You can avail small number of trustworthy sources for college loans in State of Oregon. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) offers information about college planning, scholarships, and grants. The Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) also provides information related to student loans, it also guide you for choosing federal and private student loans.

Here are few things from which you can know a little about available loans in Oregon:

• Federal Student Loans that include Direct Federal Loans and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)
• State based or alternative student loans
• Private Student Loans that are commercialized by private lenders

Choosing a lender for loan borrowing is totally up to you so look for any lender carefully. Here is a simple tip for choosing a lender, just look for a reputable lender, which offers the FFELP and also offers a reasonable private loan option.

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One of the most active and state sanctioned agencies in North Carolina is the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) that makes the dreams of student and parents true in North Carolina for college financial aids or loans.

If you are planning for college then CFNC is having useful information, various products, services and:

• Tips and tools for college planning
• Student Loan calculators
• Online loan management
• Application forms for student loans
• Tips for managing your post-college debt
• Tips for claiming student loans on your taxes

Federal Loan Programs for NC

Usually there are three types of student loans which creates the confusion:

1. Federal Student Loans
2. State-Funded Student Loans
3. Private Student Loans

The confusion from these rises is that to choose which one first? Well always opt federal loans as your first choice. You can apply for federal loans by completing and filing the FAFSA before its deadline. You can apply for federal loans through CFNC website.

Here are the federal loans available for NC students:

• The Stafford Loans, the most disbursed loans in the nation. Majority of undergrad and grad that apply for federal aid are approved for some amount of Stafford funds.
• The Grad PLUS Loans, these loans are specifically designed for Graduate and Professional students. When they meet life time limit on their Staffords then this loan provides them financial leverage to cover educational costs. Grad PLUS loans are credit-based loans so if you are having poor credit then borrow with a creditworthy co-signor.
• Parent PLUS Loans are designed for the parents of undergrad students so that they can give hand to their child’s educational financial needs. You can apply for that when your child’s all federal loans are paid out.

Alternative Student Loans for NC Students

Unlike many other states The CFNC offers affordable alternative student loan for state resident students. This offered loan is having 6-months grace period, similar like Stafford Loan. The NC Extra Education Loan is having following requirements:

• You will have to attend a NC college or university, which is participating in the NC Extra Loan Program.
• You would have to apply first for federal loans before applying for this loan.
• You will have to maintain a certain GPA.
• You should be having a good credit record or you borrow with a creditworthy co-signor.

Paying Back Your Student Loans

To handle student loan debt following graduation is real trickier thing for new North Carolina grads. Here is couple of repayment option that you must keep in your mind:

• Though Federal Consolidation Loan is a part of federal loans but lenders do not offer it always because of market volatility. Federal Consolidation Loans allows you to combine federal loans into one, which means you will pay less every month but it make longer your repayment period.
• Repayment terms like graduated repayment or income-sensitive will make good sense when you will be deciding how to manage your debt.

In the U.S. nearly one in 10 community college students cannot get a federal student loan. The federal student loan is considered to be the safest, most affordable way to borrow for college. These students cannot get this loan due to the reason that their schools choose not to participate in the federal loan programs.

20 % of the community college students have no access to federal loans

A new issue elaborated from the Project on Student Debt found that more than 20 % of the community college students in seven states have no access to federal loans, which includes six states (AL, GA, NC, LA, TN, VA) in the southern U.S. African-American and Native-American students were twice as likely as other students that cannot have any access to federal student loans.

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