The terms “colleges” and “universities” are frequently used interchangeably – and many (if not most) four-year colleges often offer the same services and academic opportunities as universities. It’s not really about size, though universities are frequently larger, better funded and more prestigious than colleges. It’s more one of governance and administration. Colleges are single institutions, much like public high schools, whereas universities are extended collections of institutions; a single university may contain several colleges that operate semi-autonomously under a single administration; each college has its own dean and its own curriculum. While attending a university, a student may take courses from several different colleges.

Universities are also much more expensive. This is why it may be smart to consider starting out one’s academic career at on the the nation’s many two-year community colleges.

Tuition and fees at community colleges are substantially lower than those at universities; course offerings are correspondingly more limited. Some community colleges offer music and art courses, but mainly, courses are confined to basic academic subjects – mathematics, lab sciences, social sciences and language. This is the primary reason that many students choose to attend community colleges; it is an economical way to complete basic education requirements, or lower division course work that is common to both four-year colleges and universities. These two-year institutions offer what is known as an Associate of Arts degree, which generally allows the student to enter a university with junior (third year) class status; at this point, the student can focus on his/her major field of study.

Another way to save a great deal of money otherwise spent on fees, tuition and other assorted and sundry expenses is credit-by-examination. Most colleges and universities offer the College-Level Examination Program, or CLEP. By demonstrating your mastery of a given subject on a standardized test, you can receive full credit for the course without ever setting foot inside the classroom – and the cost per credit is a fraction of the full tuition.

It’s worth considering that while the cost of attendance of colleges and universities is high in the U.S. as compared to other countries, there is a flip side; virtually anyone in the U.S. who can afford it can attend, whereas in Korea, Japan and the E.U., such institutions are extremely selective. Relatively few people in those countries even get an opportunity to attend college because of the nature of public education in those countries. High school students must pass rigorous exams that essentially determine the course of their lives                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Since the US does not have a special cabinet or department that monitors postsecondary education, accreditation was created so students could learn more about the quality of education they would receive when attending certain colleges and universities.

Accreditation is awarded to postsecondary schools by various agencies, both regional and national, that have their own requirements schools must pass in order to consider themselves accredited. A short list of these agencies includes the following:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Universities, Commission on Higher Education
New England Association of Colleges and Universities, Commission Institutions on Higher Education
New England Association of Colleges and Universities, Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
Distance Learning and Training Council, Accrediting Commission

When looking for an online degree program, one way to judge the level of education you will receive is to look for agencies that have accredited the institution or the program and visit their websites to see which criteria they’ve used to determine the program’s worth or if the institution is accredited at all. An accredited online degree can help employers and others validate the education you’ve received.

How Does an Online Program Become Accredited?

According to the Distance Education and Training Council 2008 accreditation handbook, institutions seeking accreditation from this agency must provide the following information in order to be considered:
Clearly outlined mission statement
Program curriculum, outlines and objectives
Instructional materials and testing materials
Curriculum for online study
Study instructions
Learning resources
Student affairs materials (distance learning)
Evidence of adequate record keeping
Student surveys
Faculty and administration background information

As you can see, becoming accredited by an accreditation agency is a rigorous process. Programs that become accredited have proven they are worthy teaching institutions.

Don’t be fooled to choose a Non-Accredited Online Program

If you decide to transfer to another college after completing your degree, most colleges and universities will only allow you to transfer credits from accredited schools. By choosing an accredited online degree program, you’re choosing a program that is recognized not only by one or more educational agencies, but also other colleges, universities and employers.

If you try to seek employment after graduation from a program that’s not accredited, most employers will not want to hire you. This is because they may feel the education you received was not of acceptable education standards for the positions they have available. Furthermore, they have no way of qualifying if it’s genuine.

When choosing an online program, look for accreditation symbols on the school’s website. Most schools have a page devoted to accreditation. If you’re still unsure, you can contact the issuing agency to find out when the accreditation was given and if it is legit.

An online accredited degree is very important for your future. Whether you transfer to another school or you want to find a job, the school you attend can have an impact. Even though accreditation may not seem like much of an indication of the school’s academic offerings, it’s a good place to start when you want to find the best education investment of your time and money.

It is that time of the year you had been waiting for! College graduation, or university graduation, is a culmination of years of quality education. For some, the anticipation has been just too much! And you know that your excitement is culminating in a grand celebration, the much awaited graduation ceremony. As you don your graduation robe and receive your diploma elegantly on the dais, you surely want to see your loved ones cheering for you with pride and uncontained joy. You have been building a strong foundation for yourself, aided by teachers and parents. Now is the time to tell the world that you are ready to face the wide world by sending college graduation announcements or university graduation invitations cards with unique styles!

Graduating from college or university is a huge accomplishment so it only makes sense that the graduate wants to announce to everyone that they have graduated. Sending college graduation announcements is the perfect way to tell everyone of your accomplishments. There are standard college graduation announcements and that can be purchased, and many campuses will offer these. But making one’s college graduation announcements or stand apart from the rest is just as easy.

To make a college graduation announcement or university graduation announcement truly unique, the invitations can include a photo of the graduate. These graduation photos are usually taken before graduation so there is plenty of time to have the photos placed on the college graduation cards. If the graduate finds a design for a card that they truly love and want to use, the photo can be mailed along with the college graduation announcements.

Custom college graduation invitations can be personalized in the same way. These graduation cards are used to invite family and friends to the graduation ceremony. If the graduation photos are not ready when the college graduation invitations are sent, there are still other ways to personalize the cards. Placing a quote inside the affordable college graduation announcements can be very inspirational. This quote can be one of the graduate’s favorites, or it can be a quote about looking to the future, or one that emphasizes how far the graduate has come. Many people who will be receiving the college graduation invitations will be keeping these cards as a keepsake of your big day so it’s nice to have them be more personal than just a standard college graduation invitation or a standard university graduation invitation.

And personalizing, the college graduation cards doesn’t stop there. If there is to be a separate graduation party or celebration for the graduate, college graduation party invitations can also be personalized. A wonderful way to personalize these cards is to add confetti, either inside the actual college graduation party invitations, or the confetti can be placed inside the party invitation envelope. Either way, the confetti will sprinkle around the recipient when they receive the card, and they will already be in a celebratory spirit! College graduation open house invitations can be done in much the same way. These invitations can have confetti such as star confetti added to them to let everyone know that the graduate has become a star with all their years of hard work.

So, your son, daughter or loved one is graduating from college. It is the perfect chance to show how proud you are, by organizing a college graduation party to celebrate the joyous occasion. What about a surprise university graduation party? There are many online college graduation party invitations, blank as well as aptly-worded university graduation party invitations, for you to choose from. What about sending printed, photo, customized and unique cards for graduation open house invitations.

When sending university college graduation announcements, college graduation invitations, college graduation open house invitations, college graduation party invitations, people may send along gifts to congratulate the graduate on their huge accomplishment. In this case, college graduation thank you cards and university graduation thank you cards need to be sent. These college graduation cards and should be personalized with the same theme as the other graduation cards.

A term paper, also popularly referred to as a research paper, is a written study prepared by college and university students over the course of a semester.  As it usually accounts for a large part of a student’s final grade in the course in question, its importance cannot be overstated.  Their appreciation of the importance of term, or research papers, and the extent to which they can positively or negatively affect their final grade, has many students extremely anxious over the prospect of their researching and writing their term paper.  In keeping with its goal of relieving the pressure which college and university students, The Essayist has composed this simple and straightforward guide to term paper researching and writing.

A prerequisite to successful term paper research and writing is adherence to an 8-point systematic procedure:

1)      Selecting a topic relevant to the course but which you, yourself, find interesting

2)      Analysing the selected topic and deciding upon a particular focus.  For instance, if the term paper is being written for a political economy course and the topic selected is THE IMPACT OF WTO POLICIES ON DEVELOPING ECONOMIES, the focus could be, STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY THE ASIAN TIGERS TO COUNTER THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF WTO POLICIES.

3)      Collecting the research sources needed from the university library and/or online academic databases;

4)      Skimming through the research material gathered and setting aside those which are neither credible nor scholarly (newspaper, magazine and trade publication items)

5)      Reading through the research material selected for inclusion in the term paper and making notations, either on the articles themselves or on note cards

6)      Preparing your term paper outline, referring to the notes you have made

7)      Writing the first draft of your term paper

8)      Proofreading and editing your first draft and preparing your final term paper draft, ready for submission

Should you follow the steps outlined here, you can rest assured that you will produce a good term paper.  Certainly, the work involved is great, requiring both time and effort but, do not forget that the percentage of the final grade allocated to your term paper is equally substantial.  Hence, while you will never regret putting in the necessary effort, you will regret not doing so.

Remember, if you face any unexpected difficulties, you can always make your way over to http://www.thessayist.com for additional help.  We offer a wide range of academic services, several of which are invaluable to students writing their term or research papers.  A member of our Write Right team of professional researchers can either write you an entire, high quality, completely plagiarism-free model term or research paper, can help you in the collection of your research material or in proofreading, editing or evaluating a term paper you have already completed.

Online, you can look for universities and colleges with ease. No matter whether you would like to geo target colleges and universities near to you and you wish to explore kinds of educational institutions (e.g. four-year programs, community learning centers, co-op ed/accelerated programs), the Internet provides search tools as well as efficient customer service for you to make sense of the college choices. Online you may work with independent guidance counselor to explore the different American universities and colleges out there. Concentrate on what you wish out of the education before examining choices. The factors to take into accout include the price of the programs, then the time commitments coupled with learning, then the specificity degree with which you wish to pursue an educational subject, plus the nature of the intended career path. Nearly each respected and accredited college and university maintains flourishing Internet presences. Though, searching a school’s site as well as walking around on the campus are different things. When you have narrowed your area of application options by reading statistics, speaking with guidance counselors, and isolating your own wants and needs, you could plan a tour to some of your desirable schools. Also, you may schedule interviews with the admissions officials or alumni at your universities and colleges. Gather info in a timely way and be sure to put together your application materials with time to spare. Many four-year universities and colleges will need applicants to hand in personal essays, teacher recommendations, high school transcripts, financial aid data, as well as collage board (for example, the ACT and the SAT) scores. Also, you can apply to different schools through what is called the common application. In case you would like to help parsing your search results, or in case want to locate a well respected college guidance counselor in your field, you can work with online application writing representative to benefit from

It is important to draw justification for a study abroad program from the college/university mission statement. Look for excerpts from mission statements and senior level administration for internationalizing the curriculum, developing students with a global perspective, preparing students for a global workforce, etc.

Write a mission statement for study abroad that makes it a priority to integrate international education services into the foundation of the college/university mission. A study abroad office mission includes an academic enhancement role and student support services. It is essential to include with your mission statement, some measurable intended outcomes for study abroad. Your statements of intended outcomes will guide your policies and practice.

It is also important to understand that every institution invests dollars and staff in endeavors that support and enhance the institutional mission and outcomes. Just as we see different levels of support for campus housing on various campuses, we also see different levels of support for international education.

Study abroad has long been considered an elective or “luxury” experience and thus has not been tied to the core values (and therefore finances) of most institutions. The closer you correlate study abroad with institutional priorities, the more leverage you will have in gaining support for your endeavors.

An example of a campus mission statement that is easily identifiable with education abroad.

Mission Statement:

We educate students to put the liberal arts into action as citizens in a global society.

And they go on to describe their core values as:

Academic Excellence, Diversity, Equity, and Shared Governance, Education of the Entire Person, Adherence to Common Ethical and Moral Standards Community Service and Global Citizenship, Environmental Stewardship.

This makes it easy to integrate study abroad into the core values of the institution.

Another example of a university mission statement is:

Our mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.

However, some university mission statements require a little more work to integrate international education into the core values. For example consider the following mission statement

Our mission is to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge to address the needs of individuals and society. This mission is accomplished through instruction, which communicates the knowledge and values and imparts the skills necessary for individuals to lead responsible, productive, and personally satisfying lives; through research, scholarship, and creative activities, which advance knowledge and enhance the educational process; and through public service, which contributes to the solution of societal problems and enriches the quality of life in the State.

And yet other university mission statements do not lend themselves easily to integrating international education as a core value.

Our mission as a multipurpose public institution is to develop educated persons of inquiring, creative, and disciplined intelligence to be competent in careers that are fulfilling and to be socially responsible contributors to society. This University strives, therefore, to graduate people on the bachelor’s and master’s level who have had sound education in the arts and sciences and relevant specialized training built upon that base.

A study abroad office mission statement can also come in many diverse forms and visions. The following mission statement is an example of a diverse vision:

The Office for Study Abroad promotes opportunities for global education to all eligible students in order for them to gain an understanding of other countries, regions, languages, and cultures through direct overseas experience.

Some universities have taken the approach of being very explicit about their connection to the institution’s core values:

In support of the University’s mission to “promote the process of lifelong learning from both global and integrative perspectives,” the Office for Study Abroad offers international education opportunities to students through the University’s overseas study centers, international exchange partners, and affiliated organizations. As an extension of the University’s academic program, we promote academic excellence and provide access to high quality international education programs in expanding geographic destinations to serve a diverse student population representing a wide array of academic disciplines. As educators, we facilitate the academic, personal, professional, and intercultural development of students through the programs and services we provide.

And one more example of a carefully crafted mission statement that not only integrates international education into the university core value, but also sets criteria and objectives for policy:

We are a world leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. Many hands – at home and abroad – make it so, and many benefit. Study abroad is one of the ways in which our students and others build and benefit from our University’s international engagement.

Our mission is to provide and facilitate a range of study and education opportunities abroad consonant in breadth and quality with on-campus curricula, offered for short or long duration according to curricular objectives and in consideration of students’ obligations, at a range of costs and with opportunities for scholarship or subvention such that study abroad opportunity is available to all students in good standing. Attention to students’ health, safety, and well-being abroad underlies all other considerations.

Our intention is that through study abroad we and our partners prepare students for global citizenship, guiding them to a greater understanding of world and domestic cultures and encouraging them to share that understanding with their hosts abroad and communities at home; that students gain or enhance area, linguistic, subject, and cultural knowledge and competence; that students contribute to their host communities; and that students emerge wiser and more engaged citizens

Education is one of the most important things in a human’s life. It is not as essential as water and food, but it is much important as we use clothes to cover our body.  Education is a constructive factor in each & everyone’s life. It is our right to get it!

Education makes a worthy contribution to our lives, by making us responsible citizens. We get to know our history and culture through education and imbibe those values. Education opens our mind and expands our horizon. It enables us to understand our duties as a citizen and encourages us to follow them. Education spreads awareness, informing us about our rights and the services that we can access.

ABOUT INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States.
As of 2009, India has 20 central universities, 215 state universities, 100 deemed universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 13 institutes which are of national importance.
Other institutions which include 16,000 colleges, 1800 exclusive women’s colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions.
Indian educational institutions by 2004 consisted of a large number of technology institutes. Distance learning is also a feature of the Indian higher education system.

Present economic standing of India – both in its limited successes and its myriad failures – is to a large extent a reflection of its education system. It takes justifiable pride in the successes of its handful of elite institutions of higher education in turning out world-class super-achievers.

Apsira for Education in India

www.apsira.com – One Stop Destination for anyone seeking information on Indian Education
Reliable Education information to describe & understand the Indian Education in minute details
Happenings about Education, across India are updated every now & then in news column
An Educational Portal to view the list of all Colleges & Universities by  Categorywise, Statewise, Citywise across India
Even about the Courses, Previous Year Model Question Papers, Educational Loan Criteria & the list of banks offering the loan

More than 35,000 pages in the portal

The Colleges and Universities Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S.. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, theological seminaries, junior colleges and professional schools

The Colleges and Universities Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S.. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, theological seminaries, junior colleges and professional schools

HTML clipboard

Table of Contents :
1-Argentina
2-Australia
3-Austria
4-Belgium
5-Brazil
6-Canada
7-Chile
8-China
9-Colombia
10-Czech Rep
11-Denmark
12-Egypt
13-Finland
14-France
15-Germany
16-Greece
17-Hungary
18-India
19-Indonesia
20-Iran
21-Ireland
22-Israel
23-Italy
24-Japan
25-Malaysia
26-Mexico
27-Netherlands
28-New Zealand
29-Norway
30-Pakistan
31-Phillipines
32-Poland
33-Portugal
34-Russia
35-Saudi Arabia
36-Singapore
37-South Africa
38-South Korea
39-Spain
40-Sweden
41-Switzerland
42-Taiwan
43-Thailand
44-Turkey
45-United Kingdom
46-United States
47-Venezuela
48-Appendix: Definitions & Terms

The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, theological seminaries, junior colleges and professional schools

For more information please visit:http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/2010-Worldwide-Colleges-Universities-Industry-Report-18263.html

PH.NO. 919272852585

Having an opportunity to attend college was one of the life’s experiences that will always have an impact on my journey through life. With that experience and becoming a little wiser (older is a more applicable description), expressing pride in my institution is something that I really enjoy and feel is essential. I have no problem becoming a walking, talking billboard for my institution (Southern Illinois University – Go Salukis!) including sharing my stories with many during my journey. This activity has a dual effect. For me, it offers a reciprocal reaction which states that my institution is fortunate and grateful to have an alumnus that offers contributions to the world and demonstrates commitment and discipline to his craft. These types of characteristics continue to benefit my institution.

My college experience was fabulous. It seems like it was yesterday that I was on campus either heading to class or meeting many friends enjoying a great pizza or playing football on a frigid Saturday morning before we began our tailgating ritual. Yes those years were certainly memorable and quite an impact. As I continue to reach higher levels in my career, I will always reflect on my college experiences, classes, instructors and friends. Each reflection increases my admiration and pride for Southern Illinois University. With many of us unanimously agreeing that our college days were instrumental in where we are today, we must continue to express pride and make a commitment to our institution. There are many ways to express pride in your institution. Let’s take a look at some of the basic methods:

Alumni Giving – Alumni financial giving is at the core of any institution’s survival.

Participation/Alumni Groups – Each college/university has alumni located in the majority of large cities. Locate your local chapter and get involved.

Personal Story – Just a simple conversation about your experiences during your college days could create interest in your institution.

Institution Merchandise – Shirts, banners, bumper stickers, hats are additional ways to express pride in your institution. Also, by purchasing university merchandise, a source of revenue is provided for the institution.

Attend Athletic Events – Many institutions have well established athletic programs that create a wealth of revenue for the institution. Purchasing tickets, tailgating, participating in activities all contribute to the bottom line.

Volunteer to speak to youth groups – Middle and high school students are influenced by individuals that actually display effort to help. When you speak to a youth group, you provide an impact beyond measure.

Now many alumni ask the question “Why Should I Express Pride in my institution?” Many alumni feel that they have given enough to the institution via tuition. However tuition only covers a percentage of the overall cost of operating an institution. Many institutions rely on alumni giving to provide day to day operations. Our higher-ed institutions are the backbone of creativity for this global environment. Continued support for our institutions is crucial to our children’s success. Let’s give them an opportunity to experience some of the simple pleasures in which their memories will last a lifetime. I will always cherish my short period of time at SIU. From the beautiful campus and an invaluable education to the social events and life long friendships, my time at this institution will always be a part of my fabric. Express Pride and Commitment to Your College/University! Support Your Institution!

Melvin Anderson is VP-Business Development for Movitas Corporation. ExpressYourPride.com is a brand of Movitas. http://www.expressyourpride.com. ExpressYourPride.com provides products that allow students/alumni/fans/supporters of colleges/universities the opportunity to express pride and commitment to their individual institution. Each personalized/animated product is dynamically created with your first/last name, year of graduation, name of degree, etc. Express Pride and Commitment to Your Organization!

The Most Widely Used Loan For College Students.

Stafford loans are low-interest, federally guaranteed student loans available to both eligible undergraduate and graduate students for tuition and other school-related expenses. Stafford Loans are an affordable loan option available for most students to pay for college.  Stafford Loans are the most widely used, low-cost education loans available from the United States Federal government.

Stafford Loans are widely used and low cost!

Stafford Loans are available to students either directly from the United States Department of Education through the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP, also known as Direct) or from a financial intermediary (such as Chase, Sallie Mae or Student Loan Corp).  Stafford loans are given to students in the student’s own name. There is no credit check, so students don’t need to worry about finding a co-signer to get money for college or graduate school.  Stafford loan rates are lower than other forms of consumer financing, and repayment is postponed for six months until you leave school or drop below half-time enrollment.  Stafford Loans are backed (guaranteed) by the federal government and have fixed interest rates.

There are two types of Stafford Loans: Direct and FFEL.

Direct Loans

The US government provides Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP) loans, administered by “Direct Lending Schools”, directly to students and their parents. Many students who apply for the Stafford Loans in either category choose the Direct loan, in which the money comes right from the government and goes directly to the school.

FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program)

Private lenders, such as banks, credit unions and savings & loan associations, provide Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans.  FFEL loans funded by private lenders are still federally backed and the lenders must follow strict federal loan guidelines.  FFEL program Stafford Loan funds can be used for education-related expenses such as tuition, fees, books, living costs, transportation, childcare, etc. Both the FFEL and Direct Loan programs consist of what are generally known as Stafford Loans (for students) and PLUS Loans (for parents).  For a FFEL Stafford Loan, the lender will send the loan funds to your school. 

Stafford Loan Eligibility

To be eligible for a Stafford loan you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Simply fill out the FAFSA form through your educational institution or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov

A Student Is Considered To Be…

To be eligible for Federal Financial Aid a student must be a permanent resident or eligible non-citizen, as applicable. You must have a valid Social Security Number, be attending an eligible school, or accepted for enrollment, as at least a half-time student. If already enrolled, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress in your course of study according to the school’s standards. You must have at least a high school diploma or the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma.

A borrower may not qualify if he or she has defaulted on a federal education loan, owes an overpayment on other federal education aid, has been convicted of a drug-related offense while receiving federal student aid, or is incarcerated.

Subsidized Loans (Need Based)

A Federal Stafford Subsidized Loan is awarded on the basis of financial need and is available through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). About 2/3 of subsidized Stafford loans are awarded to students with family AGI (adjusted gross income) of under $50,000, 1/4 to students with family AGI of $50,000 to $100,000, and a little less than 10% to students with family AGI over $100,000.  The interest rate for subsidized Stafford loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008 is fixed at 6.0%. 

Non-subsidized Loans (Non-Need Based)

All students, regardless of need, are eligible for the unsubsidized Stafford Loan.  Even though the unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to all students regardless of financial need, you must still submit the FASFA to be eligible.  For all unsubsidized Stafford loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2006, the interest rate is fixed at 6.8%.  For unsubsidized Stafford loans, students are responsible for all of the interest that accrues while the student is enrolled in school. 

With the unsubsidized Stafford loan, you can defer the payments until after graduation by capitalizing the interest. 

Repayment

There is a 6-month grace period following graduation or when enrolled less that half-time or leaving school altogether before you must begin repaying your loan.

Both the Direct Loan and FFEL programs offer four repayment plans you can choose from, but the terms differ slightly. Please note: some colleges participate only in the Federal Direct Loan Program, which might mean you do not have a choice of lender.

Information You’ll Receive

Your school must notify you in writing whenever it credits your account with your Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan funds.

Loan Limits

The federal government under Title IV of the Family Education Loan Program sets loan limits. Loan limits vary depending on your student status. 

The loan limits described below apply to both the FFEL and Direct Loan programs and are cumulative.
The limits may be a little confusing because there are two sets of limits for the Stafford loan: a combined base limit for the subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loan, and an additional limit for just the unsubsidized Stafford loan. 

The program limits are $4,000 per year for undergraduate students and $6,000 per year for graduate students, with cumulative limits of $20,000 for undergraduate loans and $40,000 for undergraduate and graduate loans combined.

Dependent Annual loan limit

·    Freshman $5,500 ($3,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)
·    Sophomore $6,500 ($4,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)
·    Junior or senior $7,500 ($5,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $2,000 unsubsidized)

Independent Annual loan limit

·    Freshman $9,500 ($3,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $6,000 unsubsidized)
·    Sophomore $10,500 ($4,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $6,000 unsubsidized)
·    Junior or senior $12,500 ($5,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $7,000 unsubsidized)
·    Graduate or professional $20,500 ($8,500 between subsidized and unsubsidized, plus an additional $12,000 unsubsidized)
·    Lifetime limits Undergraduate dependent lifetime limit $31,000 (up to $23,000 may be subsidized)

Undergraduate independent lifetime limit $57,500 (between subsidized and unsubsidized)
Graduate or professional lifetime limit $138,500 (up to $65,000 may be subsidized) or $224,000 (for health professions) for loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008. 

Annual limits, which include both the subsidized and the unsubsidized Stafford Loan are as follows: $3,500 in the first year $4,500 in the second year $5,500 in the third year $5,500 in the fourth year. 

Consolidation of your Stafford loans…

In some cases it may be beneficial for you to consolidate one or more of your FFEL Stafford Loans into a Consolidation Loan. Consolidating loans can be a great way to simplify repayment and lower monthly payments, and Direct Loans can be consolidated with other student loans. When you consolidate your Stafford loans, you are locking in today’s low rates, combining multiple payments into one and lowering your monthly payment. 

Final Things To Consider…

Stafford Loans carry a low, fixed interest rate, which is set by the Federal government.  Stafford Loans are federal student loans for undergraduate and graduate students.  Stafford Loans are the most widely used, low-cost education loans available from the United States Federal government. A Stafford Loan is a great way for you to secure the extra financial aid you require in order to meet your needs for college, university or trade school. 

Most college or university students can secure a Federal Stafford Loan to assist with their financial needs. Getting started as early as possible can be the difference between finding financing or not.

Don’t delay; your future depends on it. Prepare your college finances for a bright future.