In the know...

Discover the latest fixed interest rates and origination fees for federal student loans for the 2025-2026 academic year. Learn about Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS & HPSL loans—and how these rates impact your college costs.

When it comes to choosing between fixed and variable interest rates, understanding the differences, along with their pros and cons, is crucial for making an informed financial decision. A fixed interest rate remains constant throughout the life of a loan or mortgage. This stability can be incredibly advantageous in a fluctuating market, as it allows borrowers to predict their payments with certainty. The primary pro of a fixed interest rate is peace of mind; knowing that your payment won’t change protects you from potential increases in rates over time. However, the downside is that if interest rates fall after you secure your loan, you could miss out on lower payments available to new borrowers. On the other hand, a variable interest rate fluctuates based on market conditions. While this can initially seem daunting due to its unpredictability, there are significant benefits. Variable rates often start lower than fixed rates, meaning you could save money in the early years of your loan if market conditions are favorable. However, this comes with risks: if interest rates rise significantly during your repayment period, your monthly payments could increase substantially. In summary, choosing between a fixed and variable interest rate depends on your financial situation and risk tolerance. If you value stability and predictability in your budget planning, a fixed rate may be more suitable for you. Conversely, if you're willing to take some risks for potentially lower initial costs and can handle fluctuations in payments over time, then a variable rate might be worth considering. Make sure to evaluate both options carefully before making this important decision!

2024-2025 Federal student loan interest rates

How to pay for school

Where is my student loan forgiveness?

1/1/2023 repayment options. The programs are subject to chnage.

Find flexible U.S. student loan solutions for international students in 2025, including refinancing options, no-cosigner loans, and tips to lower monthly payments and build credit.

Learn how to access your free credit report in 2025, spot inaccuracies, and safeguard your finances as a student or parent planning for college expenses.

College Aid Direct wants to take a moment to thank all of the Health Care Professionals for their amazing efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are moved by the never-ending stories of your compassion, long hours, and sacrifice. You rose to the occasion when humanity needed you most. We know we aren't out of the woods yet but hopefully, you are able to take a moment to catch your breath. We are here to help you. If you have any questions on your Student Loans, getting new student loans, or how to refinance your loans and potentially save money, we will try our best to help you. As a thank you for your service, no fees will be charged. Learn more at www.collegeaiddirect.com You can email us with questions. For any Nurses and allied health professionals displaced during these crazy days, we would like to introduce you to Kamana. Kamana may be able to help you find the next or better career. Learn more at www.kamanahealth.com . Kamana: Kamana is an online platform for nurses, allied health professionals, and healthcare staffing agencies to eliminate the inefficient and expensive processes used to fill jobs and find work. Kamana launched in 2019 with a focus on solving problems for the travel and per diem workforce, but the technology they are bringing to the industry is on track to modernize how healthcare credentials are managed and shared across the entire nursing and allied health community. The company was born out of the personal frustrations one of their founders, John Modica, experienced throughout his travel and per diem nursing career. Having spent more than five years working travel contracts across the country, John witnessed first-hand how the inefficient technology being used to attract, onboard, and manage healthcare professionals is resulting in missed opportunities and financial waste for him, his staffing agency, and the hospitals that they work for. For healthcare staffing agencies, Kamana provides a secure and mobile-friendly candidate portal that offers real-time talent collaboration, efficient onboarding and profile management, automated credential management, streamlined communication, rapid candidate submissions, and more. Kamana brings operational efficiency into the day-to-day workflows of a staffing agency and brings a much needed improvement to the candidate experience a healthcare staffing agency is able to offer to the nurses and allied health professionals they seek to employ. For nurses and allied health professionals, Kamana provides a single, secure, profile that can be used to manage credentials, onboarding, and relationships throughout every aspect of their career. A Kamana profile can be used directly in conjunction with, or completely independent of, a staffing agency that is using Kamana’s staffing software. The ability to efficiently use the same profile to manage relationships, onboarding, and documentation with multiple staffing agencies saves time and money on both sides. With Kamana, nursing and allied health professionals can put an end to repetitive and data-insecure applications and onboarding, and focus on the aspects of their career and life that matter most. Learn more at www.kamanahealth.com .