As part of any research looking at your options Student Loan Consolidation information you need to consider the FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Plan). The FFELP is a federal system of private lender partnership and program framework that includes both Stafford loans, PLUS loans and Perkins loans, setup by an Act of Congress in 1965, he began to work in 1966 and since then more than half a trillion dollars in cash was paid to over 50 billion only in 2006. Money for Stafford loans, PLUS loans and other FFELP loans are provided through an extensive national network of credit unions, independent banks and other financial institutions, lenders will feel confident to lend dollars to the otherwise may be high due to credit risk the money is guaranteed to end, at least in theory by the federal government, private guarantors could be involved, but in about 5% of cases where the loan is in default, guarantors can apply for funds to cover losses with the federal government for at least a partial refund of any money lost. Over 90% of funds are managed by the two types of Stafford loans, subsidized and unsubsidized, in the second scenario, the federal government pays the interest accrued on the loan while the student is in school and for a further period of six months, unsubsidized loan requires the borrower is liable for any interest if the interest is deferred until the more often after the grace period, it is then added to the total primary . The other major plan, the PLUS (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) loan plan, supplies more than 8 billion dollars per calendar year in money to the parents and from July 1, 2006 Students professionals and graduates are also eligible for PLUS loans, providing dollars to parents to help cover the costs they frequently pay for anyway, the program and forms a common part of the total financial aid package today. Primarily, all services require a FAFSA application (Free Application for Student Aid) to complete, the data are basic information that allows loan officers to make their funding decision makers are generally those person employed by the college when the student is accepted, the financial aid department will make a suggestion for a package based in part on the EFC (Expected Financial Contribution) of the student and parent (s), analysis income, they are intended to supplement the unmet need with combinations of loans subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford and other sources. Once the student and / or parent accepts the package of money is paid, mostly twice a year once a semester, usually with the largest share of funds going directly by the private lender to to pay school tuition and the rest is then provided to the student or parent, minus any charges, those charges may go up 4% or more, more programs will charge a departure fee of 3% and a tax of 1% insurance, they assign to the federal requirements with fees as high as 8% are not unknown, it’s important to keep this information in mind when you consider the information consolidation Student Loans.