In many cases, you will find that Perkins student education loans are also referred to as Stafford loans.  These are special loans available to students.  Typically, they are guaranteed by the Federal government.  You will also find that Perkins loans have a much lower interest rate than other types of loans.  This program was set up in order to help low income individuals obtain a college education.  As long as you maintain a good academic standing, you should be able to successfully apply for this type of loan.  Even though Perkins loans can be expensive to pay back, they have enabled millions of Americans to get the kind of education they need in order to obtain good jobs and careers.