When it comes to student loans, one of the challenges is to keep up with the interest rates. Depending upon the interest that this loan attracts, you may be spending far more to clear the debt than what you had initially borrowed. Hence, it is pivotal for you to search for a loan with the lowest interest rates. So, here, we will discuss some of the best student loans that you can find.
1. Earnest student loans
Earnest is one of the top private student loan providers. It offers funding to graduate and current college students. For eligibility, you need to be a full-time student, or a graduate, or a half-time college senior. It also provides loans applicable to graduates who are refinancing their loans. Earnest has been around since 2013, and with them, the borrowers can select the precise loan terms to fund the total education cost.
One of the best things about Earnest student loans is that there is no application fee, origination, or late fee. Also, students can select their loan’s duration and the sum of monthly payout. There is also a facility for co-signers on graduate or undergraduate student loans. However, the only problem is that co-signers or borrowers must have a minimum FICO credit score of 650. Also, unfortunately, students from a few states cannot avail of the student loans from Earnest.
Some loan options you can get with Earnest are parent plus refinancing; undergraduate loans; graduate loans; undergraduate refinancing; law, business, and medical school loans; graduate refinancing; and law, business, or medical school refinancing.
2. Citizens Bank loans
Citizens Bank provides some of the cheapest interest rates in student loans. Once you enroll in their auto-pay scheme and simultaneously sign up for another Citizens Bank account (a savings or checking account), you can apply for an array of loans at a low interest rate. The interest rate charged depends on whether you are a graduate student or an undergraduate student and parent or student.
Furthermore, a positive aspect about Citizens Bank is their multi-year approval facility, which offers access to additional student loans after you have availed your first student loan from them. You can get a loan for a term of 15, 10, or five years, and the borrowing amount can be as high as $350,000 or as low as $1,000 overtime. Of course, the amount and loan terms depend on education level, degree, and whether your parents borrow on your behalf.
Borrowers also have an option of selecting repayment options, such as full immediate repayment, or a full in-school deferment that is valid up to eight years. They also provide you with a student loan refinancing scheme.
In some cases, undergrad students might need a co-signer to qualify, and the co-signer release is provided once you make your three-year payments on time.
3. Sallie Mae student loans
The third on the list is the Sallie Mae, which is open for all students and is incredibly flexible. It can accommodate your educational timeline and needs. Though Sallie Mae commenced as a federal student loan lender, it is now able to provide you with private student loans over time. In addition, it is one of the very few lenders that offers loans to part-time students. So, this implies that even if you are taking night classes or summer classes, you will still be eligible for a loan. It also applies to a foreign school, professional certification courses, and study abroad programs.
Some benefits of availing of a loan from Sallie Mae are interest-only payments for a year following graduation, quarterly FICO credit report at no cost, and four-month free Chegg Study. The only downside is that to know the rate and qualify for the loan, you will have to go through a hard inquiry.