Chances are, all the college graduation parties are long gone and the celebration of recent graduates’ noteworthy achievements is yesterday’s news. Along with the receipt of the college degree come bigger responsibilities, like getting a job, finding a source of ongoing monthly income, maturing into a responsible adult, and meeting financial obligations. In the midst of transitioning from the campus lifestyle of a college student to that of a working individual comes the repayment of college student loans.

According to NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company, for many parents and their children who have seen their college dreams fulfilled, repaying student loans is not a popular topic largely because many are unaware of the repayment process and accompanying options.Grace Period Gives ‘Buffer Zone’

For most student loans, before repayment begins there is a grace period, which varies depending upon the student loan type. Students who have taken out Stafford Loans have six months following graduation before they have to begin repayment. Those with Perkins Loans have a full nine months before they must make their first payment. The only exception is those parents or graduates who have taken out PLUS Loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) or Graduate PLUS Loans, who already should have started repayment, required only 60 days after fund disbursement.

Virtually anyone who qualifies may defer their student loans in six-month increments for up to a total of three or five years. Borrowers may qualify for deferment if they are experiencing economic hardship, unemployment, or certain other conditions. Borrowers must apply for each deferment period. Since interest accrues during deferment, with the exception of subsidized Stafford Loans, it is wise to defer student loans only when borrowers cannot afford to begin repayment at that time.Consolidation Among Repayment Options

Student Loan Consolidation is an excellent way to roll all student loans into one easy-to-manage package. With student loan consolidation borrowers are required to make a single payment once a month, instead of having to juggle multiple student loans, payments, interest rates and repayment terms. Through student loan consolidation many borrowers reduce their student loan payments by up to 60 percent and eliminate the headaches and hassles of dealing with their student loan debt in one easy step.

When borrowers consolidate with NextStudent, they will receive some of the best benefits and terms in the industry, along with customer service that is tough to beat. All borrowers receive their own personally assigned Education Finance Advisor who will explain the student loan consolidation process, outline their best options, and address any questions they might have.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.

After almost two years of reporting on the latest in student loan legislation, federal financial aid policy changes that affect college students or those that are college-bound, and a myriad of other topics that make life easier for students, the NextStudent Student Loan Blog will celebrate it’s two-year anniversary at the end of this year. During that time, the blog has delivered relevant content and news updated daily that keeps college students and their parents informed on current issues and such changes as student loan interest rates that affect the college experience and the planning process.

With so much confusion abounding regarding the issues, NextStudent’s Student Loan Blog is a clear voice that cuts through the chaos and explains what is happening in a succinct manner, even in the midst of hot issues that generate heated debate. In fact, the blog is a key resource for college students and their parents, helping them keep track of crucial student loan deadlines, new developments within the Department of Education, student loan consolidation information, and serves as an educational tool for the industry.Weekly Format Explores Pertinent Issues

Each day, the focal point is a slightly different angle on student loans as follows:

Monday: “Student Loan News”

Tuesday: “This Week in Student Loans”

Wednesday: “Student Loan Legislation”

Thursday: “Student Loan Advice”

Friday: “Campus Life”Helpful Topics Educate Students

While not just about financial aid and student loans, many postings center on helpful campus life topics such as conducting job searches, getting an ideal internship, and other savvy subjects like online social media. Some of the recent postings:

“From Classes to Cash: Landing the Gig that Pays the Bills after College”

“Student Internships: Pay to Get Paid What You’re Worth?

“Give Yourself the Best Shot at Federal Student Aid: Submit FAFSA Soon After Jan. 1”

“Failure Is for Freshmen, Success Is for Seniors: What I Learned at College”

“Should Undocumented U.S. Residents be Eligible for In-State Tuition Rates?”

“‘MyNews’ for MySpace Coming Soon”

“Starbuck’s New Record Label?”Commitment to Education Extends to Customer Service

NextStudent believes in educating parents and students with online communication tools such as with the Student Loan Blog. This commitment to education extends to its dedication to excellent customer service as exhibited by personally assigned Education Finance Advisors who take clients through the entire financial aid and student loan consolidation process from start to finish. Whenever new clients contact NextStudent, they receive their own personal representative who will address their questions and assist them in getting the funding they need for school.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about student loans, private student loans, and student loan consolidation at NextStudent.com.

Unless you plan on being a student the rest of your life, student loan repayment is inevitable, and the ins and outs of student loan repayment can be confusing and overwhelming. The financial advisors at NextStudent, a leading Phoenix-based education funding company, would like to help clear the murky waters by defining terminology and laying out your student loan repayment options.� Understanding Your Student Loan Repayment Options

A grace period is a pre-determined amount of time allotted to student borrowers after they leave school or drop below half-time enrollment before they must begin repayment of their federal student loans. Grace periods vary in length based on the type of student loan: Stafford loans have a grace period of six months; Perkins loans have a grace period of nine months. PLUS, Grad Plus and Federal Student Loan Consolidation loans have no grace period. Deferment allows you to temporarily postpone your student loan payments (in most cases, up to a total of three years over the life of the student loan) if you’re unemployed or experiencing economic hardship. You can also request in-school deferments on your federal student loans while you’re enrolled at least half time.

While you’re in a grace period or in deferment, the interest on your Perkins and subsidized Stafford loans will be paid by the government. But you’ll be responsible for the interest on your PLUS, Grad PLUS and unsubsidized Stafford loans—any unpaid interest that accrues on these student loans during grace and deferment periods will be added to your principal loan balance for you to repay once repayment starts or resumes. If you want to avoid interest being added to your principal loan balance while you’re in a grace period or in deferment, you can choose to make interest-only payments during that time.� Forbearance also allows you to temporarily postpone your student loan payments. When you’re in a forbearance period, you’ll have to pay any interest that accrues, even on Perkins or subsidized Stafford loans.�� Repayment Plans

Perkins, Stafford, PLUS and Grad PLUS loans have a standard repayment period of 10 years. If your standard monthly payment amount is higher than you’d like, you have three other repayment plans you can choose from that may make your monthly payments more affordable:Extended Repayment is available to you if your federal student loans total more than $30,000 and if you received your first federal student loan on or after October 7, 1998. Depending on your student loan amount, you could extend your repayment period up to a 25-year term. Graduated Repayment allows you to make lower payments at the beginning of your repayment term and gradually increases your monthly payment amount over time. Income-Sensitive Repayment bases your monthly payment amount on your monthly income. You have to submit documentation of your income to qualify, and you have to requalify each year. Student Loan Consolidation

If you’ve taken out any federal student loans, you’re eligible to apply for a Federal Student Loan Consolidation from NextStudent, which might give you more time to repay your student loans and could substantially reduce your monthly student loan payment.

The repayment term on a student loan consolidation will range from 10 to 30 years, depending on your total outstanding student loan amount. Student loan consolidation loans generally have the standard federal deferment and forbearance benefits.

When your student loan consolidation is in deferment, the government will pay the interest on that portion of your student loan consolidation loan that was originally a Perkins loan or subsidized Stafford loan. During deferment, you’ll only be responsible for paying the interest on that portion of your student loan consolidation loan that was originally a PLUS, Grad PLUS or unsubsidized Stafford loan. When your student loan consolidation loan is in forbearance, you’ll be responsible for paying all interest that accrues.

You can consolidate one or more qualifying federal student loans and take advantage of one easy-to-manage loan with a single monthly payment. Our online applications are fast and easy, and there are no fees to apply for a student loan consolidation.

NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and we’re dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.

Student loans are meant to help students who are unable to bear their educational expenses. Student loans are different in different countries in the way they are devised, but then the common types of student loans available are the undergraduate loans, college student loans, private student loans and federal family educational loans. Most of the student loans are issued by the government generally with lower interest rates when compared with the regular loans.

Student loan repayments are not made until the student completes his graduation. This facility helps him to concentrate on his studies and earn some little amount of money while he is studying, but repayment has to start once he finishes his education. There is a grace period of six months normally after the graduation, meant to be a cushioning period for the student to get into a job and start earning. Under certain circumstances, the federal student loans can be forgiven on an income contingent plan after 25 years. Also the payments are required to be paid off within a minimum period of time.

Private student loans are offered to the student based on the credit history of the applicant and the interest rate also will rely on this criterion. People with good credit history will be provided student loans on a lower interest rate and less fees. The advantage of private student loan is that, they have higher limits and also the repayment starts only after graduation. Private student loans can be utilized for purchasing computers, books etc. and payment of tuition fees.

Federal student loans are either given to the parents or to their wards directly. When the loan is availed by the student payments do not start when they are studying, but if it is given to their parents, they have to make payments immediately. The loan limit may also higher in that case. Federal loans do not require any co-signer as they are not based on the credit history of the applicants.

The advantages of student loans over other kind of loans are given below:

The main advantage of availing student loan is that the interest rates are very low and are very lenient. Even when the student enters his repayment period, there are many repayment options available, which allow the student to choose from so that they can be changed, based on the financial condition to suit their needs with some restrictions. The loans can be repaid even over a period of 30 years. Also, if the financial situation becomes worse the student will be eligible to defer repayment till 3 years. Some loans may even be forgiven.

Strategies adopted by students when they start repaying their student loans are as follows:

It might take either 6 months or more than that to get into a job by a student. In such cases many students take up temporary jobs, or part-time jobs, freelance jobs etc till they find a permanent job. Some share their room rent expenses with their friends by living together with, or resides nearer to the work place to cut down transportation costs. In times of financial crunch, some of them apply for forbearance through a lender, this helps them to hold off the payment for few months. Some students even go for student loan consolidation, which might bring them some relief.