Here are the eligibility requirement for federal Stafford loans:
Citizen/Eligible Noncitizen: You must be one of the following to receive federal student aid:
U.S. citizen
U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)
If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible:
"Refugee"
"Asylum Granted"
"Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
"Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
"Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you aren't eligible for federal student aid.
If you're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you can't get federal student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for federal student aid.
