With the rising cost of higher education, most of us could benefit from a little assistance when it comes time to pay for our kids' tuition.  Many people, upon finding that they make too much income to qualify for a Pell grant, give up on financial aid.  Many do not realize that there are many college and private scholarships available.  Another option is government student loans.  There are m any programs available, you need only to find them and apply.

One of the largest sources of student aid in America is the U.S. Department of Education.  They provide more than $80 billion a year in loans, grants and work study assistance.  The money can be applied toward college or a career school.

Government student loan repayment does not usually begin for three to six months from the time you graduate.  It is very important to make your complete minimum payment on time.  Your government student loan is a real loan, just like a mortgage or a car payment, and can affect your credit negatively if defaulted.  Keep this in mind when applying for loans and borrow responsibly.  If you do find yourself struggling to keep up with multiple student loans, you can look into financial aid consolidation.  With this process you are able to roll all of your smaller loans into one bigger loan.  The interest rate can be a bit higher as it is based on the average of all the loans being rolled, but the payment is smaller and easier to manage.  

Some government student loans are aimed at the parents rather than the student. These loans are secured by the parents and the monies paid for education related expenses.

One more valuable tip: do your loan shopping at websites ending in У.govФ so you not be charged any fees, as is the case on many ".com" sites.