Can I Qualify for an International Student Loan?

By Charles Gloson

Yearly, there are 200,000 students from the United States that study in foreign universities. Because of the greater financial commitment, many students forfeit the opportunity because they don't have the financial help that they need. Somehow the student has to pay for their air travel to and from the country, local housing arrangements and travel inside the country. One solution for students who desire to study abroad is an international student loan.

Many students struggle to finance their schooling abroad. There are grants and scholarships you can apply for, but even if you happen to receive one, they won't pay for the entire amount. With an international loan, you are able to apply for the total amount of your attendance minus other financial help that you have received.

The qualifications for an international loan are: Be enrolled full time and be working toward a degree in an approved foreign university or be enrolled part time for a short period of study with plans to earn your degree from a university in the United States. You will, also, need a FAFSA pin number. You can apply for that pin number on-line.

Federal international loans and private international loans are available to study abroad. Before you apply for a private loan, get all of the financial help possible from scholarships, grants and federal loans. You won't want to pay the higher interest rate on private loans unless it is an absolute necessity.

The federal loans that most students apply for are Stafford loans. Any students can apply upon showing that they have a financial need and that the school they are attending is on the approved list of foreign schools.

If you don't want to make payments while you are in school and for six months after you graduate, then apply for a Stafford loan. They even give you the benefit of paying your loan back early without charging you any extra. You can, also, follow and manage your account on-line. They will not do a credit check on you.

If you are a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident, you can qualify for an international student loan. Find an approved foreign college or university and begin the application process as soon as you can. - 29866

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