Education Loans - Meet College Expenses at Low Cost Finance

Higher education has become costlier for a student so much so that an education loan is now considered a necessity. As a consequence there are now more sources available to a student for taking education loans. Students are now in a better position of availing education loan as per their requirements.

There are two main sources of education loans. One source is the government funded loans and the other is private lenders. Usually students prefer taking education loans from government bodies as they can provide a subsidized loan. The advantage of subsidized education loans is that they are cheaper. The subsidy is provided by the Federal Government in USA and by the finance ministry in other countries. On the other hand, private lenders will charge an interest rate on education loans. There is a Federal family education loan program that is considered as most useful because it provides affordable and flexible options regarding educational loans. Under the program students are charged a very lower interest rate on education loans and students are given convenient and larger repayment duration.

Students do not have to face any problems in paying back education loans. All lenders either subsidized loan providers or private lenders, give students ample time for clearing the loan. Students are not working people and hence do not earn sufficiently for immediately starting paying back education loans. Students can start paying back federal educational loans six months after they have finished their collage education. Usually ten year repayment duration is offered for education loans. For greater educational loans the repayment duration may be larger.

Some requirements are to be followed for education loans. The student applying for education loans must have attained the age of eighteen years. If the student is applying for a private education loan then he or she is expected to bring a co-signer along with. Credit report of the student also may be required for the loan. Usually credit unions provide educational loans on taking a property of student like a vehicle as collateral.

As far as paying interest rate is concerned, a student has the option of paying or not paying during the collage education term. However if some amount is paid towards interest then it becomes a lot easier for the student to pay off the remaining amount after he has completed collage education.

Before applying to a particular lender, compare terms-conditions and interest rates of different lenders. These lenders can be approached on their web sites. Surely education loans are of a great help to student who are going for a collage education.

Special Education

Special education refers to unconventional education services designed to cater to the needs of individuals suffering from physical and mental drawbacks such as physical handicaps, sensory (visual and hearing) impairments, intellectual capacity (mental retardation and autism), learning disabilities (reading and writing skills), speech impairment and those with behavior disorders. It seeks to address problems of the individual, as well as provide effective solutions through a set of formulated instructions, service aids and supports, learning techniques and transitions services.

The goal of special education is to address the needs of these special individuals (children, youth and adults) and ensure that they gain equal access to quality education regardless of their condition. In effect, it encourages them to keep up with the challenges of normal education and help improve their chances for success in life.

Specialized method of education

The primary focus of this special type of education is to provide support and learning techniques to the individual. Children are properly educated in the most learning-conducive environment to help them discover their in-depth skills and abilities hidden behind the disabilities they might have.

But not everyone can employ this educational service. As such, before the person can avail of it, different levels of evaluations must take place. The processes can vary, though the primary stages include referral, parental consent, child evaluation and review and recommendation of appropriate institutionalized methods.

An afterthought...

In today's society there are more than 6 million children and youth estimated to be suffering from disabilities, and the demand for special education has grown by leaps and bounds. By properly dealing with the issues and problems concerned and finding solutions, special education can give them the chance to stand up and be on equal footing with their peers, drawing out their true potentials as key movers and prime contributors to society regardless of their physical and mental difficulties.

The Education System in Australia

Australia is a vibrant economy and a rich cultural melting pot. One of the cornerstones of the development of the once penal colony is the system of education in Australia. There are many rules regarding schooling in Australia and it is these rules that help keep the country moving forward towards greatness and further prosperity.

School attendance in Australia is compulsory to children from five years of age. It is mandated that all citizens and residents are to receive eleven years of compulsory education. With these particular rules, the adult literacy rate in the country is at a high 99%. After the basic education of eleven years, the country has many government funded universities and educational institutions. This has allowed many individuals to enjoy higher education and degrees that can help not only themselves but also their families.

Aside from university education, there is another set of options for education in the country. There are many schools in Australia called TAFE Institutes. These institutions are college level educational systems that provide apprenticeship programs for individuals to train them towards an economic skill needed in the workplace. As of 2009, more than half of Australians between the ages of 25 and 64 have earned vocational qualifications. With both university training and vocational training available in schools in Australia, this has made the country a favored destination for students and other immigrants from all over the world.

After learning about the kinds of schools in Australia, the educational system in the country is primarily governed by individual states and territories in the Australian confederation. The model followed by the country is a three-tier model, with eleven years of primary and secondary education soon followed by tertiary education. The normal school year in Australia runs from January to December for primary, secondary and TAFE education. As for tertiary level schools in Australia, the schedule opens in February and closes in November.

As for the aspects of reporting and assessment, this has been standardized in primary and secondary levels throughout the continent. The grading system has been simplified as follows:

a) A (Excellent) - 85 and above;
b) B (Good) - 70 to 84;
c) C (Average) - 50 to 69;
d) D (Fail) - 25 to 49;
e) E (Failure) - 0 to 24.

The High School Certificate has mandated minimum requirements and depends largely on the legislation per state. Each state has a different set of requirements and is administered by the state's education authorities. In order to obtain the coveted certificate, each subject taken in schools in Australia would be counted to determine the Tertiary Entrance Rank of the individual student. Equivalencies are important to ensure that the individual complies with the minimum requirements set by the state.

As for the tertiary level schools in Australia, the system is built upon the percentage of maximum raw marks obtained by the individual student. This is the system adhered to by many universities to comply with legislated policies. The highest distinction grades are obtained only by at most 5% while fifty percent would receive a basic passing grade. As for those who fail, their grades are not scaled since grade point averages are not always used at the tertiary level.

Schools in Australia are one of the most advanced and modern educational systems in the world. As determined by Australia Forum, "thus it is clearly a move forward once you are able to obtain a degree or certification from a school in Australia. Not only is it of high caliber, but your education can also be your means to enter into a vibrant and burgeoning economy that is located down under in Australia."