Student Loans With No Cosigner Require Much Thought

Affordable student loans made without a cosigner can be difficult to come by, but if you know where to look, they can be had. Usually without any background or credit checks. But, before you consider taking a student loan, you need to consider hunting for money that will not require repayment, that is, scholarships or grants. Start with the school you will be attending. Browse the Web for grants. Especially Pell grants. Any free money you can get will reduce the amount of a necessary loan.Once these options have been thoroughly searched, start looking for federal government loans, that is specifically Stafford and Perkins loans. You may be eligible depending on your financial situation and these loans have low interest rates and friendly repayment terms.Stafford LoansStafford loans can provide loans to students without a cosigner and do not require any credit checks or character checks. These loans can be subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are needs based. That is, the government will pay the interest while you attend to your studies and they can give you up to ten years to repay the balance. Loan limits are based on the semesters remaining in your academic pursuits and whether you are under some sort of parental or guardian support.Perkins LoansA little harder to get, Perkins loans are for those you have overbearing or demanding financial needs. Here again, no cosigner is required, no background or credit check is required. The institution of higher learning awards these Perkins loans. Uncle Sam picks up the funding. All Perkins loans are subsidized and no interest is paid by you while studies proceed, and payments over ten years can be made after graduation, or after your studies end.Lender of Last ResortOnce you have played out all the aforementioned strategies, and if you have not found a cosigner or just do not want one; you need to start your search for a private lender who does not require a cosigner. Remember, this is a sort of scraping the bottom of the barrel, better terms are available on loans with a cosigner or using one of the options already mentioned. Be extremely careful. You may find yourself unable to pay within a few short months of being granted the loan and on the fast track to financial ruin in the form of poor credit scores or ratings.Employment EssentialRepayments typically start the first month after this type of loan is granted. You need to think hard about where you will get the money to start repaying the loan. Some have been foolish enough to make the loan large enough so that they can use the extra cash to start paying on the loan. This could be catastrophic. You will have to have some form of employment to start paying on the loan the minute you deposit the loan check, even if you are busy tending to your studies.Think About ItGetting a loan without a cosigner may be only half the battle. The other half will be your ability to pay it back in a timely manner. Getting a loan without a cosigner is a plan of action that requires a lot of thought, and a lot of caution.