Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school.
You'll be on Plan 2 if: you're studying an undergraduate course. you're studying a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) you take out an Advanced Learner Loan. you take out a Higher Education Short Course Loan.
There are drawbacks to Grad PLUS loans. Mainly, they are more expensive. Direct PLUS Loans have an interest rate of 8.05% for the 2023-24 school year for all borrowers, compared with 7.05% for Direct Unsubsidized Loans for grad students.
The main difference between subsidized loans and unsubsidized loans is that the federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans during periods of authorized deferment, such as the in-school and economic hardship deferments, while the interest remains the responsibility of the borrower on an unsubsidized loan.
Direct Subsidized Loans: You won't be charged interest while you're enrolled in school or during your six-month grace period. Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Interest starts accumulating from the date of your first loan disbursement (when you receive the funds from your school).
Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans (also known as Stafford Loans) are the most common type of federal student loans for undergrad and graduate students.
You'll have to repay the money with interest. Subsidized loans don't generally start accruing (accumulating) interest until you leave school (or drop below half-time enrollment), so accept a subsidized loan before an unsubsidized loan. Next, accept an unsubsidized loan before a PLUS loan.
Direct Loans are issued by the U.S. Department of Education, while indirect loans are made by colleges and universities. Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Perkins Loans are two common types of indirect loans. These loans were made by private lenders and guaranteed by the federal government.
Subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans may be eligible for forgiveness under certain conditions. Key forgiveness programs include Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Teacher Loan Forgiveness.
IDR plans calculate your monthly payment amount based on your income and family size. So if your income increases, so does your payment amount. On PAYE and IBR, we limit your payments so that even if your income increases, your payments never go higher than what you'd pay on the Standard Plan.
Federal student loans are made by the government, with terms and conditions that are set by law, and include many benefits (such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans) not typically offered with private loans.
Key Takeaways
Tier 2 capital includes revaluation reserves, hybrid capital instruments and subordinated term debt, general loan-loss reserves, and undisclosed reserves. Tier 2 capital is considered less reliable than tier 1 capital because it is more difficult to accurately calculate and more difficult to liquidate.
Plan 2 refers to a student loan taken out from September 2012 onwards, in England or Wales. Older loans (from England or Wales) and loans taken out in Northern Ireland, are called plan 1 loans.
Pay Off High-Interest Loans First
With this approach, you pay off your loans from the highest interest rate to the lowest. You make the minimum payments on each balance except the highest-rate loan. You also make an extra monthly payment based on how much you can put toward the debt.
Direct PLUS Loans are federal loans that graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay for college or career school.
If you expand “View Loans” and select the “View Loan Details” arrow next to a loan, you'll see the more detailed name for that loan. Direct Loans begin with the word “Direct.” Federal Family Education Loan Program loans begin with “FFEL.” Perkins Loans include the word “Perkins” in the name.
Unlike student loans, Pell Grants are not required to be paid back; they are considered “free money,” and can be used to cover your educational expenses. Financial aid is a broad term for any form of funding used to help pay for college expenses.
Subsidized Loans do not accrue interest while you are in school at least half-time or during deferment periods. Unsubsidized Loans are loans for both undergraduate and graduate students that are not based on financial need.
Federal financial aid regulation states that if you withdraw from all of your classes or cease enrollment prior to the 60 percent point of instruction in any term, you will be required to repay all unearned financial aid funds received. A calculation will be performed to determine the repayment amount.
Independent undergraduates and dependent students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans: $57,500 (including up to $23,000 subsidized). Graduate and professional students: $138,500 (or $224,000 for certain medical training) including undergraduate borrowing (including up to $65,500 subsidized).
FAFSA itself isn't "money," but it's the form students and families complete to apply for federal financial aid. Completing the FAFSA is free and can lead to you being awarded several types of financial aid, some of which are free, while others are not.
Direct Subsidized Loans made to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education at a college or career school. Direct Unsubsidized Loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but eligibility is not based upon financial need.
There are no income limits to apply, and many state and private colleges use the FAFSA to determine your financial aid eligibility. To qualify for aid, however, you'll also need to submit a FAFSA every year you're in school.
If you're a Scottish student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 1998, you'll be on repayment Plan 4. This means you'll pay 9% of the income you earn over the threshold to the Student Loan Company (SLC).