How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan – Learn how different types of student loans work, as well as tips on how much you should borrow.

Getting a college degree is expensive. Tuition, fees, living expenses, and course materials can add up to a big, scary bill.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

If your grants, scholarships, and savings aren’t cutting it, you may want to consider taking out a student loan to pay for college.

What Is A Student Loan And How Does It Work?

Student loans can help cover your education costs, but debt can become a huge financial burden. There are two main types of loans you can use: federal student loans and private student loans.

A student loan is money you borrow to pay for college expenses and eventually have to pay back (on occasion, but we’ll talk about that later).

When you take out a student loan, you sign and agree to an agreement that details the terms and conditions of the loan.

This includes the interest rate, the period during which interest starts accruing, the minimum monthly payment required and the total amount of time you have to repay the entire loan. Here’s what it all means:

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You should check these terms and conditions when comparing student loans and deciding which one to take.

Student loans can be availed by the student or the student’s parents. In 2020, 34% of students took out a student loan and 20% of students’ parents took out a loan to pay for their college expenses.

In the same year, the average amount borrowed by students was $11,836 per year, while parents borrowed an average of $12,535 per year.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

Interest is the cost the lender charges you to borrow your funds. A portion of each of your monthly payments covers the applicable interest charges for that period and the other portion pays off the original loan balance.

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Let’s say you have a $5,000 loan with an annual interest rate of 5%. Although the interest rate is expressed as an annual percentage, it is actually compounded every day. Over a 30-day period, this loan would earn $20.55 in interest: [(0.05/365) x 30 days x $5,000 = $20.55].

In this example, if you paid $100 a month on your loan, you would only pay $79.45 because $20.55 was paid first in interest.

With student loans, you have options, so don’t take out a loan until you’ve done your research. The two main lenders for student loans are the federal government (federal student loans) and private financial institutions (private student loans).

In 2020, 30% of students used federal loans and 13% of students used private loans. The type of loan you choose is very important because it affects the loan amount and your repayment options.

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When you take out a federal loan, you borrow from the US Department of Education’s William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (what a mouthful!). That’s why we tend to refer to a federal student loan as a direct loan, or federal loan for short.

To be considered for a federal student loan, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), also known as the FAFSA. To be accepted for a federal student loan, you must sign a master promissory note (a legal promise to repay the loan in full plus applicable interest) and full credit counseling.

Because PLUS loans are also available to parents, a financial advisor or lender often uses the term Graduate PLUS Loan to indicate that it is for a graduate or professional student.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

Unlike other federal loans, your credit history will be used to determine whether or not you can qualify for the loan.

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The interest rate on a federal loan is usually lower than a personal loan, but it’s worth considering a personal loan if you don’t qualify for a federal loan or can’t get a federal loan large enough to cover all of your housing costs. Educational

The application process for private student loans varies, so you should get specifics from the lender that offers the personal loan.

Federal student loans and private student loans are not the same. Terms and conditions vary, mainly depending on whether you are subsidized or not, the start of the repayment period and repayment options.

Parent PLUS loans are the only federal student loans where you need a cosigner (a person who agrees to repay the loan if you can’t). No other federal loan requires a co-signer.

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Alternatively, personal loans require a co-signer. The exception is if you have a very strong credit history.

The interest rate on federal student loans is fixed – it’s set when you take out the loan and doesn’t change for the rest of the time you have the loan. Personal loans can have fixed or variable interest rates. If your loan is variable, the interest rate is tied to the market rate and may rise or fall over the life of the loan. As interest rates rise, you may see higher student loan payments and end up paying more than you expected.

As we mentioned above, interest rates on federal loans are generally lower than on private student loans.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

Federal student loan origination and other fees are established. For loans issued before October 1, 2023, the loan fee is 1.057% of the balance.

Subsidized Vs. Unsubsidized Loans

Depending on the lender you choose, private student lenders may charge different fees. You need to shop around to find the lender that offers you the least expensive loan.

A personal loan usually requires you to start repaying your loan. On the other hand, you don’t have to make payments on your federal loans until you graduate. There is usually a 6-month period after leaving school before federal loan payments begin.

One exception: If you drop out or decide to enroll less than halfway, you must begin repaying your federal loan before you graduate.

If a federal loan is a subsidized loan, it means the lender will cover your interest payments as long as you meet their requirements.

Top 4 Questions: Direct Subsidized Loans Vs. Direct Unsubsidized Loans

General requirements are that you use the loan to cover undergraduate expenses, attend at least half of school, and demonstrate financial need.

On the other hand, personal loans are almost always unsubsidized loans that charge you interest right away and require you to start paying while you’re still in school.

The Department of Education (DOE) offers consolidation loans, which are loans that allow you to consolidate multiple federal loans into one with a fixed interest rate at no cost.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

Some private lenders may offer a consolidated loan, but they usually charge a fee. Consolidating loans is useful if you are repaying multiple student loans from different lenders. Instead of managing many payments with different deadlines, you will manage one payment.

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The standard repayment period for federal student loans is 10 years. Consolidation loans can have terms of up to 30 years.

On the other hand, private student loan repayment terms vary. Longer terms result in lower student loan payments, but you’ll pay more over the life of the loan.

For example, a dependent newcomer can borrow up to $5,500 in federal loans. However, that student cannot receive more than $3,500 of that $5,500 in subsidized loans.

In the fourth year, all things being equal, they can receive an additional $7,500 in federal loans ($5,500 or less in subsidized loans) as long as they do not exceed the combined loan limit of $31,000 for all their students. Loan ($23,000 for subsidized loan limit).

Ways To Compare Unsubsidized Vs. Subsidized Student Loans

It’s important to note that you can’t get more money from federal student loans by deducting the cost of your college attendance than you might have received from other aid. If your school’s tuition is $20,000 and you receive a $15,000 scholarship, you can only receive up to $5,000 in federal loans. If you receive a lot of other aid, it can affect your credit limits.

Although you can borrow up to $5,500 in federal loans in your first year as a dependent student, that doesn’t mean you have to.

After your FAFSA application is processed, your school will make a financial aid offer, which will break down your financial aid and existing federal student loans.

How To Apply For An Unsubsidized Student Loan

Take as much time as you need to review your funds and remember that you don’t have to accept the full amount offered. You can always take less.

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A subsidized loan is always preferable to an unsubsidized loan if you must take on debt entirely to pay for college. And much better than alternative loans like credit cards and personal loans.

For private student loans, repayment usually begins immediately. Monthly payments should begin while you are in school and according to the repayment schedule. Contact the personal lender to see if they offer repayment options.

For federal student loans, repayment usually begins after graduation. Some exceptions are if you drop your studies or change your enrollment status to less than half.

With federal loans, no repayment plan is set in stone. The DOE offers many grants

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John Pablo

📅 Born: May 15, 1985 📍 Location: New York City 🖋️ Writer | Financial Enthusiast Welcome to my corner of the web! I'm John Pablo—a finance enthusiast and writer passionate about making money matters simple and accessible.

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