Whether at the start or end of a school year, it’s never too early or late to begin looking for ways to help defer the cost of a higher education.

Several good Web sites offer a range of information on financing a college education.

Here are some of them:

College Financial Planning at www.collegefinancialplanning.com.

It provides advice on saving for your education and getting loans.

Department of Education at www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP /Students/. The site contains details on federal student aid programs.

FastWeb at web.studentservices.com. It has a search engine that seeks out information on student loans, grants and scholarships.

SmartMoney.com at www.smartmoney.com/college. The site discusses a wide range of educational finance topics and how to plan for college.

Student Loan Funding Resources at www.studentloanfunding.com. The site offers loan resources, calculators and federal grant details.