Attending a university can be financially very difficult. Without a scholarship or a good financial aid program, some students have to sacrifice their ambitions to earn a lessor degree, or not attend a college at all. This isn't necessary if the Federal Perkins Loans are utilized.
The Perkins Loans are government loans with a low interest rate. This loan benefits undergraduate and graduate students with a serious financial need and is made only through schools that participate in this type of loan. The student will qualify by being able to show the greatest level of financial need. This is determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is verified by the government's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Those who receive Federal Pell Grants will be first on the list to acquire the Perkins Loan.
Other qualifications for the loan besides the EFC, are that the student needs to be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen and have a social security number, have a GED or high school diploma or pass an ABT test, keep a satisfactory grade average, and working to earn a certificate or degree. In addition to these requirements, a male student also needs to register with the Selective Service between the ages of 18 and 25.
A negative aspect of applying for this loan is the fact that since the schools distribute it on behalf of the government, the funds will eventually be gone, and when they are gone there aren't any more available. Even if the student should qualify for a Perkins Student Loan, it may not be available at the time of application. Because of this unfortunate feature, it is best to submit the FAFSA on January 1 or very close to that date. It will make it easier to get the highest amount possible and also be able to acquire the Perkins Loan benefits.
An undergraduate student can receive as much as $4,000 a year with a total of $20,000 for the whole undergraduate program. Graduate students can receive $6,000 per year with a total of $40,000. If the student is fortunate to get the Perkins Loan, the full amount available should be taken.
9 months
The federal perkins loan is a student loan offered by the U.S. Department of Education to help American students with their college financing. Those that use the federal perkins loan, will have a 5% interest rate that can be paid over ten years.
There are many federal student loan programs to choose from. They include Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Student PLUS Loan, etc. When it comes to deciding which is the best, it depends on one's circumstances.
Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 for information regarding your Federal Perkins Loan.
The Federal Perkins Student Loan, better known as simply the Perkins loan, is a low-interest student loan for individuals determined to have "exceptional" financial needs. The Perkins loans are serviced by the U.S. Department of Education. The Perkins loan may be used to cover educational expenses related to undergraduate and graduate education at an American college or university. The loan program was established in 1965 and is named after the former U.S. House of Representative, Carl D. Perkins. The Perkins loan is one of the student loans available with the best conditions offered.Eligibility for a Perkins LoanIn order to be eligible to receive a Perkins loan, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen. In addition, the borrower must be enrolled in an eligible institution at least half-time in a degree program, must have satisfactory academic progress, and must have no unresolved overpayments or defaults owed on Title IV education grants and loans. In addition, the borrower must show "exceptional" financial need. Advantages and Disadvantages of a Perkins LoanThere are several advantages to borrowing a Perkins loan. Perkins loans have a fixed interest rate of 5% during the ten year repayment period. In addition, Perkins loans, as a form of subsidized loan, do not accrue in interest while the borrower is in school. Perkins loans also provide a nine month grace period and do not have any related loan fees. Loan cancellation is provided for teachers who serve in low income schools or teach math, science, or bilingual education as well as for volunteers with the Peace Corps. The only real downsides to the Perkins loan are that the interest rate may not be as low as the lowest possible private loan interest rate and that Perkins loans do not offer "repayment incentives" that some private loans do. However, those who are eligible for Perkins loans will likely not have the financial credit score necessary to obtain a low interest private loan. Thus, if a borrower is able to obtain a Perkins loan, it is probably the best available financing option.
In the U.S., student loans can be Federal or Private.Stafford, PLUS, and Perkins loans are Federal. Most others are private.
Perkins Loans are government loans that are made through participating schools to graduate and undergraduate students who have serious financial need. Perkins Loans are so appealing to students because they have low interest rates associated with them and students who have good or bad credit can generally qualify. When filing a Perkins Loan application, it is important for students and their families to remember that the main qualifying factor for this loan is great financial need. In most simplistic terms, if a student's Expected Family Contribution, or EFC, as it was determined by the government's FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, does not demonstrate the greatest level of financial need, a student may not qualify. However, in recent years, more and more students are easily qualifying for the Perkins Loan due to tough economic times. When filing a Perkins Loan application, it is important to remember that students who received the Federal Pell Grant will also receive priority for the Perkins Loan. Also, in consideration to the Perkins Loan application, it is extremely wise to apply for this loan type as early as possible. Schools who participate in distributing the Perkins Loan do so on behalf of the government, so when loan funds are gone for the Perkins Loan, they are sincerely gone until the next school year. If you think that you will qualify for the Perkins Loan during any school year, it is imperative that you file for this loan as close to January first of a new year as possible. This will ensure that if you do qualify for this loan, you will be able to receive the maximum amount of funding that can be given through the Perkins Loan. Perkins Loan applications can be filed on the Internet or through traditional loan application papers which can be located through participating schools and in other such locations. Perkins Loan application filing will not require you to have a cosigner, so you can file whenever the best time is for you. However, it is always wise to remember that filing for the Perkins Loan early in the year is the most ideal time if you are really serious about receiving funding from this government loan type.
Ask your school for "forgiveness" option for the Carl D. Perkins loans. Stafford loans do not have forgiveness options.
No. Why would the government want to insure or subsidize a private loan?
Yes, there are many federal and state sponsored loans that are not affiliated with the military, such as a Federal Perkins Loan. You can even get a loan from certain banks to fund your education.
The only other loan that is not credit based is the federal perkins loan that you apply for when you apply for FASFA.
No.