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ACS Student Loans

An ACS student loan is a loan that is serviced by the Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. It is a company known for outsourcing technology and business solutions. Universities across the country use the ACS student loan services because of the company’s reputation for using technology to effectively handle some of the more difficult aspects of loan services.

ACS student loans allow students to make payments online, instantly be able to see the status of an account, make changes to personal details such as name and address, and also to be able to receive email notifications when a payment has been processed.

Many different programs for financial aid fall under the heading of an ACS student loan. One of the major ACS student loan groups is the Campus Based Student Loan Program (CBSL), which includes Federal Perkins Loans, Nursing Student Loans (NSL), and Institutional Loan Programs, among others. Another major group of educational loans handled by ACS is the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL), which includes the Stafford (GSL) Loans, PLUS loans to parents of students, and loan consolidation services. ACS also has the ability to handle many other groups of educational loans donated by a variety of private companies.

For those who do not already have an ACS student loan, applications and guidelines for different financial aid options are available online. The ACS website gives a clear example of how to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, and demonstrates what the results mean in terms of your eligibility for financial aid. Furthermore, applications for both Stafford and PLUS loans for parents can be found on the ACS website, and can be completed and sent in online.

If you are the holder of an ACS student loan already, you may be interested in knowing about the benefits of student loan consolidation. The ACS website provides information and application forms that could help you lock in a lower rate and reduce your monthly payment amount.

Some other tools that can help you with your ACS student loan are a repayment calculator, guidelines from the IRS about how to use your student loans for tax relief, and a glossary of important student loan-related terms.

All in all, an ACS student loan is one that will give the borrower plenty of ease and flexibility when it comes to loan servicing from application to repayment and consolidation. ACS works with a number of universities across the United States, including the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Vermont. Even if your specific university does not offer student loans handled by ACS, their website is a treasure trove of helpful tools and information, and well worth a look.

Top 5 Things to Consider When Making a University Loan Comparison

With the cost of education higher than ever, it’s commonplace for people in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to rely on educational loans to pay for their classes. These loans can have a severe effect on financial stability later on. Doing a good loan comparison before you sign an agreement can save you hundreds of pounds, especially if you’re thorough about examining the following elements.

Credit Check

Depending on where you go for your university loan, you may be subject to a credit check. If you are younger, this can be problematic, because most students who are just starting out on their own haven’t established much of a credit history. You might need your parents or someone else to cosign for you, which makes the loan more complicated.

Interest

You probably know that you should try to get the student loan that has the lowest rate of interest, but there are other things to consider as you compare loan options. For instance, does interest start to immediately accrue, or are the calculations delayed until you graduate? These kinds of elements have a big effect on your ability to pay back the loan and how long you’ll take to get out of debt.

Payments

Similar to interest, you will want to compare when you must start making payments. You should look at the amount you would need to pay every month and make a determination about whether that figure is reasonably within your budget. Your goal should be to find a payment level that allows you to pay down your debt while still living a somewhat comfortable life. Keep in mind that, in general, the longer your loan term, the more you’ll usually pay in interest, but the lower your monthly payments typically are. Compare how much of your payment gets applied to the principle balance, as well as what happens to the loan in the event you become disabled.

Another thing to consider under payments when you’re looking at different loans is whether the lender allows forbearance or deferment. These two options basically allow you to pause paying down the debt. Most people do not want to think about needing to do this, but the reality is that, if you get into financial hardships down the road, you might not be able to meet all your debt obligations, including your student loans. In this circumstance, having the option for some breathing room can be good.

Benefits

Some lenders that provide school loans offer additional benefits as part of the loan agreement. For example, they might offer you perks such taking a specified amount off your balance (essentially giving you a discount) if you make a set number of payments on time. Others might give you a slightly better rate of interest if you agree to conditions such as working online or setting up automatic payments.

Loan Limit Amounts

Loan limits are important to look at when you are comparing sources for university funding because they can mean you need to use multiple lenders to cover your costs. Ultimately, this makes paying for your schooling more complex, but several smaller loans might be worth this complexity if you are able to get lower rates of interest. As an example of loan limits, in England, you can get a maintenance loan from the government of up to £4,418 for the 2014 school year if you are living at home, whereas the amount increases to £6,600 if you want to study abroad. Remember, just because you are eligible to borrow a certain amount doesn’t mean you must do so–live within your means and only borrow what you really need to cover your costs.

Conclusion

A thorough loan comparison ensures you get the best deal and fit when you must borrow to cover the cost of university. You should look at elements such as the necessity for a credit check, the way the lender treats interest, payment amounts and options and benefits such as routine-payment discounts. The cap on the loan amount is another big factor. As you go through the comparison process, don’t be surprised if getting the information you need takes time. It helps to start looking for providers well before the semester or school year is scheduled to start.