Do student loans go to the school or directly to the student?

Do you have to apply for federal student loans thru your school or can you go thru the bank yourself?

• I want to get a federal stafford loan. I've already completed my financial aid and the school has it but they told me since i got accepted so late my financial aid may not be processed until after school starts, so to be prepared to pay for it myself and then later reimburse myself with the refund money. My question is can I apply thru a bank for the student loan or do I have to wait for my school to offer it to me? Thanks in advance!

• Answer:

  You can apply for a loan through your bank, however, your credit rating will be taken into account. If it's not so great, you probably won't qualify. Student loans (through the school)don't require a credit check and have a very low interest rate. Personally, I would wait and try to get the loans through your school.