Interest-Free Help
These charities make no-interest loans to students. Several are still accepting applications for the coming school year.
Central Scholarship Bureau. www.centralsb.org Makes about 120 loans annually to students from central Maryland. Rolling deadlines.
Evalee C. Schwarz Charitable Trust for Education. www.evaleeschwarztrust.org Makes about 70 loans a year of up to $15,000 for students with expected family contributions of less than $4,000, high test scores and grades, and no plans to become lawyers. Deadline: April 15.
The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. www.sfstl.org Makes about 600 loans annually to students from parts of Missouri and Illinois. Deadline: April 15.
Bill Raskob Foundation. www.billraskob.org Makes roughly 100 loans a year. Deadline: May 1.
Abe and Annie Seibel Foundation. (409) 770-5665. Makes 800 loans annually of up to $5,000 each in Texas. Deadline: February 28.
Hattie Strong Foundation. www.hmstrongfoundation.org Makes about 125 new loans annually for the senior year. Deadline: March 31.
This story appears in the April 17, 2006 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.