* Federal Stafford Loan
    * Federal PLUS Loan
    * Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
    * Federal Consolidation Loan

You can learn the ins and outs of each at their respective page on this site. The Federal Stafford loan is made in the name of the student, is based on need, does not require a credit check (it's guaranteed by the government rather than credit/income/assets, etc.) and does not have to be repaid until after the student graduates, leaves school or stops attending on at least a half-time basis. Some school offer Stafford loan directly through the federal government. These are commonly known as Direct Stafford Loans. The schools that offer Direct Loans are known as Direct Lending Schools. Other schools offer Stafford loans through banks or other lenders. These schools are commonly called FFEL schools (Federal Family Education Loan). In order to obtain a federal Stafford loan through a FFEL school, you will need to choose a lender.

Federal PLUS loans are made in the name of a parent. While they do require a credit check, the credit criteria to obtain a PLUS are not as stringent as they are for other types of consumer loans. Repayment of a PLUS loan begins after the loan is fully disbursed. Again, some schools offer PLUS through the federal government and others offer it through banks or other lenders.

The Federal Graduate PLUS is just like the PLUS for parents except that it is made in the name of a graduate student. It is important to remember that the Federal Graduate PLUS requires payment as soon as the loan is fully disbursed.

Federal loan consolidation is for students who have graduated or parents who wish to extend the repayment period on their current PLUS. You can combine all of your federal student loans into one loan with a Federal Consolidation Loan. Consolidating also locks the interest rate you pay on your loan.

If federal loans are not enough to cover your educational expenses, if you do not wish to make payment of principal and interest while in school or if you want a loan that is in the student's name, there are private student loans (sometimes called alternative student loans). Private loans are made by banks and other lenders. They must be used solely for education expenses, but offer convenience and flexibility not found in other federal loan programs. However, you will need good credit and most students will need a qualified co-signer in order to obtain a private loan. Also, while interest rates, fees and other loan program terms are competitive, they vary widely from lender to lender. It is important to compare your options before choosing a private loan.Once you have found a loan that meets your needs, you can apply online and in many cases get an instant decision on approval.

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