Students and bad credit… Well, there is some help. The parent of the Student Loan Network, Edvisors, has created a student credit education resource – StudentPlatinum.com. The site offers a number of good articles on how to build and maintain good credit or fix your bad (”poor”) credit. Check it out when you have some free time – it might help.

In the meantime -what loans are available for students with poor credit? First, consider the Federal Stafford Loan – there is no credit component to it so you should qualify. Learn more at www.StaffordLoan.com The amount you can borrow from the Stafford Loan is limited and, of course, you need more money.

Private Student Loans, taken out in the student’s name, do require a credit check. We always recommend you apply for a private student loan with a cosigner who has good – or even better – great credit. Applying with a cosigner improves your chances of getting approved and getting a better interest rate.

The Federal PLUS Loan is another option. The PLUS Loan (or Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) will be in your parent’s name – your credit is not a factor. If your parent has bad credit and gets denied for the PLUS Loan, you can then talk with your financial aid office and get additional funds through the Unsubsidized Stafford loan. Learn more at www.ParentPLUSLoan.com

The details for all these loan programs are available on our site, StudentLoanNetwork.com. Do your research and work on improving your credit. It will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.