Tag Archives: government
Availability of Student Loans With No Security
Many wonder if there are student loans offered with no collateral. There is no simple answer to this question as it really depends on the applicants qualifications. There are of course federal loans that require no security and even private loans that do not require security but qualifying for them is not such an easy task.
Thus, in order to know whether you will be able to obtain a student loan with no security you need to know the different loan types offered and whether you meet the requirements needed to get approved for federal or private unsecured student loans. Also, if you can provide collateral to secure a student loan, you should rethink your decision of not doing so.
Federal Student Loans And Private Unsecured Student Loans
Federal Student Loans are student loans subsidized by the government, the interest rate they charge is significantly low since they are meant for promoting education and handled by government agencies with that purpose. The interest rate charged by these loans is even lower than the rate charged for home loans or home equity loans. However, the rest of the loan terms are not so advantageous. Though the repayment program can be long, usually, the loan amount you can obtain through these loans is not good enough to cover all college expenses.
Besides, these loans are awarded according to the needs of the applicant because they are meant to promote education for underprivileged applicants and thus, not everybody can apply for these loans and get approved successfully. Only those that meet these particular requirements of federal student loans should contact the government agencies to obtain further information on these loan programs.
Private unsecured student loans do not require collateral either. Thus, non homeowners can easily apply for these loans. However, the interest rate charged for these loans is usually high. Thus, only those that can afford the monthly payments on unsecured student loans will be able to get approved for them.
Unsecured student loans subsidized by private non profit organizations charge a lower interest rate but suffer the same restrictions as government loans. These loans are either awarded according to the needs of the applicant which excludes those with repayment capacity or according to merit. This last group of loans is meant to promote those who have had an outstanding performance on previous studies and thus, the institution wants to support their career.
Reconsidering Secured Loans
As you can see, getting approved for unsecured student loans is not that easy. So, if you are a homeowner or you have relatives or friends willing to offer an asset as guarantee of the loan, you should reconsider applying for a secured loan as you will get approved more easily and you will also get better terms on your loan including lower interest rates, higher loan amounts, longer repayment programs and thus, lower monthly payments that will be a lot easier to afford. As regards collateral, as long as you make sure you can repay the loan installments there is no reason to fear repossession of the property.
Student Associations Lobby for Bill to Revamp Student Loans (Page 1 of 2)
Student governments and organizations at colleges and universities nationwide are pushing lawmakers to pass legislation that supporters say will make acquiring a higher education more accessible and affordable.
The legislative measure, known as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), was passed by the House of Representatives on Sept. 17 in a vote of 253 to 171, largely along party lines. All but four Democrats voted for the bill, and only six Republicans also voted in favor. The bill is expected to be put to a vote on the Senate floor on Oct. 15.
The bill, if passed, would essentially mean an overhaul of the current college financial aid system, eliminating one of the two existing national programs that provides students and parents with federal college loans.
This landmark legislation would shut down the long-standing Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), which issues federally guaranteed student loans to borrowers via banks, state organizations, and other private lenders. The government currently pays these private FFELP lenders a subsidy for the federal parent and student loans these lenders issue.
Under the SAFRA bill, all federal student loans would be issued through the second national student loan program, the Federal Direct Student Loan Program, which issues federal college loans directly to borrowers through the U.S. Department of Education, with no third-party involvement from a bank or other FFELP lender and thus with no government subsidies being paid to a middleman.
SAFRA supporters, which include many college student organizations, say that ending government subsidies to third-party FFELP lenders to originate federal student loans will save taxpayers $87 billion over the next decade which means more funds available for federal college grants and other higher education initiatives.
“FFELP is expensive for the government,” Kathleen Templin, president of the Associated Students of Northern Arizona University, told the NAU online newspaper, JackCentral. “They give money to banks, which in turn gives money to students. But because banks charge interest rates, the government pays a lot of money for lenders to give money out” (“Student Aid Act Passes in U.S. House, Due for Senate,” JackCentral.com, Sept. 24, 2009).
In fact, SAFRA allocates $40 billion of the projected $87 billion in savings to expand the Federal Pell Grant program, which targets low-income students.
Students Applaud Expansion of Federal Pell Grants
Several student governments from across the country have joined forces with the United States Student Association (USSA), the main voice for students on Capitol Hill, to organize meetings with legislators to press the importance of financing higher education in building a better American work force.
“A lot of students are not able to go to school because of funding,” said Teresa Mabry, the chair for the Women of Color Caucus on the USSA board of directors. “If were not getting [our message] out there, its not going to work.”