These days when there is so much of hue and cry amongst private loan agencies, each trying to downplay the merits and work of the other, the loans offered by government remain immaculate and selflessly benefiting the public.

Government loans are a cut above the rest in quite a few ways. Firstly every private agency offering loan does it with the purpose of making profits but in contrast to this government loans are meant only for the welfare of public. Since government is a body meant for the people, it does not seek any personal gains. Unlike the private banks and other such loan agencies, government also offers loans to those downtrodden people who can hardly pay it back. Government loans not just a great help to the destitute but also a big contribution in the smooth functioning of the economy of the country.

Government loans are primarily of three kinds- Business Loans, Loans for Home Buyers and Loans for Higher Education.

Since small businesses are quite important for the US economy, in order to promote them and enhance their development, government of America offers business loans to its citizens. All those individuals who desire to kick-start their careers by venturing into some business can materialize their dreams with the help of government business loans. What more can be added to the glory of government loans but that the present day eminent brands such as Nike, Apple Computer, Compaq Computer etc. had commenced with the aid of government loans only.

Government loans are immensely beneficial for those seeking a shelter. Government gives home loans for legal purchase of any big or small house. The rate of interest on these home loans is deliberately less in comparison to loans taken from private organizations.

Since government of America seeks to have overall development of the country, it provides financial assistance not only to elderly people but also to children or students. Government enables students to have a bright future by virtue of education loans. These loans are a great help particularly to students who do not come from affluent families. These loans provide a wonderful opportunity to students to go for higher education even in popular universities. The readily available government loans for higher education not just help a student by sponsoring his studies but are a boon for his family too. This is because the parents are then released from the burden of hefty fees for their childs higher studies. A student can pay back the loan after completing his studies and acquiring a decent job.

The drawbacks of government loans are that these loans are provided only to law-abiding citizens and for legal purposes. Also a great deal of paper work is required to procure a government loan. The government loans are not service at your doorstep. So lot of physical labor is required to get a government loan. Moreover government loans are not that readily available as loans by private agencies. So it takes quite a few days in applying for a government loan and actually getting it.

Yet the shortcomings of government loans can never dominate their merits. At the end of the day it is the choice of the customer to decide, which way to go.

Normally, graduate students pay for tuition fee more than undergraduate. Therefore, the main purpose of graduate loans is to help fund their education. There are two venues in which graduate students can obtain graduate loans: the government and private entities, (who provide alternative graduate loans). Each of these is discussed in more detail below.

1. Government Graduate Loans
This type of loan is the same as undergraduate loan. The only difference is name. Like undergraduates, graduates have the opportunity to get a Stafford or Perkins loan from the government.

Stafford graduate loans are available to any graduate student regardless of their financial situation. Two types of Stafford graduate loans exist: subsidized and unsubsidized. The difference in the two lies in who pays the interest. For subsidized Stafford graduate loans, the government pays the interest. Students pay for the interest in unsubsidized Stafford graduate loans, though there is the option of not having to make payments until after graduation.

A Perkins graduate loan is available to students who demonstrate financial hardship. It has an interest rate of only 5 percent and can finance up to 4,000 of the graduate student’s education. For graduate students who are adversely limited economically, the Perkins loan is not a bad option. However, one must keep in mind that payments are still expected to be received promptly and perpetually. In extreme circumstances it is possible to request a deferment on loan payments until one is able to pay normally.

To apply for either the Perkins or Stafford graduate loans, one must submit a FAFSA form to the government. When the form has been processed the government will send a SAR (Student Aide Report) which will give further instructions on how to apply for these loans.

2. Alternate Graduate Loans
This loan has also been known as private graduate loans, are loans funded by non-governmental entities. Companies offering these loans could be banks, credit card agencies or any other enterprise interested in helping graduate students secure student loans. The Education Resources Institute (TERI) is an example of a company offering this type of loan. It is called the Act Graduate Student loan program. The application can be filled out online at http:gradloans.com. Decisions are received in as little as 15 minutes.

You can first try to visit websites of all the major banks because many do offer student loans services. Or you can use a search engine by typing the name of banks you know. Some banks will even offer graduate loan comparison charts to help their customers see how their loans stack up against the competitors. These charts can serve as a further aide in researching graduate loans.