"Although students entering or returning to college this year face higher costs and fewer loan options, federally guaranteed students loans are still available in New Hampshire, and their limits have increased," the New Hampshire Union Leader reports. "NHHELCO is part of the Concord-based New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF) network. Over the past decade, NHHELCO has issued $1.5 billion in bonds to underwrite student loans in the state through the auction rates securities market which froze in February. A coalition of New Hampshire banks and credit unions stepped forward to provide $94 million in funds for the guaranteed loans, Drouin said. NHHELCO has signed an agreement with the federal Department of Education under the new law, he said."