Private Educational Loans | ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé

ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé

Private Educational Loans

Private Educational Loans

The after tax interest rates of private loans are sometimes very attractive. However, Federal Loans, have cancellation provisions, unemployment & economic deferment provisions, as well as consolidation options which are not available to the private loan borrower. However there are some programs of study (e.g. Certification Programs) at ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé that are not eligible for Federal Funding. In this situation it is appropriate to consider private funding.

There are also private loans for past due account balances for students who must clear their balances before returning to school. The student should first make sure to have applied for federal aid using the FAFSA and address the private loan for the past due balance as indicated in the next paragraph.

Although a FAFSA is required for processing a private/alternative loan there are some circumstances in which an individual need not complete a FAFSA - the student is applying for loan for a prior balance only, the student is an International student or otherwise not eligible based on citizenship, or the student is enrolled in a Certificate Program which does not lead to a degree. In situations like these the student should submit a document with their private loan application requesting an exception to the FAFSA requirement based on the criteria outlined in this paragraph.

No combination of funding from private, federal, state or institutional sources can exceed the Cost of Attendance.

Congress has recently mandated that private loan lenders require borrowers to complete a Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form when requesting any private educational loans. Do not submit your self-certification form to ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé and we can not complete this form for you. It must be completed by the borrower and sent to the lender that you are applying with.

There are many Private Education loan programs available through a variety of private lending institutions and banks. Private loans are designed to be similar to government-sponsored educational loans, often allowing in-school deferment of payments. However, private lenders will perform credit and eligibility checks before granting the loans. Often, a cosigner is required. Interest rates may be higher than the government-sponsored educational loans, but still may be a better option than other kinds of loans available to the student.

You will need to contact the lenders directly in order to obtain any additional information and to apply for a private education loan. We will process a loan with any private/alternative lender. Although some private lenders are much better than others in processing loans when interacting with our office, we cannot provide you with a listing or provide any recommendation. We suggest you begin with a lender you know and explore lenders on your own.

Once you have completed an application with your individual lender a loan certification will be sent to the ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé Student Financial Aid Office. In order for Student Financial Aid to certify your loan application you must complete a ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé Certification Form, a FAFSA for the appropriate year and return it to the ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé Student Financial Aid Office. When loan funds are received, they will be placed on your student account.

Warning: Private Loans may have higher interest rates than Federal Direct Loans; private loans also usually have variable interest rates. They may also compound interest as well as capitalize interest even if you are allowed to defer interest payments while enrolled. Capitalization of interest means accrued interest will be added to principle at some point; the next time interest accrues it will be on the higher balance. So for example, it is not uncommon for the accrued annual interest on an $8,000 balance to be over $1,000. It is always better to pay interest as you go (if you can) so that your loan balance remains the same as the amount you borrowed.

General Requirements:

  • Be admitted to ÎÞÂë¾ÞÈé and be in an active degree or certificate program.
  • Contact a lender and complete their application process. (Lender may have additional requirements for our certification such as number of credit hours, etc.)
  • Complete the FAFSA and any other forms required to complete your file or provide a written request for an exemption based on the criteria in the paragraphs above with the loan application.

 

 

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