How we research student-loan information
Student loans are a high-stakes, money-related (YMYL) topic, so we hold this site to a strict standard: every loan fact is grounded in official U.S. sources, we deliberately avoid publishing rate and dollar figures that go stale, and we never let an affiliate relationship change the facts. Here is exactly how we work.
Who’s behind this site
Types of Student Loans is produced by the Types of Student Loans Editorial Team and operated by VentureCorp Publishing, an independent publisher. We are not a lender, a loan servicer, a school, or a government agency, and we do not originate, service, or approve loans. Because we don’t lend, we have no incentive to push any particular loan — we can explain the plain facts and point you to the official source for the current numbers.
Where our data comes from
| Data | Source | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Federal loan types, terms & rules | U.S. Federal Student Aid (studentaid.gov), an office of the U.S. Department of Education | Who each loan is for, how rates & limits are set, repayment, consolidation, IDR |
| Federal vs. private guidance & consumer cautions | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) | Differences between federal and private loans; borrower-protection cautions |
| Portfolio-wide totals (borrowers, dollars outstanding) | Federal Student Aid Data Center | Where to find current aggregate figures (we link, rather than re-publish stale numbers) |
We deliberately do not store specific current interest-rate percentages or annual dollar limits — those change every year and go stale quickly. Instead, each loan-type page explains how its rate and limits are set and links you to studentaid.gov for the current figure. This keeps the site accurate over time without silently showing out-of-date numbers.
How we calculate
Most of this site is descriptive, not computational. For each loan type we record a set of objective, source-checked facts — who it’s for, how the rate is set, how limits are set, the key terms, and the real pros and cons — taken directly from Federal Student Aid and the CFPB. A short plain-English definition is the only AI-drafted element, and it is written under strict guardrails that forbid inventing any financial specifics; the structured facts are human-curated and source-backed.
Where we publish a data study, every figure is computed directly from that same dataset — true by construction — and we show our work. We never fabricate statistics, rates, or amounts; if a fact isn’t in the sourced record, we leave it blank rather than guess.
How we compare partners
When we help you compare student-loan or refinance options, we point you to vetted partners for live, no-obligation information. Any comparison is on objective variables (loan type, fixed-vs-variable, federal-protection impact, eligibility). Our explanations and rankings are never for sale — a partner paying us more does not change which option is actually right for you, and we will always flag when refinancing federal loans means losing federal protections.
Independence & how we make money
We are independent and reader-supported. Types of Student Loans may earn a commission through affiliate partnerships — if you click through to a partner and apply, we may be paid at no additional cost to you. FTC disclosure: these are paid affiliate relationships and we disclose them clearly. They never change the factual information on the site: the loan types, how their rates and limits are set, and the pros and cons are identical regardless of who pays us. We are not financial advisors and nothing here is financial advice; we make no rate, approval, or savings promises.
Keeping it current
We review the loan-type facts against the latest Federal Student Aid and CFPB guidance on a regular schedule and whenever a federal program changes. Because we link to studentaid.gov for current rates and limits rather than hard-coding them, the dated numbers you ultimately rely on always come straight from the official source. The “last reviewed” date on each study and on this page reflects our most recent check.
Corrections
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