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EDVestinU Review

EDvestinU
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EDvestinU
EDvestinU
Patrick Sather
May. 29, 2022
4 min read
Patrick Sather
EDvestinU Summary
EDVestinU is the private student loan lender for the nonprofit New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation. Excluding Washington and California, EDvestinU offers student loans, scholarships, and refinancing nationwide. In addition to flexible repayment options, there are no application, origination, or prepayment fees.

Pros

  • Rate discount for New Hampshire students and autopay
  • No application, origination, or prepayment fees
  • Loans starting at $1,000

Cons

  • A loan quote requires a hard credit check
  • $200,000 aggregate limit on loans
  • Stringent credit score and income requirements to qualify

EDvestinU at a glance

8.8
Editorial score

Online experience

Good online resources, but no mobile app
8.0

Customer services and support

Multiple ways of reaching lender, wide range of hours
8.0

Repayment flexibility

Offers flexible repayment plans & the option for special repayment programs
10.0

Eligibility

Doesn't cover bad credit, low income borrowers
8.0

Variety of Loan Types

Offers all loan types
10.0

EDvestinU at a Glance

EDvestinU EDvestinU Visit EDvestinU

Overview

Founded in 1962, EDvestinU is the independent private student loan provider for the New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation. It provides undergraduate and graduate loans, student loan refinancing, and a quarterly scholarship giveaway to US and international students nationwide. It is a TrustSpot verified company boasting an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Currently, EDvestinU is not rated by the Better Business Bureau. 

Suitable For?

With its New Hampshire Students Incentive Program, EDvestinU is suited for New Hampshire residents and students attending college or university in the Granite State. Through the program, students qualify for a 1% rate reduction on fixed loans and a 0.25% reduction on variable loans. In addition to a rate reduction, New Hampshire students also receive customizable loan terms and access to local, in-person education support in Concord, NH. Students can contact customer service to inquire about customizable loan terms. 

Loan Features

EDvestinU offers variable and fixed-rate loans with 7, 10, and 15-year repayment terms. If you wish to refinance an existing loan, you can choose between a 5, 10, 15, or 20-year term. Although students cannot pre-qualify for a quote online, you can estimate your interest rate and payments with EDvestinU’s student loan payment calculator. Loans of between $1,000–$200,000 are available and may be used for tuition and covered education expenses, including books and housing costs. 

Proceeds from the provider’s loan programs support a quarterly $1,500 scholarship drawing and college access activities in public high schools throughout New Hampshire. In addition to allowing loan cosigners, EDvestinU grants the opportunity to release a cosigner after 36 months of consecutive on-time payments. While late payments may incur a 5% fee, EDvestinU does not charge any application, origination, deferment, disbursement, or repayment fees. 

The Application Process

Students can complete a loan application entirely online on EDvestinU’s website. At this time, EDvestinU does not offer applicants the opportunity to get pre-approval for a loan. Additionally, a complete application requires a hard credit check.

Application documents may include:

  • Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
  • Social security card
  • Income verification for cosigners (pay stubs, tax docs, benefit award letter, etc.)

When evaluating your application, EDvestinU considers your income, credit score, loan amount, and payment history. If you apply with a cosigner, your cosigner’s income and credit score will also need to meet eligibility standards. The average loan application takes one week to review and complete. 

Eligibility Requirements

EDvestinU student loans are available to US and international students nationwide. However, at this time, EDvestinU is not available to primary borrowers living in California or Washington. Additionally, international students must apply with an eligible cosigner. To qualify, primary borrowers must have a yearly income of at least $30,000 and a credit score of 750. If you apply with a cosigner, your cosigner must have an annual income of at least $30,000 and a credit score of 675.

Loan Rates

Loan rates vary depending on your credit score, income, payment history, repayment terms, and loan amount. By signing up for automatic payments, you may qualify for a 0.50% interest rate reduction. If you receive the reduction, your APR for a variable loan may range from 2.20%–6.17%, while your APR for a fixed loan will be between 3.02%–7.72%. In addition to improving your chances of qualifying for a loan, applying with a cosigner may help you secure a lower rate. EDvestinU does not indicate your rate before completing a full application, which requires a hard credit check.

Repayment Terms

Repayment for variable and fixed-rate loans is available in 7, 10, and 15-year terms. If you sign up for automatic payments, you can qualify for a 0.50% interest rate reduction on your loan. With this reduction, APR for variable loans ranges from 2.20%–6.17%, while APR for fixed loans ranges from 3.02%–7.72%. EDvestinU offers immediate, interest-only, and deferred repayment options. Although it provides economic hardship deferment and forbearance for up to 12 months, EDvestinU does not provide disability discharge or loan forgiveness. 

How Safe Is It?

To protect your information, EDvestinU maintains strict physical and technical controls. It encrypts secure areas of its website using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and regularly screens for proper handling of personal information. In addition, EDVestinU does not sell user data to third parties. 

Customer Service

Loan specialists are available for in-person consultations at EDvestinU’s office in Concord, NH. If you live outside of NH, phone support is offered from 8 am–5 pm ET, Monday–Friday. Existing borrowers may access account details online 24/7. Additionally, you can email questions to the Education Resources team at educationresources@edvestinu.com.

EDvestinU’s knowledgeable loan specialists can help answer questions around loan details, repayment options, and account access. 

How EDVestinU Compares


EDVestinUCollege AveCitizens
APRVariable APR from 2.20%–6.17%, fixed APR from 3.02%–7.72%Variable APR from 0.99%–11.98%, fixed APR from 2.99%–12.99%Variable APR from 1.15%–10.41%, fixed APR from 4.18%–10.95%
Minimum credit score750 (individual borrower), 675 (with a cosigner)Mid 600sNo set credit score requirement
Loan amounts$1,000–$200,000$1,000–100% of the cost of attendance$1,000–100% of the cost of attendance (aggregate limits apply)
Accepts cosignersYesYesYes
Suitable forNew Hampshire residents and studentsBorrowers seeking flexible loan termsStudents seeking an advanced degree (law, medicine, etc.)

Summary

Based in Concord, New Hampshire, EDvestinU is a private student loan provider that offers student loans, loan refinancing, and scholarships to US and international students nationwide. You can apply with or without a cosigner so long as you meet minimum income and credit score requirements. APR for variable loans ranges from 2.20%–6.17%, while APR for fixed loans ranges from 3.02%–7.72% with a 0.50% autopay reduction. New Hampshire students are eligible to receive an additional 1% reduction on fixed loans and 0.25% reduction on variable loans. While an application requires a hard credit check, EDvestinU does not charge application, origination, or prepayment fees. 

Methodology

This review was created with information from EDvestinU’s website, reviews on comparison sites, and conversations with customer service representatives. 

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Patrick Sather
Written by
Patrick Sather
Patrick Sather is an award-winning personal finance writer and licensed broker who has worked for some of the largest financial firms in the United States, including TD Ameritrade and Pacific Life. A graduate of the University of Nebraska in both Economics and International Trade and English, his articles on life's most common financial decisions and quandaries are straightforward, practical, and always easy to understand.
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