How to determine your financial need for college loans

College loans can be used to help pay for your qualified college education expenses.* When you're preparing to pay for college, you should think about the big picture and how you can best use college loans. Expenses can add up when you start thinking about things like books, housing, meals and transportation on top of tuition, but federal and private college loans can help you fill in the gap between the money you have and the money you need for your education.

College loans: Explore your options

When you're ready to make a decision about college loans, make sure you explore scholarships, grants and federal student loans first. Private college loans can be used to fill the gap when federal student loans, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid aren't enough to cover the full cost of your qualified education expenses. It's important to understand all of your financial aid options before you make a decision about which college loan is right for you.

Try the FAFSA4caster to get a better idea about the college loans you may need

Get an estimate of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) results with the U.S. Department of Education tool: FAFSA4caster. Based on information you provide, FAFSA4caster can estimate how much federal aid you may receive for college. Use the results to create an estimated budget that can help you determine the amount of additional college loans you may need. The results from FAFSA4caster are only an estimate and do not include financial aid provided directly to you by states or schools.

Visit fafsa4caster.ed.gov to learn more.

Why choose Chase for private college loans?

When it comes to private college loans, Chase is a national leader with a history of working with thousands of students every year. Chase college loan specialists are available to help answer your questions by e-mail or by telephone. They can also help you find the private college loan that may be most beneficial to your situation.

To apply for a college loan, visit ChaseStudentLoans.com.

*Important Information: As students determine the best way to finance their education, they should consider the full range of student financial aid options available. Private loans can be used when federal loans, grants and other forms of financial aid are not sufficient to cover the full cost of attendance.

Chase does not sell its private student loans to another lender.

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This information was current as of 06/30/2010 and is subject to change. Contact Chase for the most up-to-date terms.