Education Lenders
These are private consolidation programs , so the interest rates are dictated by the lender, not the government. There may be additional fees charged for originating these loans. You should not consolidate your federal student loans together with your private education loans.
Are consolidated loans federal or private?
Student loan refinancing, which is also called private student loan consolidation, is a financial move you do through a private lender . If you qualify, you can save money by getting a lower interest rate.
What loans are considered direct loans?
Another way for you to determine if you have a federal loan is by accessing the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) site using your FSA ID . The NSLDS site displays information on all federal loan and grant amounts, outstanding balances, loan statuses, and disbursements.
What does it mean when loans are consolidated?
Consolidation combines loans into one monthly payment with one servicer . Consolidating your loans may make it easier to keep track of your loans if you have more than one student loan with more than one servicer or company.
How do I know if I have a direct loan?
A federal Direct Loan is a federal student loan made directly by the U.S. Department of Education . Generally, if you took out a federal student loan or consolidated your loans on or after July 1, 2010, you have a federal Direct Loan.
What are the 4 types of student loans?
- Direct subsidized loans.
- Direct unsubsidized loans.
- Direct PLUS loans.
- Direct consolidation loans.
What are the limitations of direct loans?
Some drawbacks of federal direct loans are that there are no subsidized federal direct loans for graduate students , borrowers who default or become otherwise unable to repay their federal direct loans will not be able to escape them by declaring bankruptcy, and undergraduates who apply for direct unsubsidized loans and ...
How do I know my loan type?
To figure out what type of federal loan you have, look at the promissory note and application . You can also look at the top of your monthly bill – the name of the program should be listed there. If your interest rate is above 8.5% you may have a private loan rather than a federal loan.
What type of loan is FFEL?
Loans included in the FFEL program include Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans , Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans, FFEL PLUS Loans, and Consolidated Loans.
How does a direct loan work?
If you are an undergraduate, the maximum amount of Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans you can borrow each academic year is between $5,500 and $12,500 , depending on your year in school and your dependency status (whether you are a dependent or independent student).
What is the most common student loan?
Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans (also known as Stafford Loans) are the most common type of federal student loans for undergrad and graduate students. Direct PLUS Loans (also known as Grad PLUS and Parent PLUS) have higher interest rates and disbursement fees than Stafford Loans.
Are student loans still on hold?
While federal loans have been paused, most private loans have not been put on hold . Still, now may be a good time to consider refinancing a private student loan because interest rates are so low, experts say. Having a lower interest rate on such loans could save you a lot of money over time.
What is the most popular type of student loan?
- Perkins Loan — 5 percent fixed interest rate. ...
- Direct Subsidized Loan — 4.66 percent interest. ...
- Direct Unsubsidized Loan — 4.66 percent for undergrads, 6.21 percent for grads students or professionals. ...
- Direct PLUS loan — 7.21 percent.
