Going to school can improve your job prospects. College allows you to study a topic that interests you and make new friends. You’ll find campus organizations that give you the chance to network and programs that help you gain more professional experience before you graduate.
Though you might think that you can’t afford to go to school, students today have different options to pay their expenses. Even if you just finished high school or are an older student who wants to go back to school, you qualify for loans. Check out the criteria you need to meet to get the student loan you need.
FAFSA
To obtain a student loan, you must show that you need help paying for school. The federal government offers the FAFSA, which is a form you fill out and submit online. It requires information about your last tax return if you are an independent student. If you are a dependent, you need your parents’ tax returns.
Your FAFSA will determine how much aid you get and the type of aid given to you. In addition to loans, you may qualify for one or more grants. You also have the option of applying for private loans.
Criteria for Student Loans
You can only get student loans if you need help and are either an American citizen or meet the requirements for eligible noncitizens. Students also need to either be in school or show proof that they will enroll in a college program.
You may need to show that you meet the requirements to attend college, too. Those requirements can include having a high school diploma or your GED. You can also apply for help if you complete a homeschool program that matches the requirements for home education in your state.
Staying in School
Though you can get student loans every year, you must remain in school. You will have a hard time getting loans for school if you attend a college or university that lacks accreditation.
Regional accreditation comes from organizations across the country that give their approval to schools that match certain criteria such as having teachers with professional experience and keeping a high graduation rate.
You can get student loans if you enroll part-time or full-time, but the government usually does not allow you to borrow as much when you take fewer classes.
Other Loans
According to Ascent Funding, when you look at loans for school, they have interest rates that range from 1.78 to 9.37 percent when you pick a variable APR and apply with a cosigner. If you apply on your own, your interest rates range from 4.37 to 11.12 percent. Ascent loans are available for students who have good credit.
Both private and alternative loans allow you to get help paying for school when your financial aid package doesn’t offer all of the help you need. When you apply online, you get an answer quickly. Making sure that you exercise all of your financial aid options is the best way to get all of the help that you need to pay for college.