For those students who have loans, there is a clear difference between the arrangements for repayments. For many, there will be a need to make payments as they go along through school and budgeting will be vital to keep ahead. For others, deferred student loans are ideal in that they only need to be cleared once school is finished.

For many this will be the method of choice to finance college, though it also means there will be a need to start paying when you get out. Closure might well be more difficult, with other responsibilities requiring financing as your life and career progresses.

Keeping Up With Payments

Clearly, for a standard type of loan, making regular payments is important and falling behind is probably not too clever an idea. Once you start sliding down that slippery slope, you are truly likely to hit big problems. There are ways to refinance this situation, but the likelihood is that you will face interest rate penalties - and then again, you are in a difficult position and that might be your best - indeed only option.

For those in the easier position with deferred student loans (like the Stafford Loan), not only are there no repayments while in school, but there is usually a period between graduating and repayments starting - often of up to six months. This is a real bonus, as you get the opportunity to start earning and settling into work before you start paying off those debts from your college years.

Following The Stafford Loans Rules

It's also worth bearing in mind with a Stafford Loan that you have certain requirements to keep up if you want to maintain that preferred status. For instance, if you drop out of school, the loan will need to be repaid. If you have to, it's better to drop down to part-time and keep in school, as this usually enables you to hang on to the preferential status of the deferred student loan - a real benefit to your financial health and cashflow!

With a Stafford Loan, there are a couple of possibilities for you to consider when you are looking for one. In some cases funding can be arranged through private funding and on other occasions you will be able to get one of this type of deferred student loan through your school. Both of these are Stafford Loans and have the benefit of later repayment.

Then There's The Perkins Loan

In some cases, for those students who are less attractive to the lenders of a Stafford Loan, a Perkins Loan might be available through the school. These are quite difficult to get, as there is only a certain amount of governmental funding available. But if you feel that you might have a challenge to get a standard Stafford Loan, then this might be worth considering.

Whichever type of loan you choose (maybe is chosen for you), the time of retribution will come along. For those who prefer regular payments and little or no debt at the end, the hard work will have to be carried out around your college study timetable. For those who wish for a bit of financial space whilst in school, deferred student loans will be the option to choose, with later repayment a burden when you get out into the real world.