5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Getting A Student Loan - May 15, 2008 -

With the rising cost of education nowadays, student loans is one of the best ways to pursue your tertiary education since many students cannot afford to pay the education fees. However, before taking the plunge and taking up a student loan, you need to ask yourself the following questions to decide the type of student loan that you need.

The Types Of Student Loans

There are 2 main categories of student loans currently available. Government student loans which are loans carried out by the government and private student loans which are provided by the private sector. There are pros and cons to each but generally government student loans have lower interest rates, are quite easy to get approved since they do not take into account of your credit history.

For private student loans, the interest rates are usually higher but they allow greater flexibility when repaying the student loans.

Student Loan Amount

Generally speaking, government student loans are usually fixed amounts depending on your education level. For private student loans, the amount that can be loan is more varied and depending a lot on your credit history and the repayment plan.

It is recommended to borrow only the amount of money you need for your education. To do that, you need to estimate how much you will need during the course of your studies. You will need to factor in expenses such as accommodation, living expenses, school/textbooks fees and other miscellaneous expenses.

The Period Of Student Loan

Both government and private student loans provide loans which can last anywhere from 1 year to 20 years. For longer loan periods, you need to factor in the interest rates since you can end up paying a lot for interest and every little for your principal student loan amount.

You need to determine how much you can pay per month after you graduate and have a buffer of at least 3 to 6 months in the event you are jobless.

Other Outstanding Loans

If you have other outstanding loans as well, you might want to consider consolidating the loans before getting another student loan.

Without proper discipline and control, repaying multiple loans can be a huge financial strain. It is better to clear all your outstanding loans before getting a student loan. You can get better interest rates for your student loans as well since you have better credit score.

Interest Rate

The interest rates will vary from lender to lender. Government student loan interest rates are usually fixed and pretty low. Private student loans interest rates varies depending on the type of payment plan you choose.

If you just want to repay a fixed amount per month without worrying about interest rates, it is best to get a government student loan with fixed interest. That way, it is easier to plan your financial budget.

Ricky Lim works in a finance company specialising in direct student loan consolidation. Visit his site for student loan consolidation rates and get a free student loan consolidation quote

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