One usual problem with getting a loan is looking for a cosigner or a co-maker for loans which require it.  Many are not even able to get a loan they need because they fail to get somebody to agree to shoulder the risk in case the principal borrower fails to pay his loan.  This is understandable since not only will cosigners be legally liable, they are not able to enjoy even a small percentage of the money loaned.  Most people who agree to be one are relatives of the borrower or a trusted friend. 
    One of the most in need of loans is a student.  Students are always in need of money for tuition, projects, thesis and other education related expenses.  This is the reason why there are many loans offered to them.  However, being students and the main borrower, it is but natural for loan providers to require a cosigner since students do not have an income and present or future means of living is not yet guaranteed.  There is a bigger risk in giving out loans to students.  This is the reason most of the student loans require a cosigner.  How then can a student without a willing cosigner get to borrow money?
    Fortunately, there are still some student loans without the need of a cosigner.  Private loans are almost if not always, requiring a good credit history.  It is therefore not an option for students.  The next option is to look for a Federal loan that will not require a good credit history or even a consigner.  One example of this is the Stafford loan.  The problem with a Stafford loan however is that students will not be able to fully fund their tuition fees with it.  This is because Stafford loans’ limits are very low, e.g., $2,650 only for freshmen.  And the usual yearly expense of students, including tuition, room, board, etc., amounts to roughly $10,000.

Since it is easier to get credit with a good credit history, a student who may not have the chance as of yet to establish one will find more limited options.  Nevertheless, ways exist and students can still get a loan without a cosigner.  The very first thing to do, just as all students should do, is do their homework.  This means that the student should first learn what federal loans are available to them that do not require a cosigner.  Stafford, as earlier mentioned is one of them.   Another one is the Perkins loan, which also does not require a credit record.

    The next thing to do, and the most important one at that, is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  This is a big need if it is your aim to get all possible loans available.  It is a sort of a gatekeeper of all federal assistance for students.  Not only will it allow you to receive your much needed loans but also assist you in securing applicable grant money.  You may even be eligible to receive state money based on the information in your FAFSA.  The income tax return of your parents as well as your, if you are working, is needed when accomplishing a FAFSA.
    You may then start applying for the Stafford loan for starters.  As mentioned, the amount to be loaned from Stafford is small, but it will serve as a starting point.  There are two types of Stafford loan, the subsidized and the unsubsidized, which is determined on who pays for the loan’s interest while the student is still one.  Subsidized Stafford is usually granted to needy students since it does not require a credit history as well as a cosigner.  You may next apply for another federal loan called the Perkins loan.  This loan is given to those students that are in direst financial need.  The interest rate of Perkins loan is 5% and it has a longer payment term than the Stafford loan.  In the case of some non-traditional students, aside from being qualified to take both Stafford and Perkins loans, they may also be qualified to get other grants and scholarships given to deserving students.

    If in case you are the type of student who started young and have already  made for yourself quite an impressive credit history, then you can easily acquire a private college loan that will not require a cosigner.  If you are just like any other student however, who do not have a credit record in is name yet, the task of getting a private loan is not an impossible feat, though very difficult.

    Firstly, some criteria need to be fulfilled to be able to obtain credit to pay for your expenses for education, room and board and even for books.  Students can choose to get a secured or unsecured private loan.  The 1st requirement to be able to get one is that the student must be enrolled in an eligible institution that is accredited to recognized United States universities.  Also, the student must not be less than 18 years of age. No private loans are given to students from primary school or high school without a cosigner.  The age required may vary according to states.  Some place it at 19 years of age (Nebraska) and some at 21 (Mississippi and Puerto Rico).  The student should also be a US citizen or with a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card for non-citizens.  Moreover, the student must be enrolled in an undergraduate program or a higher study program.  The interest rates applied to loans given to students without a cosigner is higher than the usual loans.
    Given the foregoing information, students are given many options to ensure that they get the needed funds to be able to get their wanted education.  A lot of alternatives are available that there can be no excuse why one would fail to finish their course, as the case may be, due to lack of money.  All the student needs is the commitment, effort and determination to succeed and he will be able to find a way to achieve what he aims for.