Which student loan is best for me?

I'm a junior in college and I'm debt free. I live with my parents in NYC and have had a scholarship for Hunter College since I began. I want to study abroad this summer in China. It's going to cost around $5,000. I don't have that kind of money, neither do my parents. I want to take out a loan, I'm not sure which one. Is a private loan or a Stafford loan better? Does anyone have experience and/or knowledge to help guide me through my first steps?