The Catholic University of America

Private Alternative Education Loans

Private Alternative (commercial) educational loan options assist students and families in meeting college costs. Private educational loans are available to eligible students and are provided by nationally recognized lending or banking institutions. These are credit-based loans, and it is recommended that students first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for the Federal loan programs prior to applying for an alternative loan. Graduate students and parents of dependent undergraduate students are also encouraged to compare private alternative loan costs with those of the Federal Direct PLUS Loan, a PLUS Loan is usually less expensive and has better repayment options.

Before selecting a lender, a student should compare lender terms, conditions and options, and choose those that best fit their financial needs. Factors such as interest rate, APR, length of repayment, back-end benefits, loan minimum and maximum as well as various fees should be carefully considered when researching and choosing a private loan. Back-end benefits are benefits that a borrower may receive after going into repayment, such as an interest rate reduction for a set number of consecutive on-time payments or for automatic electronic payments.  You should scrutinize back-end benefits and the criteria required to trigger the benefit on a lender-by-lender basis.  Determine which benefits are important to you and if it is reasonable to obtain the benefit. Before borrowing an alternative loan, the student should carefully consider their present level of debt and repayment obligations on all loans.  Determine how much to borrow by working out a budget for educational costs and subtracting all the resources for those costs. Terms and conditions applicable to these loans vary greatly.

Private educational loans, like auto or home loans, are based on the borrower's creditworthiness. Most private alternative lenders rely heavily on the creditworthiness of the student and cosigner to determine whether or not a loan application will be approved and to establish the interest rate. Most students will need a creditworthy cosigner, such as a parent or other relative, in order to obtain a private loan.

It is recommended that borrowers compare and research various private alternative lenders available in the marketplace, but to be cautious of direct-to-consumer loans. Direct-to-consumer loans often have much higher interest rates and/or fees than private alternative educational loans. Usually direct-to-consumer loans do not require school certification.

General Step-by-Step Private Alternative Loan Application Process

You may begin the application process any time after June 1st, 2009, for the 2009-2010 year.

  • Submit a loan application directly to the lender of your choice. Please be sure to indicate that you will be attending Catholic University. Applying with a credit-worthy co-borrower can enhance your credit rating and lower your interest rate and fees.
  • The maximum loan amount is the amount of the total Cost of Attendance (COA) not covered by other financial aid. You should apply for the amount you will need for both the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Semesters. Your lender will disburse the loan proceeds to Catholic University in equal disbursements each semester.
  • Your lender will complete a credit check and advise you of the decision. If, for any reason, you feel that you may have difficulty with this credit check process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 888-635-8877 to discuss your alternatives. It is important, given the lengthy processing time, that you explore your options and have a back-up plan in the event your loan application is not approved.
  • After initiating your application with the lender, a pre-printed promissory note will be mailed to you by the lender. Sign and return the promissory note to the lender. Your lender may allow you to sign your promissory note electronically via their website. A signed promissory note is required prior to disbursement of loan funds.
  • Once approved, your lender will forward your application to the Office of Financial Aid office at CUA. We will certify the loan to verify your enrollment and eligibility and return the data to your lender.
  • Loan funds will be applied to your student account when Catholic University receives them from your lender. Funds will be sent to CUA either via a paper check or electronic funds transfer. You will be notified by the Office of Student Accounts if a paper check requires your endorsement. Student enrollment is verified prior to disbursement.
  • As loan processing depends on operations inside and outside of CUA, please allow 4-8 weeks processing time. Please contact your lender directly about the status of your loan.

Important Notice:  Once a private alternative (commercial) loan is disbursed, the loan is considered complete (booked) and the Office of Financial Aid will not make a change in the loan amount based on a borrower's request.  If the borrower is left with excess funds those funds can be paid directly to their lender as repayment of loan principle.  If the borrower determines that additional funds are needed, a second loan would need to be initiated with the chosen lender.

Catholic University abides by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Statement of Ethical Principles, the industry standard Code of Conduct, and the District of Columbia Code of Conduct.

Suggested Private Lenders (listed alphabetically)

Choosing a lender is an important step in the student loan process. The Catholic University of America has compiled a Suggested Lender List made up of lenders whose terms, service and application/certification/disbursement processes appear to be favorable for student borrowers. Students may, but are not required, to work with any of the lenders on this list. Students may choose to work with any eligible commercial lender for their private alternative borrowing needs, whether on the CUA Suggested Lender List or not. The Office of Financial Aid will work with any lender a borrower selects to certify their private loan(s) and to facilitate loan disbursement.

Catholic University has experienced overall good service with the private educational loan providers listed below. Catholic University surveyed eighteen lenders via a Request for Information (RFI) comprised of sixty-five questions regarding lender information, borrower services, private/alternative loan products and school services. After reviewing the lenders' responses, we are offering CUA's Suggested Lender List (listed below). Catholic University chose these lenders based upon 1) competitiveness of loan terms; 2) ease of application, certification, and disbursement; 3) past overall experience and 4) general reputation. However, the choice of a private educational loan lender is ultimately up to the borrower.  The borrower is responsible for comparing loan rates, terms, conditions and selecting the loan that will best meet their needs.

Borrowers are asked to use CUA's Suggested Lender List as a starting point, but are encouraged to look at other lenders not listed to determine if they are a better fit for your individual needs. The federal loan programs have mandated interest rates and repayment schedules, so lenders compete mostly on borrower benefits and services. However, the interest rate and origination fee on private educational loans is based on the credit worthiness of the individual borrower or co-signer if applicable. It is advisable to apply for a private educational loan with a co-signer since the interest rate and origination fee are usually based on the highest credit score. Back-end benefits are benefits that a borrower may receive after going into repayment, such as an interest rate reduction for a set number of consecutive on-time payments or for automatic electronic payments. You should scrutinize back-end benefits and the criteria required to trigger the benefit on a lender-by-lender basis. Determine which benefits are important to you and if it is reasonable to obtain the benefit.

CUA has created a Suggested Lender Comparison Chart which is only meant to provide a general overview. These terms are subject to change at any time by individual lenders.  Borrowers should consult directly with the lenders to obtain the most current and accurate information regarding specific terms in effect at any given time.  Catholic University is not responsible for changes or fluctuations in the current lending environment. A student loan may be resold at any point after disbursement.  Please contact your lender directly for additional information and ask the lender if they have any preexisting agreements to sell the loan to another institution.

Please take the time to review the relative terms and benefits offered by these lenders before you apply for a loan to ensure the best possible terms for your personal circumstances.  A link to each lender's current borrower benefits is provided.  A borrower should evaluate the various terms and features associated with each loan, and make selections based on their personal circumstances.

Choosing a Non-Electronic Process Lender

Some lenders will do electronic processing, and some will not.  Should you choose a lender that is not set up for electronic processing using OpenNet, processing will be slower.  The lender will send us a paper certification request, and your funds will disburse in the form of a paper check mailed to the University. We will process your loan as expeditiously as possible, but be aware that this paper transaction will take longer.  Please contact your lender directly for additional information.

You are responsible for:

Contacting the lender to inquire about their specific promissory note processing procedures.
Determining if your lender is OpenNet capable and if so, requesting your loan certification to be sent via OpenNet.
Requesting your lender (if they are not OpenNet capable) to send your loan certification by fax to 202-319-6868 or mail it to:

The Catholic University of America
ATTN:  Loan Certification
620 Michigan Avenue, N.E.
McMahon Hall, Room 6
Washington, D.C. 20064