 TITLE: What Is a Government Loan? CONTENT: Who Is Eligible for Government Loans?\n-------------------------------------\nEligibility varies based on what type of government loan you're seeking.\nFor a federal student loan, a student must meet a number of criteria, such as being a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, being enrolled in or accepted for an eligible degree or certificate program and maintaining \"satisfactory\" academic progress as measured by the school. With an SBA loan, you must be in business in the U.S., tap into other financial resources before trying to borrow money, and operate outside prohibited sectors such as gambling, lending and real estate investing.\nCredit scores also may be an eligibility component on some government loans. You don't need to have even established a credit history to obtain a federal student loan, for example, but a federal FHA mortgage might be only available to borrowers with a FICO Credit Score of 500 or better.\nOther requirements exist as well: VA loans, for example, require that you be a veteran, a veteran's spouse, or the surviving spouse of a veteran. You may also be eligible if you were previously a cadet attending the U.S. Military, Air Force or Coast Guard academy.\nTo figure out whether you qualify a government loan, visit [GovLoans.gov](;qc=cat_1). END