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Arizona Student Loans: Arizona Student Loan and Interest Rate

Getting finances to pay fees can really be really difficult and most often you might have to resort to getting a student loan, which is where Arizona student loans have carved out a niche for itself. This should save you!

Arizona Student Loans

Overview of Arizona Student Loans

Arizona has several private student loans and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you’re going to be attending college in Arizona, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable – so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

State grants, like the Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP), help make higher education more accessible for students with financial needs.

Those who don’t qualify for the grant or still have a funding gap might be among the 900,000 state residents who turn to private and Arizona student loans to pay for their education.

Arizona Higher Education Loan Authority

A few years ago the state of Arizona designated the Arizona Higher Education Loan Authority (AHELA) as the premier non-profit provider of federal student loans for the state of Arizona.

Arizona Student Loans

Since then, all federal student loans have been made under the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan program.

AHELA still offers tools and resources to assist students when planning their finances for school.

They remain committed to providing outreach services, debt management education, default prevention services, and financial literacy training.

They also offer help with choosing a school, preparing for tests, applying for financial aid, FAFSA tips, and searching for scholarships – as well as help for the college student and graduate’s success.

AHELA also provides some nice information and advice on saving for college and building a blueprint for your financial aid needs.

They currently offer the Governor’s 9/11 Memorial Scholarship, which requires only a short essay and application to apply. You may also want to look at Arizona scholarships and grants.

The Direct Loan Program

The U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Student Loan Program offers a few types of loans: subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans for students, PLUS loans for parents and graduate/professional students, and consolidation loans for both students and parents.

Borrowing a Direct Loan is simple. Students complete one application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), for all FSA programs, including Direct Loans.

The student’s prospective school will draft an aid package, which might include a Direct Loan. The financial aid office at the school can say how much a student can borrow.

Borrowers make loan payments to the Department of Education for the life of their loans. It’s “one-stop-shopping” from loan application through repayment.

Flexible repayment options are available, and they can be changed without a fee at any time during the life of the loan.

PLUS loans require you to have credit and that it’s good. If you’re worried your parents may not qualify for a PLUS loan because of their financial history, you may be able to borrow more than you initially thought with your Stafford Loan.

Students are required to apply first for all the federal loans for which they qualify. You can also access FAFSA applications directly through the AHELA website. Either you apply online or download and print a hard copy and mail it back in.

AHELA also gives you all the information you need on choosing a repayment plan, such as a graduated, extended, standard, or income-sensitive, and the attached interest rates.

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Arizona Student Loan and Interest Rate

Arizona Student Loans

Most federal student loans have loan fees (otherwise known as origination fees) that are a percentage of the total loan amount.

The loan fees are deducted from each loan disbursement you receive. This means the number of loan funds credited to your Bursar student account will be less than the amount of the loan fees.

Loan fees are separate from the loan interest rate which is the rate at which the loan you borrow will accrue interest.

This interest is paid to the loan lender (with Federal Direct Loans, the lender is the Department of Education) as a cost of borrowing the money.

The interest rate impacts the total amount you repay so it’s important to understand both the loan fees and the loan interest rate when borrowing.

What is the Loan Interest Rate for the different Loans?

The loan interest rate depends on the type of loan, what type of borrower you are (i.e., Undergraduate, Graduate, or Parent), and when your loan first disburses (i.e., releases to Bursar student account)

The interest rate displayed below applies to loans first disbursed between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021.

TYPE OF LOANFIXED INTEREST RATELIFETIME INTEREST RATE CAP
Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan for Undergraduate Students2.75%8.25%
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for Graduate/Professional Students4.30%8.25%
Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate/Professional Students5.30%10.50%
Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Parent of Dependent Undergraduate Students

Repaying Arizona Student Loans and Consolidation Loans

Many students end up carrying multiple student loans, from a combination of federal to perhaps an alternative loan.

Even though most loans don’t come due until six months after graduation, statistics show that many grads simply don’t have the jobs that enable them to make the payments

For this reason, many options are being made available to make loan repayment smoother and less painful.

Consolidation loans and other repayment options are available through the Direct Loan program. Don’t let loans default; consolidation is easy, affordable, and can save your credit for the future.

The Department of Education currently offers a 0.25% interest rate reduction for signing up for automatic payments from your checking or savings account.

Arizona Student Loans

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In a Nutshell

I believe you have gotten more clarity on everything you need to know about Arizona student loan, their interest rate, and how to go about repaying your loan.

Don’t forget to share this article with your friends who might need this information and don’t forget to leave a comment in the comment section.

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