What Are Student Loans?

If you apply for financial aid, you may be offered loans as part of your school’s financial aid offer. A loan is money you borrow and must pay back with interest.   
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If you decide to take out a loan, make sure you understand who is making the loan and the terms and conditions of the loan. Student loans can come from the federal government or from private sources such as a bank or financial institution. Loans made by the federal government, called federal student loans, usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment options than loans from banks or other private sources. Learn more about the differences between federal and private student loans. 

What types of federal student loans are available?The U.S. Department of Education has two federal student loan programs:

• The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program is the largest federal student loan program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Education is your lender. There are four types of Direct Loans available:    
  • Direct Subsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education at a college or career school. 
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but in this case, the student does not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan.
  • Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid.
  • Direct Consolidation Loans allow you to combine all of your eligible federal student loans into a single loan with a single loan servicer.
• The Federal Perkins Loan Program is a school-based loan program for undergraduates and graduate students with exceptional financial need. Under this program, the school is the lender.                                                                   
  If you have questions about Perkins Loan eligibility, please contact your school's financial aid office. 

Compare all of the federal student loan programs. 

​Visit the Federal Financial Aid Website for more information:

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​What are the differences between federal and private student loans?

Federal student loans include many benefits (such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans) not typically offered with private loans. In contrast, private loans are generally more expensive than federal student loans.

Check the chart at this site for the differences:

Information on Private Student Loans can be found here.