The Stafford Loan Explained

By Kay Riter

College is expensive. So expensive, that most people can pay for it all out of pocket. If you don't have a college fund all saved up, you have to work to save, apply for scholarships, and look for grants. In fact, your probably already doing this frantically.

Some people are lucky enough to be born into a rich family or have parents that were able to set aside money in a college fund. Others are super smart and able to land a full ride scholarship to the college of their choice.

The rest of us don't have these luxuries, no matter how hard we try. We have to try to save by going to a state school or a community college first. We apply for every scholarship that we even just remotely qualify for, and we save every penny. After that, we have to get loans.

As bad as it sounds to have to take out a loan, if you can't pay, you have to do it. As much as you hate to do it, it's just what you need to do. Most college students will have to take out a student loan.

Government student loans are the first place you should look. They will always have the lowest interest rate compared to private loans, and especially compared to credit cards. The Stafford Loan should always be your first choice.

The Stafford loan is an affordable loan that can be used for college tuition at a two or four year college, university, or trade school. You can borrow up to $4,000 a year to a maximum of $20,000 total. There are two different types of Stafford loans, the subsidized loan and the unsubsidized loan.

The subsidized loan is created for those in extreme financial need. The government will pay the interest for you during your attendance in college and for until six months after you graduate. You have to qualify for financial need to get this loan.

If you are looking for a loan, get the Stafford loan first. Over four years, you can borrow up to $20,000, which can be a huge help. Remember that this is a loan and not a grant. You will have to pay it back.

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