Hi there,
I've taken out a loan to attend a private university in the US a few years back. This school has a cooperation with a private, US-based, lending institution to enable prospective international students that cannot find any other forms of financing to take out a loan. In case of the student not being able to make payments and going into default the university is then liable to pay as it basically functions as co-signer.
I've been making my payments for the last several years, but now I am encountering financial difficulties that will likely force me to go into default on the