The amounts you receive in student loans are usually based on the paperwork you sign before the school year begins. If, after you sign the paperwork, you realize that you need more money, you might be able to increase the amount you receive in student loans. Your school's financial aid office is your main resource when you need to increase the amount of your student loans. The financial aid office can communicate directly with the federal government for additional government loan disbursements or advise you on obtain student loans from private lenders.
Instructions
1. Contact the financial aid office at your school as soon as you realize that you will need more money.
2. Ask if you can increase the amount of any of your subsidized loans, if you received them. The government limits how much you can borrow through subsidized loans, but if you did not borrow the full amount you were offered, you might be able to access it now.
3. Ask to take out an unsubsidized Stafford loan, or to increase the amount you are borrowing if you already have one. You can only borrow up to the government limit for your year in school, which varies from $5,500 for dependent first-year undergraduates to $20,500 for graduate students.
4. Fill out the required paperwork from your school's financial aid office to authorize the higher loan amounts.
5. Apply for a student loan with a private lender if your school's financial aid office advises you that you have exhausted all available federal student loans. Many banks and credit unions offer student loans, and your financial aid officer should be able to recommend lenders who offer the best terms. Consider the interest rate on the loan and the flexibility of the repayment plan.
Tags: student loans, financial office, increase amount, school financial, school financial office, your school