The U.S. Department of Education originates or guarantees four different kinds of student loans:
- Stafford Loans (Needs based subsidized and unsubsidized with lending limits).
- PLUS Loans (Requires credit application and approval, can be made to the student and/or to the parents of students, available for graduate school tuition).
- Perkins Loans (Needs based financial aid, must qualify, administered through the school).
- Consolidation (Combine two or more federal loans into one consolidated loan).