Thursday, December 22, 2011

How To Get Student Loans When You Have Bad Credit

Making the decision to go to college is a big one whether or not you are a recent high school graduate, an adult that wants to obtain the degree that was put off long ago or someone that wants to make a career change. A college education means you will have the education to make more money, obtain a better career and have more opportunities in the future. Oftentimes, the deciding factor for those that want to go to college is money; college is not inexpensive and many people do not have the funds available to pay for classes and books.

Scholarships and grants are a great way to apply for financial aid for college; neither has to be paid back after graduation. However, these are not always enough to cover the cost of tuition and many people find they need more financial help. This is where student loans come in handy. Student loans are funds that are issued to students to help pay for college. While you are enrolled in college you are not required to pay back the loans; you will begin repaying them shortly after you graduate. For the most part, getting a student loan is easy. However, if you do not have good credit you will have a difficult time obtaining a loan.

Private loans issued by banks for students require an excellent credit score. Those with bad credit scores cannot apply for a private loan on their own. However, they can ask a trusted friend or relative with perfect credit to co-sign a student loan for them. As long as you have a friend or relative that trusts you to pay your loan on time each month after the repayment period begins, you should be fine. However, not everyone has a friend or relative that will do this for them, which means they will have an even more difficult time getting a student loan.

Fortunately, the federal government provides student loans that require no credit check; it doesn't matter if you have terrible credit or amazing credit. As long as you fill out the FAFSA at the beginning of each year, you will be eligible to receive a student loan called a Stafford Loan. This loan comes from the government and is issued to you through your college; your money will be given to the college, your tuition and fees removed from it and the excess will be given to you at the beginning of each semester to pay for your books and other supplies that are school related.

The requirement for obtaining a federal student loan is the FAFSA - the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This must be filed, along with your income tax information and your parent's financial information if you are a dependent student. By filling out the FAFSA, you are filling out an application for a federal student loan, which you then have the ability to accept. You can accept the full amount offered or you can accept a portion of the loan that is offered to you depending on your tuition and fees needs. There is hope for those with bad credit; college is a possibility for those who don't think that it is.

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