Front end benefits are discounts offered up front when the loan is disbursed. This can be a reduction of fees or a rebate. Back end benefits are discounts offered when the student goes into repayment. These might include an interest reduction for auto-debit payments. It is best to focus on discounts which you can't lose or on discounts that are immediate. Be aware of fine print that requires you to repay a fee rebate if you consolidate with another lender or charge a penalty to pay off the loan early (pre-payment penalty).