Student Loans: FAFSA

One hundred billion dollars has been allocated to student grants and student loans through the current government. FAFSA is the “Federal Application for Student Allowance” and you will hear a lot about it if you are looking for student loan. Just about every student loan requires a FAFSA, even private institutions and some grant applications will ask for this form so it makes sense to familiarize yourself with the requirements of FAFSA.

FAFSA

Federal funding student loan applications (FAFSA) can be completed on line or on paper and this year the process and the forms were made easier then ever. The forms have been streamlined to make applying simple, short and user friendly.  Every part of the student loan application can be completed and tracked online.

The seven top tips for applying for FAFSA from the government are:

1. Begin searching early; it is never too soon to think about where you might like to go to college and how you intend to pay for it.
2. Phone the colleges you may be interested in or visit college websites financial aid pages to find out what different colleges offer in terms of funding.
3. Obtain a pin, filing FAFSA online is the quickest way to access application information and follow the progress of your application. Your pin will come in handy.
4. Bookmark www.studentaid.ed.gov and www.fafsa.ed.gov, these site have all the information about FAFSA and about student loans you will ever need, it is the official government site for FAFSA.
5. Get documents together. Create a folder with all the information you will need for your FAFSA and any other grant and loan applications, including income tax returns, your record of learning and personal identification.
6. Complete the FAFSA forms. Taking the first step can often be the hardest part so get the application forms out of the way early – it’s easier than you think. The department of education provides a toll free number 1-800-4fed-aid to help with any questions or concerns you may have about completing the forms.
7. Keep the FAFSA application updated in your folder and online. Check every couple of months to make sure it’s current and most complimentary to your skills and experience.

What are the student loan options?

Today it can be said that anybody who wants to go to college or university has access to funding. Although from a financial point view scholarships are undoubtedly the way to go if you can manage it, there area is a whole raft of student loans available to students wishing to undertake tertiary education. Even if you must resort to a student loan the terms are usually pretty sweet. Although the primary source of funding for student loans is government, there are other options available including:

Student Grants

• Work Study
• Loans
• Scholarships

Support for Students

Just about any person wanting to fund a college education will find they are eligible for a loan. Many will qualify for the variety of scholarships available and a few will want, for various reasons, to look at other types of loans. There is no shortage of scholarship and student loan providers in the U.S. and they are all extremely open to discussing the options with students and their families.

President Obama has challenged the American public to have the highest number of college graduates in the world by 2020. So if you are a person looking at a college education there is no better time than now to apply for a student loan and get the financial support you need to succeed.