William D. Ford was a U.S. Representative who spent three decades on Capitol Hill and dedicated himself to expanding educational opportunities for children. He served as Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor. He believed that the government has an obligation to give its citizens a chance at success and he worked every day of his life to be the champion of the working poor and the middle class, per Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn.

He authored the Middle Income Student Assistance Act and orchestrated the passage of the Family Medical Leave Act. In 1994 The Federal Direct Student Loan Program was named for him. The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (FDSLP), often referred to as "Direct Loans," is a United States Department of Education program that provides loans to help students pay for education after high school.

The Department of Education acts as a lender, providing funds for Stafford loans and PLUS loans in the same amounts as the Stafford and PLUS loans offered through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The Department of Education allows schools to choose which program; FDSLP or FFELP, best suits the needs of it students. Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students and parents to help pay for the cost of your education after high school.

The lender is the U.S. Department of Education rather that a bank or other financial institutions. The following are the different categories of Direct Loans. With the Simple Loan you can borrow directly from the federal government and have a single contract, The Direct Loan Servicing Center, for everything related to the repayment of your loans, even if you receive Direct Loans at different schools.

With a Convenient Loan you will have online access to your Direct Loan account information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Having a Flexible Loan you can choose from several repayment plans that are designed to meet the needs of almost any borrower, and you can switch repayment plans if your needs change. There are different kinds of Direct Loans available for the student also.

Subsidized Stafford Loans are for students with financial need as determined by federal regulations. No interest is charged while you are in school at least half time, during your grace period, and during deferment periods. PLUS Loans are low-interest loans for graduate/professional students and for parents to help their children who are dependent students meet college costs.

Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are for students and are not based on financial need. Interest is charges during all periods. Consolidation Loans allow students or parents to combine different eligible federal student loans into one loan.