Any college student looking to obtain federal student loans will need to fill out a substantial amount of paperwork and provide documentation with it. The loan application must then be processed and reviewed.

Since the whole procedure may take several months or more, it is a good idea to begin researching federal student loans 6-12 months before you hope to begin classes. For high school students, the fall or winter of their senior year is the right time to start. If you are an older student returning to school, or beginning after entering the work force, it makes sense to begin your research as soon as you make the decision to take classes.

Where to Start

The process begins with filling out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For high school students and young adults, initial research must be done to understand what is required – such things as determining your dependency status. FAFSA provides an initial worksheet which will give prospective students an idea of their eligibility. And because there is an application deadline date for each semester, getting organized and doing the research early will make the whole thing easier and less stressful.

The deadline is typically about 2 months prior to the start of classes for a given semester. Be sure to compile items like social security number, a copy of your birth certificate, custody or adoption papers if applicable, and proof of residency to include with your application once you start filling it out.

This article was formerly published at FedTuition.com, which has been discontinued.

High school students planning to go to college are looking for information and direction about schools, potential majors and sources for scholarships and student loans.

Most public and private high schools have an office staffed with guidance counselors to help, and one of their primary endeavors is to help students discover sources for student loans.

These counselors should be well-versed in the FAFSA application and all that is required to fill it out, including needed documentation. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid should be the first step in finding the funding for college.

Good high school counselors will also have a list of student loan, grants and scholarship opportunities, from both public and private sources.

While most students might think there is only one type of government loan for college, there are actually many, including Stafford loans, Perkins loans, and others. In addition, there is a wide variety of private student loans, including standard loans for lenders like banks, but also loans and grants offered by private businesses and foundation eager to see young people get an education and be better prepared to work in business and industry well into the 21st Century.

These forward thinking companies are concerned about their future work force and are willing to invest to get the best. High school guidance offices should be aware of these resources and be able to hand students applications or point them to the websites where applications and descriptions of the loans are available.

This article used to be published at the FedTuition.com site, which has been discontinued.