About Our Lending Partners
These are our Lending Partners as selected through a competitive process following a Request For Proposal (RFP) through the FIU Purchasing and Procurement Office.

We encourage you to research these Lenders when deciding who you will borrow from. The Lenders were selected on the basis of best service in processing, lowest cost and customer service.

If you wish to use a Lender not on our Lending Partner list, please apply directly with your chosen Lender. In order to expedite the processing of your loan through a Lender not on the list, please request your Lender to submit by mail or by fax a Loan Certification form to the Financial Aid Office.


Graduate PLUS Loan for Graduate and Professional Students
If you have borrowed the maximum amount for which you are eligible under the Federal Stafford Loan Program, consider your next best option — a Federal PLUS Loan for graduate and professional students.

Advantages of a PLUS Loan for Graduate and Professional Students:
  • Low fixed interest rate
  • No prepayment penalty
  • Lenient credit criteria
  • No cosigner required
  • No minimum income requirements
  • No debt-to-income calculation
  • No payments required during at least half-time enrollment
  • Forbearance to align with Stafford loan repayment is available
  • Flexible repayment options available
  • Qualifies for Federal Consolidation
  • Borrow up to Cost of Attendance minus other aid
  • Deferment and forbearance options
  • In the event of permanent disability or death your loan will be forgiven
In addition, many lenders offer discounted fees and money-saving benefits for responsible repayment habits.

Before you apply for the Graduate PLUS Loan, you must complete the FAFSA and apply for the maximum amounts of Stafford unsubsidized and subsidized loans.


How To Apply
The graduate/professional student can apply for a PLUS loan and receive a pre-approval decision by contacting one of the PLUS loan lenders listed. Please make sure you complete the correct application with your lender. Graduate/Professional students should complete the PLUS for Graduate and Professional Students application. Upon approval, the graduate/professional student must sign a PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN) electronically (online) or sign a hard copy of the MPN and mail it back to their lender.

Submit proof of U.S. citizenship to the FIU financial aid office (Borrower must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.)

The lender will notify our office of the preapproval decision so that we can determine final eligibility.


Click on the lender logo or web address to research additional information and apply online.
Lender Code Key Features — Federal PLUS Loan for Graduate and Professional Students
SunTrust information

SunTrust
1-888-889-5191
www.nelnet.net
824135
  • 3.00% interest credit after the loan enters repayment, applied 210 days after PLUS loan is fully disbursed
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction for payments electronically paid from a personal bank account.
  • 3.33% reduction of original principal loan balance after making 30 initial on-time payments when the borrower is signed up for electronic statements.


Wachovia Education Finance
1-800-338-2243
www.wachovia.com
830005
  • An immediate reduced fixed interest rate of 7.90%
  • A rebate equal to 3.00% of your loan amount, applied six months after disbursement

Access Group contact information


Access Group
1-800-282-1550
www.accessgroup.org
808851
  • 1% interest rate reduction at repayment after making your first payment on time
  • One-time rehabilitation option after 12 consecutive montly payments on tme for borrowers with a late payment
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction for borrowers woh authorize automatic monthly payments

Wells Fargo contact and benefit information

Wells Fargo
1-800-658-3567
www.wellsfargo.com/student
807176
  • 0% default fee
  • Reduce your interest rate to as low as 6.75%
  • 0.50% immediate interest rate reduction at first disbursement
  • 1.50% immediate interest rate reduction at repayment (0.50% interest rate reduction at disbursement increases to 1.50% at repayment)
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction when Wells Fargo automatically withdraws payments from a checking or savings account
  • Last six months free — Wells Fargo will waive the last six months of regularly scheduled payments on the loan if all previous payments were made on-time
  • Benefit Recovery — We give you the opportunity to earn back the on-time interest rate reduction if it’s lost due to a late payment.
  • Wells Fargo offers life-of-loan servicing – one point of contact from application through final payment.
Citibank contact information

Citibank
1-800-967-2400
www.studentloan.com
826878
  • Save up to 6.00% on your principal loan balance with Citibank’s zero payments your last 6 months when all payments are made on time
  • Automatic 1.00% interest rate reduction at repayment
  • Additional 0.50% interest rate reduction when you sign up for E-Z Pay auto debit and receive electronic statements only
  • New! Benefit Recovery Feature: Unlimited chances to earn back your automatic interest rate reduction if lost as a result of late payments
  • Life-of-loan servicing
Student Loan Xpress contact information

Student Loan Xpress
1-888-274-0398
www.studentloanxpress.com
823584
  • 3.00% principal reduction after full disbursement
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction with automatic debit
Bank of America Contact Information
Bank of America
1-800-344-8382
www.bankofamerica.com/ studentbanking
831846
  • 0% federal default fee.
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction for borrowers who have their loan payments made with automatic debit.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 12 consecutive on-time payments.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 24 consecutive on-time payments.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 36 consecutive on-time payments.
  • Missing a payment during one of the twelve-month periods does not disqualify borrower from receiving future benefit(s).
  • Payments up to 15 days late are still considered on time.
AFC contact information

Academic Finance Corporation (AFC)
1-877-AFC-4322
www.afclending.com
833864
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction upon entering repayment
  • 1.75% interest rate reduction upon signing up for ACH
  • No minimum number of on-time payments required
  • 3.00% principal rebate of amount disbursed
Edamerica contact information

Edamerica
1-866-842-8045
www.edamerica.net
831453
  • Zero default fee
  • 1.50% interest rate reduction at disbursement.
  • 0.50% Quick Pay interest rate reduction
  • Benefit repair option after 24 months of on-time payments
  • 20.5% or more savings in total loan costs
  • Combine billing with Edamerica Stafford Loan
  • Life-of-loan servicing; your loan will not be sold