A Stafford Loan was a federal student loan made and guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. Named in honor of Vermont Senator Robert Stafford for his contribution to higher education, Stafford Loans were available to eligible undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

Stafford Loans are no longer available through the Federal Family Education Loan Program as of July 1, 2010.

However, Stafford loans are still often used informally to refer to Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans made under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans) program.

For details on Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans, check here.