Financing Your Education - Federal Perkins Loans
Page 2

Unlike other federal loans though, the Federal Perkins Loan is made available to the student through the financial aid office of their institution. This means that rather than borrowing from the government or a commercial lender, the student is lending from the school and the loan is made with government funds. While it was made with government funds, the student still pays back the school. Schools can provide the students the money by issuing a cash or check or applying the sum directly to the student account at the school.

To be eligible for the Federal Perkins Loan Program the student is required to be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen (this means those with an Alien Registration Card or those with a Arrival Departure Record with specific designations). The student must also be accepted for enrollment into an eligible institution of higher education.

Depending on the need of the student and how much they are assigned designated by the institution, a Federal Perkins Loan limit is at $4,000 for undergraduate students that are attending the institution and $6,000 for graduate students. This is set, unless reasonable study abroad costs exceed the cost of attendance at the home institution, at that point the student can receive up to 20% more to pay for the extra cost that may be encountered in that particular situation.

As long as the student maintains half-time status they have nine months after the date that they either graduate, drop below half-time student status or leave school before they need to start thinking about the repayment of their student loans. This period that the student gets before having to start paying back their loan is called the grace period. Students may be allowed up to 10 years to repay their Federal Perkins Loan.



Financing Your Education - Federal Perkins Loans
  Back to Page 1

About The Author The author edits a site featuring Educational Grants and another Government Grants site providing info on every grant the federal government offers. Michael Saunders has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Additional Resources

category - Education Grants

What Are Title IV Programs and How Can They Help You Pay for College
The Title IV programs help college students save money and protects their rights, is a service provided by the government that is responsible for higher education to help prepare undergrads for the real job market after they graduate.

---

Solar Decathlon and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Showcase Event
The Solar Decathlon and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Showcase Event seeks to promote and encourage the outreach, education and economic benefits of energy security, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency through the demonstration of various EERE technologies that can be utilized in the community.

---

Student Loans Available Directly from the Federal Government
There are different variations of a Federal Direct Student Loan available; these are dependent on whether or not the student is eligible for government assistance. Need based programs include the Stafford Loan and the Direct Subsidized Loan; while non-need based programs are the Direct PLUS program, and the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

---

Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
In keeping with this mission, the National Institutes of Food and Agriculture has recently established the Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program in an attempt to conduct agricultural research studies that address high priority concerns of tribal, national, or multistate significance.

---