Ok. I have done tons of internet searches and can not find answers to all of the questions that I have. I have been reading up on Stafford Loans and would really like to find out more about them. Most of the websites that I have looked at show that subsidized loans for freshman are up to 3500 and then unsubsidized loans are up to an additional 6000. How do you know if you are elegible for them or not? What kind of EFC score do you need to be allowed to get the full amounts? Is a 411 EFC good on getting loans or is that considered bad? Does the college have a say so in the amount they think you need or does it go on the amount that you would like to borrow to feel comfortable? Can the college determine the amount of unsubsidized loans or as an independent student can i automatically get the full amount.

I dont want to register for classes just to find out that I am not going to be able to go to school and at the same time work to support myself if I can not get the loans to help me with the costs. The school that I am planning to go to reports the cost of attendance as $13,258. According to the SAR I am eligible for up to 4900 per academic year in grants but do not know if I will receive that much or not. that still leaves 8300 that I would have to try to pay out of pocket while doing 16 credit hours per semester with most of them requiring 2 -3 lab hours a week as well. So after being at school for 40 hours a week(counting in a few hours for homework) then I would be still trying to make ends meet working 40 hours a week at a minimal pay job just to pay for school and gives you no money to realistically eat on. I am confused! Does anyone know how this works that can explain it to me better than what i have found.

My son had a Stafford loan for the 09/10 academic year. He didn’t finish the first semester, & the funds disbursed to the college were returned to the lending institution. He is now enrolled at a different school for the Spring semester. My question is: is the original loan still viable & can we reinstate it for this semester (what would be the steps?), or do we need to initiate the process anew? Thanks for the help.