Discover Ways to Get Student Loans without a Cosigner
Posted in Loans on July 31st, 2011 by adminArticle by Alejandro Price
Finance Guides announces a new series of informative articles to explain consumers’ options when seeking student loans without a cosigner.If you’re a self-supporting student, chances are you’re taking a part time job and the money you make is barely enough to get you through college. Maybe mom and dad send you money to pay for college but you find yourself needing more to pay for other expenses. What you need is to take out a student loans without a cosigner.But where should you first run to if you want to get a loan? The government is your best friend when you want to take out student loans without a cosigner. In fact, many experts will advise you to stay away from private lenders for various reasons that we will talk about later on. You only get charged minimal interest rates and you are given plenty of time to pay the loan back in full. How to Get Student Loans without a Cosigner from the Federal GovernmentThe federal government offers two kinds of loans that are given directly to students: the Stafford and Perkins loans. It’s worthwhile to note that both carry fixed interest rates. A fixed rate makes payments more predictable, unlike with variable rates which may go up or down unpredictably. In addition, you are not required to pay Perkins loans and subsidized Stafford loans until you either drop out or finish school. Federal loans are the safest way to get student loans without a cosigner.Ever Heard of Stafford Loans?Let’s first talk about the most common federal student loan – the Stafford loan. This is the most popular option when trying to get student loans without a cosigner. It has a low fixed interest rate of only 4.5%. You should also know that you may apply for subsidized Stafford loans if you can prove that you qualify for financial aid. If you do, interest on your loan will not accrue until you graduate or leave school. This is unlike unsubsidized loans which immediately accrue interest upon the first loan payout.Interested in getting a Stafford loan? The first thing you should do is complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The form is available for completion online. Your borrowing limit will be determined by your school with the use of the information on your FAFSA. Upon the first payout, you are required to file a Master Promissory Note (MPN). The MPN is a legally binding document that contains the terms and conditions of the loan. It also states your intention to pay back the loan.Another Option: The Perkins LoanAnother relatively easy way to get student loans without a cosigner is through Perkins loans. The fixed interest rate of the Perkins loan is also low – only 5%. As with subsidized Stafford loans, interest will not accrue until you start paying for the loan and you are given ten years to repay the loan in full. If you want to apply for a Perkins loan, just complete a FAFSA online. You will also need to file an MPN when you get your first payout.Learning How to Get Student Loans without a Cosigner from Private LendersIf, for some reason, you are unable to get federal student loans, or you need more money than the Stafford or Perkins loans allow, you can get loans from private lenders. However, this is the riskiest way to get student loans without a cosigner. Remember that the purpose of these companies is to make money – out of you! Comparing private lenders against government loans, you’ll notice that you’re being asked to pay bigger interest rates. You will also usually only be offered loans with variable interest rates. Your interest rate may go up or down, disabling you from planning out an effective payment scheme. Perhaps the riskiest part of getting loans from private lenders is dealing with the penalties. Private lenders have notoriously high late payment fees. It’s very easy to owe more money from accumulated late penalties.
About the Author
Roland Creienne is a personal injury lawyer for student loan companies as well as an avid writer.Roland Creienne is a legal professional for student loan companies, and has been a technology and finance aficionado for many years. He has written and published articles in numerous technology, gadget, and finance blogs to help share his passion for those subjects. He resides in Tigard,
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