans are instructed to forgive part of the student debt if the students or graduated students apply for certain job positions that the government has special interest in filling or that provide special social benefits. We will spell out a few so you can get an idea of how this system works but you should consult with the government agency that provided your loan as there may be more. For those students who study medicine, or are already graduated, there are special waivers if they provide their services in poverty-stricken areas or areas affected by disasters (such as hurricanes or floods or famine). This is a great opportunity since medicine is known to be a very expensive career and it is likely for a student to have become greatly indebted. It is also possible to get a waiver on your student debt by teaching at understaffed schools or schools situated in underprivileged zones. For those who like to teach this can be a rewarding experience in more than one way. Another way of obtaining forgiveness on your student loan debt is to join the military forces or a department of social services. In both cases, there are programs available that will reduce your debt progressively as you continue being employed by the government.

Summing up

If your vocation is connected in any way with one of these jobs you might want to consider these great opportunities as you will be able to pay off your debt sooner by doing what you love to do. If you would do it just to get a waiver, you need to make sure you would not get your debt canceled sooner by getting a better paid job in the private sector.

Mary Wise, a professional consultant at Badcreditloanservices.com with twenty years in the financial field, prevents consumers from falling into the hands of fraudulent lenders about student loan debts.

By Mary Wise Published: 12/19/2007

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

Being a student its not easy to backup your higher studies. I was one of such students who was not financially strong and was not able to complete my studies due to financial crisis. But thanks to these student loans without cosigner, which really helped me to make my dreams come true.

Since i was not aware of any student loans as such perkins student loans or stafford student loans and inquired about all these loans, but at the end i was not successful in availing any of the governmental student loans. My dreams were shattered and i was not able to capitalise on my talent and was depressed in true sense But thanks to these bad credit student loans without cosigner, which really rescued me from my mental state.

What benefits these loans offered:

Dealing directly with bad credits there is no credit check.
Without cosigner collateral these loans are approved easily.
with easy repayment terms and conditions its easy to repay the money.
No documentation or faxing required.
Any time approval & hassle free loans.
Process of application for these loans:

student loans without cosigner!Get to know the repayment terms and conditions, what is the process of application and is there hidden cost.

For me it was blessing to have these Bad Credit student loans without cosigner at my side. I applied for the loans and with instant simple verification i got the money. I am making my dreams come true and want you do the same for yourself with these loans.

By Katie marie Published: 8/27/2008

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

Consolidated student loans can make life easier for students and graduates to get out of debt comfortably. It is important to realize that the vast majority of students graduating from college will face some degree of debt, small or large. Academic costs have continued to rise to astronomic proportions over the years, and a lot of college students take out loans to cover their educational expenses.
People will face many challenges after they graduate from college and it is time to pay off those student loans. Lets take a look at three main benefits for consolidated student loans.
The first benefit is that consolidated student loans are more convenient. Having multiple loans from different lenders is too much of a hassle for anyone. This means more paperwork and sending out payments at different times to multiple lenders. This could lead to miss payments and later default on a loan.
When you consolidate your students loans, only one payment is made every month to the lender instead of multiple lenders. It has been proven that its much easier for most students and recent graduates to manage one consolidated loan. This is one of the very reasons people choose this option.
A second major benefit of consolidating your student loans, is that students can save money each month. When a student has multiple outstanding loans, they may be required to make big payments each month to all of the various lenders. However, if the student consolidates his or her loan with one program, just a single payment is required on a monthly basis.
A single payment is usually much smaller than combined payments before the consolidation process. This means you will have more money each month that can be used to live on or start repaying other debts. When you consolidate your loans, a repayment plan is chosen that works for you. This is a great benefit for those just starting out in life with a new career and does not have a big income and savings.
Another benefit of consolidated student loans is the additional assistance involved. Consolidation agencies have many programs that offer deferment or other repayment options of the loan. There is much flexibility when dealing with consolidation agencies to get your loan paid off comfortably.
No matter where you are in life, with continuing your education or finding new employment or going through tough financial times, student loans consolidation services may have the answers to help you out financially and get you on your feet again.

By: Norman Harris

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

To have reduced monthly payments on your students loans be sure to check out Norman’s helpful website regarding Student Loans Consolidation Advice, and Consolidating Student Loans

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

Financing a college education is not easy nowadays and this short article provides an introduction to financial assistance

As with everything else the cost of education has risen significantly. Tuition increases of more than 6% per year are commonly seen today. As an example, in 1973 the price to register at UCLA (University of California) was approximately $200 per quarter and today it is more than $2,000 per quarter.

A tenfold increase is not at all unusual and many things cost ten times more than they cost 25 years ago. On the other hand, salaries have risen about three times in the same time period from in the region of $15,000 – $30,000 per year to approximately $39,000 – $42,000 per year. These numbers vary according to gender, age and more although as a rough guide a threefold increase is about right.

But it is not all gloom and doom. There are many more types of financial aid available today to both parents and students than ever before. Financial assistance, as its name implies, is money which parents and students receive from grants, loans and scholarships issued by both Federal and private lenders to aid students in paying for their education.

A few years ago, students could depend almost entirely on Pell grants and Stafford loans to finance the cost of their education and living expenses. Nowadays Pell grants are still issued although they are needs based and meet a very small proportion of the education cost today. Stafford loans are also needs based but can range from 25% to 40% of the average cost of financing school these days. Another form of aid is Perkins loans that are similar to Stafford loans but that are issued only to the lowest income families.

Fortunately, plus loans are also available now and these were not around a few years ago. plus loans are given to parents and not students to help parents to pay for their child’s education. Interest rates on PLUS loans are average and there are some restrictions and fees levied but they often form part of the student’s total package of funding.

A very quick note about fees. A lot of loans are for a specific amount like $6,000 per year to be disbursed in several payments (typically one payment each semester). But it is common for up to 4% in fees to be taken from the loan amount before the funds are disbursed. That 4% fee on a $6,000 represents $240 that you never see but that you must repay. If you are seeking a loan ensure that you do your homework and see if you can find a low or no-fee loan.

Though Federal loan programs like the subsidized Stafford loan program have low fees and the government pays the interest, they are not the only source of financial assistance today and are not always the best choice.

Funding the cost of education today is a complicated operation and most students will need to assemble a package of funding that includes scholarships, grants, Federal loans and private borrowing.

Luckily, there are now far more sources of finance available than ever before and market competition between private lenders especially means that it is possible to get funds at a price that will not necessarily break the bank.

You are also fortunate to be living in an age where finding the information that you need to make reasoned decisions about the choices open to you is also quite easy.

TheStudentLoansCentre.com provides a wealth of information for students covering everything from an introduction to student loans to a detailed look at student loan consolidation

By Donald Saunders Published: 10/13/2007

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

If you are an American student or one studying in an American school, then you are eligible for federal student loan consolidation from the U.S government.

Federal student loan consolidation plans are applicable for all students whether you are still in school or a recent graduate or already into your new career.

If you are successful in your student loan consolidation application, it will help you to reduce the student loan payment amount each month and/or allows you more time to pay off your student loans.

If you currently have several student loans, it is easier if you use federal student loan consolidation to consolidate them into one loan payment thus making it easier to manage.

The Four Types Of Federal Student Loan Consolidation

The U.S government in a bid to attract more students to take up their student consolidation loans have come up with four plans to suit the different needs of students.

They are :

* Standard Student Loan Consolidation
The maximum student loan period is 10 years and the payment amount per month is fixed. This type of plan is suitable for students who can afford to pay a fixed amount per month. The interest rate would not be a big factor in huge student consolidation loans

* Extended Payment Plan
This type of plan is similar to standard student loan consolidation except it has a longer repayment period of between 15 to 30 years. The repayment period is dependent on the student loan amount.

* Graduated Payment Plan
This type of plan is suitable for students still schooling and can only repay the student loan when they have a job after they graduated. The payment period is between 15 to 30 years. The payment amount per month usually starts low and increase steadily every 2 years. The intent is the as the student has worked for a longer period of time, their salary will increase accordingly and thus able to pay a larger repayment student loan.

* Income Contingent Payment Plan
This type of plan is complicated and is based on the student’s income level over a period of years. It is also based on the family’s annual gross income, other loan amounts owed, other assets, mortgages etc.

Most student usually choose graduated payment plan or the extended payment plan for their federal student loan consolidation.

Ricky Lim works in a finance company specialising in direct student loan consolidation. Visit his site for student loan consolidation rates and get a free student loan consolidation quote

By Ricky Lim Published: 11/15/2006

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

Every year, student loan interest rates are reconfigured on July 1st. In recent years, this date has come and gone with no cause for alarm, but this year is different. As part of a plan to heal the nation’s $40 billion budget deficit, the Senate passed a plan to cut $12.7 billion from the federal student loan program between 2006 and 2011. The impact on students is a drastic interest rate hike on all federal student loans including the Stafford loan, the PLUS loan, the Consolidation loan, and the Perkins loan.

1. Student loan interest rate hike
After July 1st, the interest rate on new Federal Stafford loans will jump from a variable 4.7 percent to a fixed 6.8 percent while PLUS loans will increase from a variable 6.1 percent to a fixed 8.5 percent. The way to avoid these skyrocketing interest rates is to lock into today’s low fixed rate by consolidating your loans.

2. Last chance for ‘in school’ consolidations
Under the new legislation, students that are still in school won’t be able to consolidate their loans after July 1st, 2006. It’s more important than ever for current students and those who are in their post-graduation grace period to seize this current window of opportunity to refinance and lock in the current rate before July 1st.

3. The 1st of July means the end of spousal consolidations
Another student loan consolidating restriction will be imposed on the spousal consolidation loan. For years, married couples have enjoyed the simplicity and financial benefits of consolidating their student loan payments. Married couples still have the chance to take advantage of this opportunity by applying for a spousal consolidation loan before July 1st.

4. You’re stuck with your lender
Starting on July 1st, borrowers will no longer have the opportunity to consolidate existing Consolidation loans with a different lender. Unless the current lender does not offer a consolidation loan with income sensitive repayment terms, borrowers won’t have any options when it comes to shopping around more attractive offers and companies.

Steps to take on or before July 1st
If you haven’t already consolidated your student loans, contact a student loan consulting and refinancing lender as soon as possible. Go online and compare various online loan companies, read up on loan terminology, use online calculators to understand your potential savings, and get in touch with a student loan consolidation expert with a list of questions.

Student loan consolidation already offers a wealth of benefits, not to mention the newest benefit as a safe haven from the July 1st interest rate hikes. Because payments are combined and spread out over a longer period of time, monthly payments are reduced, freeing up cash flow for young adults who are just beginning their careers. Additionally, having only one open loan is more beneficial in terms of credit rating as opposed to numerous open loans that can lower an overall FICO score.

Refinancing before July 1st still gives students one last chance to lock in low interest rates and take advantage of other soon-to-be cut money saving opportunities and programs.

By: Chris Studer

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

ScholarPoint Financial, Inc. is a national online consumer lending company specializing in student loans. We believe in combining state-of-the-art technology with world class service to help students and parents easily gain access to data, become informed, and enjoy the process of obtaining a college loan. Learn more about Student Loan Consolidation at

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans

Student loan consolidation has great benefits, but it often looks like a complicated process and scares people. There is nothing to be afraid of, it is actually much simpler that you think, but to get the most of your consolidation loan you need to know several important things.

Student loan consolidation has great benefits, but it often looks like a complicated
process and scares people. There is nothing to be afraid of, it is actually much
simpler that you think, but to get the most of your consolidation loan you need
to know several important things.

1. How to find the best student consolidation loan rate?
According to FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program) guideline lenders calculate your rate as an average of your existing loans’ rates. They are not allowed to offer you a lower rate and compete for that. So there is really no point to searching for a lender with the lowest rate. However, many lenders offer great rate reduction discounts. Usually you get a discount after making several payments on time or if you set an automatic payment from your bank account. When using online calculator, most lenders give you your rate after the discounts. So you will have to be careful and read all conditions of your new loan to make sure that you are eligible for the benefits.

2. How many times can I consolidate?
Usually you can only consolidate your loans once. That’s why it is important to do your home work and select the right lender the first time. There are two circumstances when you can reconsolidate your loan. First, if you decide to study more and take additional loans. Second, if consolidating the first time not all your previous loans have been captured. This is theoretically possible, but in practice happens very rarely. Debt consolidating companies are usually pretty good about including all your outstanding loans in a new loan.

3. What repayment plan to choose?
Most companies offer at least two repayment plans – standard and graduate. They may be called differently by different lenders, but the general idea is the same. The standard plan is the most simple – your monthly payments are the same for the life of your loan. With this plan you usually pay the least amount of interest.

Graduate plan supposes that at first your monthly payment is lower; it can be low for 12 or 24 month. But your later payments are higher. This plan is perfect for graduates who are not sure of finding well paid work straight after graduation or if you expect other major expenses, like having a baby. By choosing a graduate plan you will pay more interest that on standard repayment plan, but the difference is usually not all that much.

There also might be other plans that allow you to make lower monthly payments, but you will have to pay off your loan longer. These plans are usually the most costly, because you end up paying much more interest.

4. Does bad credit affect student debt consolidation?
If you have federal student loans and go for a federal loan consolidation program, your credit history doesn’t matter. With private lenders it would be more difficult to get approved if you have a bad credit. So if you have federal and private loans, consolidate federal loans first, this will improve your credit score. If you don’t have any federal loans, take steps to improve your credit. The easies way is to get a credit card and pay it on time fore several months.

5. How to chose the best loan consolidation company?
As you already know, lenders can’t really offer your lower rates than others. So it makes sense to look for a lender that offers the most benefits in rate reduction. Other points to keep in mind are: if there are any additional fees for consolidation and if deferment option is available. When you go for a federal loan consolidation, there are several circumstances when your payments can be deferred, such as financial hardship, illness or unemployment. If you are going for a privet lender for your student loan consolidation, it is important that this lender offers deferment option as well.

Also bear in mind, that you can’t always choose the company to consolidate your student loans. If your took all your loans from the same company, you can only consolidate with that same lender. However, if you have loans by different lenders you are free to choose from any lender approved by US government.

Tanya Turner is a publisher of Loan Consolidation Guide , which provides you with comparison of best student loan consolidation programs . The Guide also offers tips and advice on how to save the most when consolidating your loans.

By Tanya Turner Published: 5/24/2007

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: direct loan student loan, key bank student loan, student loan consolidation rates, student loans deferment, undergraduate student loans