Can you consolidate your already consolidated college loans with new graduate school loans?
I already consolidated college loans last year and have graduated. I have taken out new loans for graduate school, can I consolidate all the loans together?
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Your Graduate Student Loans can be consolidated with your existing Student Loan Consolidation if the new loans are Federal Student Loans. Are you still attending school at least half time?
The reason I ask is because as of July 1st, 2006 you can no longer consolidate your Federal Student Loans while you are enrolled in school at least half time. The only time that you can consolidate your Federal Student Loans when you are talking class is when your status is below halftime. Otherwise you have to wait until you graduate or take time off from school.
If your new Graduate Loans are not Federal Student Loans I would advise against consolidating the two together. The FFELP Consolidation Loan Program does not allow for Federal Student Loans to be consolidated together with Private Student Loans. If you should happen to consolidate the two together, you will lose all your Federal Benefits that come with the Federal Student Loans. For more information please visit the source below.
Contact the holder of your consolidation loan. You may be able to extend your current loan to absorb the new loans, but you may have to give up the interest rate. You may be able to consolidate them all under a new loan, again, giving up the old rate for the new one. But you may have to have a new consolidation for the new loans. Your consolidation lender is best equipped to answer your question.
It depends on whether your grad loans are federal (Grad PLUS) or private (given directly by a bank or credit union). If your grad loans are Grad PLUS, then yes, they can be consolidated with your current consolidated loans. If they are private student loans, they cannot be consolidated with your federal loans, but can be consolidated by themselves.
If you choose a lender that consolidates both, you may still be able to get just one bill that covers both loans.