Federal & Private Student Loan Consolidation

By Sam Ferdi

Student Loan Consolidation

Student Loan Consolidation

A large number of college students apply for student loans in order to help fund their tuition. Were it not for student loans, many individuals could not even afford to attend college. Upon graduation, payments will begin on these loans and can often be overwhelming for new graduates. Federal student loan consolidation is one way to help individuals manage their loan while starting their new life in their chosen field or profession.

Types of loans that can qualify for a federal student loan consolidation:

  1. Federal Perkins Loan
  2. Federal Stafford Loans
  3. Federal Direct Loans
  4. Federally Insured Student Loans
  5. Federal Parent Loans
  6. National Direct Student Loans
  7. Nursing Student Loans
  8. Health Education Assistance Loans
  9. Health Profession Student Loans
  10. Auxiliary Loans To Assist Students

Benefits to federal student loan consolidation.

  1. Federal student consolidation loans offer a way to make repayment easier for the already stressed out graduate.
  2. The interest rate is much lower & fixed than other loans & a longer time period for repayment is provided, so that it is easier for you to manage it.
  3. The interest rates for federal student loan consolidation programs are very reasonable and are lower than your average bank loan. The interests can not go over the maximum of 8.25% for Stafford Loans and 9% for PLUS loans (Federal parent loans).
  4. A federal student consolidation loan does not have any fees or charges to apply.
  5. There is usually not a minimum loan balance required with this type of loan program
  6. You can apply for a federal student consolidation loan with any lender that you choose. If all of your loans happen to be through just one lender, you must apply for your federal student consolidation loan with that lender.
  7. You can consolidate your undergraduate loans if you are still in graduate school.
  8. You can decide on what loans you want to consolidate from the loans that qualify.

Federal student loan consolidation can’t include loans you may have received from banks, credit unions, personal loans, consumer debt loans or any other type of financial service loans that you may have applied for in the past. They have to be federal student loans to qualify.

Private student loan consolidation.

After you consolidate all your federal student loans initially and distinctly, consider private student loan consolidation for the remainder.

Private student loans are not possible to be consolidated with federal loan programs.

The interest rates are typically greater on private student loans as well. Private loan consolidation is an option that complements federal student loan consolidation.