EDvestinU Student Loans Review: Pros And Cons

Getting into the right college can be an ordeal in itself, and then there’s the financing of living as a student to consider. Books, travel, rent and the occasional beer can all add up and savings don’t always stretch far enough.

In the private loan sector, there are the big banks, there are credit unions, and there are the non-profits. EDvestinU, a New Hampshire higher education lender, falls into the latter camp. It offers competitive rates to students both in and out of state plus has a provision for qualifying international students in the US.

See how EDvestinU stacks up against our Best Student Loan Refinancing Lenders.

EDvestinU is also on the Credible Platform. You can quickly compare lenders in 2 minutes or less with Credible. As a bonus, College Investor readers can get up to a $1,000 gift card bonus if they refinance on Credible. See terms. Let's check out EDvestinU.

EDvestinU Student Loans

In the past, students applying for a loan with EDvestinU were only able to receive funding for course fees. However, students can now use EDvestinU loans to pay for room and board as well as other qualifing education expenses. Here's what else you need to know about their private student loans.

Rates And Terms

Remember, when it comes to rates, always compare - we love Credible because you can compare multiple lenders in seconds, for free. Plus, College Investor readers get up to a $1,000 bonus when they refinance with Credible.

The minimum amount available to borrow is $1,000 per year, with the maximum loan amount being determined by the institution of study as students are eligible to borrow up the maximum attendance costs, less any financial aid offered. There is also an aggregate maximum of $200,000.

There are three available loan terms: 7,10, and 15 years. EDvestinU offers a 0.50% APR reduction for borrowers who opt to pay by autopay. The organization also offers both fixed-rate and variable-rate loans with the following APR ranges:

• Variable APR: 8.14% - 11.057%
• Fixed APR: 6.00% - 10.167%

These rates are current as of July 16, 2024. Rates and terms are subject to change - please see the EDvestinU website for the most recent rates and terms.

It's also important to note that private student loans are only available to borrowers in the following states: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Discounts For New Hampshire Residents:

If you are a New Hampshire resident or eligible student attending a New Hampshire college or university, fixed rate student loans receive up to a 1.5% reduction and variable rate loans receive up to a 0.75% reduction, as compared to the EDvestinU Private Student Loan.

That makes your rates as follows:

• Variable APR: 7.390% - 10.307%
• Fixed APR: 4.50% - 8.667%

In-School Repayment Options

For students or parents who wish to pay toward their loan, but can’t afford to start with the principal amount, an interest-only payment schedule is available as a bridge between the immediate and deferred payment options. Interest-only and deferred plans come with incrementally higher interest rates and borrowers will end up paying more interest over the life of the loan.

EDvestinU offers penalty-free repayments, meaning students have the flexibility to pay off loans sooner – at no additional cost. Parents will likely also appreciate the option to be released from their cosigning duties following 36 months of consecutive and on-time repayments.

Support New Hampshire Students

Choosing a loan from EDvestinU comes with warm fuzzy feelings at no extra cost. Proceeds from their loan programs support monthly scholarships and college access activities in all of New Hampshire’s public high schools. 

Speaking of scholarships, EDvestinU gives away $1,500 in scholarship money each quarter. To qualify, you'll need to be a New Hampshire resident or be attending a Title IV college or university in the state.

How Do EDvestinU Student Loans Compare?

As a nonprofit, EDvestinU isn't trying to squeeze every dollar out of borrowers to improve its bottom line. So its rates are always competitive and it doesn't try to sneak in any junk fees.

However, depending on your situation, it still might not be the right lender for you. If you're wanting to explore your options, here's how EDvestinU compares to two other popular private student loans.

EDvestinU Student Loan Refinancing

EDvestinU is one of the few lenders that has no graduation requirement whatsoever for its student loan refinancing product. Most lenders require a bachelor's degree while some will accept borrowers who have an associate's degreee. But with EDvestinU, no degree of any level is required.

Loan amounts range from $7,500 to $200,000 and are available at both fixed or variable rates. Here are the interest rates which are current as of July 16, 2024:

• Variable APR: 8.06% - 9.81%
• Fixed APR: 6.00% - 10.37%

The non-profit also offers a fair amount of repayment flexibility. Borrowers can choose from terms of 5,10, 15 or 20 years.

Refinance borrowers can earn an interest rate discount by signing up for autopay. But while private student loan borrowers can reduce their rate by 0.50% by signing up for automatic payments, the autopay discount for refinance borrowers is 0.25%, which is pretty standard for the student loan refinancing industry.

But there's good news for refinance borrowers. If they apply through Credible, they can earn a bonus of up to $1,000.

How Does EDvestinU Student Loan Refinancing Compare?

EDvestinU's autopay discount for its refinance loans is half as generous as what it offers on its private student loans. But it could still be a strong choice as refinance borrowers get more term options and can earn a hefty bonus through Credible. Check out how EDvestinU compares in this quick chart:

What Borrower Protections Are Available?

Unfortunately, EDvestinU does not publish a formal forbearance policy. You won't be able to find any specific guidelines regarding academic or military deferment either. However, EDvestinU will discharge student loans (and release any cosigners) if the primary borrower dies or is permanently disabled.

Who Qualifies To Apply?

Despite its original purpose of serving New Hampshire students, EDvestinU can lend to students in all 50 states. International students can also apply for student loans if they have a creditworthy cosigner who is either a US citizen or a permanent resident.

To qualify for EDvestinU student loan refinancing (without a cosigner), you'll need a credit score of at least 700. And unlike with its private student loans, EDvestinU does offer a pre-qualification tool for its refinance loans so that you can check your rate before filling out the full application.

Are There Any Fees?

EDvestinU doesn't charge application or origination fees on any of its loan products. And, as previously mentioned, you won't have to worry about prepayment penalties either. However, you may be charged a 5% fee if you're late on a payment.

How Do I Contact EDvestinU?

You can get in touch with EDvestinU by calling 855-887-5430. Or if you prefer to reach out via email, their email address is educationresources@edvestinu.com. Customer service hours are Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM (ET).

In 2020, EDvestinU's paretn company, the New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation (NHHELCO) merged with Granite State Management & Resources (GSM&R) to form the NHHEAF Network. Unsurprisingly, GSM&R is also the loan servicer for all EDvestinU student loans. 

So if you have billing- or payment-related questions, you can contact GSM&R by phone at 800-719-0708. Their customer service hours are Monday - Friday 8 AM - 6 PM (ET).

Is It Worth It?

Loans from a non-profit interested in stakeholders, not shareholders, may benefit any students looking for lower rates as the rates are competitive across the board. No application or origination fees are another nice touch. The downside: Approval rate for loans is low, with stringent requirements and guidelines.

Remember, compare all of your student loan refinancing options with Credible. You can compare up to 8 different lenders in minutes. Don't forget that College Investor readers get up to a $1,000 bonus when they refinance with Credible.

EDVestinU FAQs

Here a few of the most common questions that we receive about EDvestinU:

Is EDvestinU legit?

Yes, EDvestinU is the lending arm of the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF), a nonprofit organization which has been serving students for nearly 60 years.

Will applying with EDvestinU hurt my credit score?

For in-school borrowers, there's unfortunately no way to check out EDvestinU's interest rates without filling out a full loan application. However, refinance borrowers can use its prequalification tool to check their estimated rate in minutes without impacting their credit score.

Can EDvestinU transfer Parent PLUS Loans into a child's name?

No, only primary borrowers can apply to refinance student loans with EDvestinU.

Is EDvestinU currently offering any bonuses or incentives?

Yes, refinance borrowers can receive a gift card bonus of up to $1,000 by applying through Credible. See terms. However, there aren't currently any incentives for private student loan borrowers.

EDvestinU Features