Monday, January 23, 2012

Managing Student Loans Using Personal Finance Tools

For most ambitious students getting a higher degree in education is a goal. But we all know how expensive affording a higher education has become in recent times. So, if you want to pursue your dream and gain a higher degree, you will need to be able to master a few skills such as planning and maintaining a budget. This may seem elementary however, as you will soon realize it will be one of the most useful skills you'd have ever learnt.

Most students are not able to finance their higher education without some sort of financial help such as student loan, student grant, teaching aid scholarship, etc. Student loans finance are by far the most popular choice of financing higher education.

There are many clauses in a student loan that many novice students do not understand. The term of repayment, the rate of interest, the duration of loan - all these have a very important role in determining how well off the student will be after finishing the degree.

To manage all this and to give the student a hand in making wise choices, we highly recommend a financial management tool. This tool or software is available online as it is of enormous use to students in calculating the deal they have been offered. Nobody wants to leave college with huge loans for students over their heads and no list of repayment options. This is where the financial management tools will be of help and guide the student into making wise and informed choices.

Thus, it is very important that for managing a student loan you have access to good financial management tools or software. www.studentloansfinance.co.uk

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Managing-Student-Loans-Using-Personal-Finance-Tools&id=4587121

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Fixed Rate Student Loans: Your Financing Options

If you are researching the financing options to either go to college and do your undergraduate degree, or stay on or return to school for post graduate studies, then you may have noticed that some of the student loans on offer have a fixed rate of interest and others do not.

A fixed rate means you will pay the same amount of interest (represented as APR) for the entire time that you owe money on that loan. The alternative is a variable rate loan, where the amount of interest you pay will fluctuate depending on market conditions.

All federal student loans finance has a fixed rate of APR, and this is the rate you will pay for the lifetime of your loan, which in some cases can be as much as twenty-five years. Private student loans vary in their offerings, however their rates are inevitably always higher than the federal loans whichever style of interest rate they have, so these should always be considered a last resort if you have exhausted any federal loans or grants and scholarships, and any other ways of getting money such as informal loans from your family or getting part time work.

If you are an undergraduate or have a poor credit rating, you are likely to need a cosigner to apply for any kind of private loan successfully. This will in most cases be your parents, but you can choose any willing adult with a sufficient credit history to be your cosigner.

A fixed rate loan is good because you know the exact amount of interest you will accrue over the course of your repayment, which will typically take ten to twenty years. If you have fixed rate loans, it is also easier to consolidate your loans at a later date as it is easier for a lender to repackage fixed rate loans, and consolidation is often a good option further down the line if you want the convenience of only one repayment a month and lower monthly outgoings where you have multiple loans from your college days to pay back.

Also, given the high level of uncertainty in the current economy, a variable rate loan, while it could feasibly over 20 years leave you paying less, that is much further ahead than anyone can predict or forecast market behavior for and so the concept of a variable rate of interest you don't have any control over can be a bit of a scary concept. For these reasons, at present, loans for students are seeing fixed rate loans as the most desirable option.

The offerings from different lenders vary a lot, all with their own pros and cons, so if you need to travel down the path of taking out private student finance and you have a creditworthy cosigner willing to apply with you (or you are a mature student with a good enough credit rating of your own), then the next step is to start shopping around for the best deal. www.studentloansfinance.co.uk

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Fixed-Rate-Student-Loans:-Your-Financing-Options&id=6469006

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Student Loans For Nurses

Nurses are in high demand right now, which is good news for students who are interested in becoming a nurse. It is easy to find attractive student loans that have your nursing career goals and education in mind.

With the correct information, you can put together a loan package that includes very low interest rate and an easy repayment program.

Federal student loans finance are your first source in financing your nursing education. They are low-interest and long-term making them a perfect resource and the first place to start. To apply for a federal loan you have to fill out the FAFSA. The application is free and is available online, making it very convenient and easy to complete.

It is important to remember there is a deadline. You have to get the application completed on time or you will rule yourself out from a major affordable source of funding for your education.

Another option are discounted Stafford student loans. Loans for students are sometimes packaged with tempting incentives. The best way to find these loans is to shop lenders for Stafford student "nursing loans". In Virginia for example, you can get a discounted Stafford Loan because a lender and the State of Virginia work together to extend a loan to students prepared to stay and work as a nurse.

There is also a government loan program with low-interest available. You may qualify and be entitled to a Nursing Student Loan if you are registered in an accepted nursing program. This is a campus-based loan program and the funds are administered by the financial aid office at the participating schools.

These loans may not cover all the costs associated with your education. You may still need to borrow more and you might consider a private loan. These may seem very accommodating but they can be expensive and should be your last resource.

Another option are programs for loan repayment and loan forgiveness. These programs assist with repayment of student loans for nurses. One highly recognized repayment program pays up to 60 percent of your loan if you qualify. Another program for repayment requires you to make a two-year commitment, and you may qualify for either partial or full repayment of your student loans. www.studentloansfinance.co.uk

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Student-Loans-For-Nurses&id=6584711