Do I qualify for a student loan?

Student loans come in several types, and you obviously have done some research as you named the Perkins and Stafford programs correctly. Perkins is awarded by the Financial Aid Office. The Stafford loan also is processed by the university based on the same FAFSAA, however, the Stafford can either be subsidized (government pays the interest for you while you're in school - determined by your income and current resources), or unsubsidized.

People who do NOT qualify for "need based aid" can still get an unsubsidized Stafford loan, and simply allow the interest from the in-school period accrue and be repaid along with the original principal amount at repayment.

Source : http://www.youngmoney.com/financial_aid/student_loans/102

How the end of the single holder rule affects you, the student loan borrower

Until July 1, 2006 if all of your student loans were issued through one lender, you were forced to consolidate with that lender—regardless of whether that lender had the best student loan consolidation deals for you. If you’re like most students, you probably have no idea which lender was supplying your federal student loans.

If you did, you probably didn’t pour through the fine print of their student loan consolidation terms while in line at the financial aid office. Now, it doesn’t matter who issued your original loan, you can consolidate college loans with the lender that offers you the most benefits.

source : http://www.scholarpoint.com/Articles/