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College Ave is a fintech lender that offers both private student loans and student loan refinancing. Whether you’re taking out or refinancing student loans, College Ave promises competitive rates, a range of repayment terms, and a customer-friendly experience from application through repayment.
In this post:
College Ave student loan refinancing
Best if:
- You earned your degree
- You need flexible loan terms to match monthly payments to your budget
- You’re comfortable working with an online lender that doesn’t have branch offices
College Ave refinancing interest rates and loan details
Although College Ave doesn’t offer student loan refinancing to those without degrees, it does offer a wide selection of loan terms ranging from 5 to 20 years. That makes it one of the best companies to refinance with, because it’s easier to select a loan with a monthly payment that matches your budget.
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| Rates from (APR) | Fixed: 4.89%+2 Variable: 3.89%+2 |
| Loan amounts | $5,000 to $300,000 (depending on degree type) |
| Loan terms | 5 to 20 years |
| Loan types | Refinance federal loans and private loans |
| Residency | U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
| Cosigner release | Not offered for refinancing |
| Transfer parent loan to child? | No |
| Fees | No application, origination, or disbursement fees |
| Prepayment penalty | None |
| Key benefits | 0.25% autopay discount |
| Education | Undergraduate or graduate degree required |
| Loan servicer | College Ave Servicing LLC |
| Best if |
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All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | 2College Ave Disclosures |
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College Ave student loan refinancing review
As a fintech lender, College Ave doesn’t have branch offices where you can discuss your loan options in person. Everything’s done online, with representatives also available through email, chat, and phone. But the company says that by specializing in student loans, it’s developed the technology and expertise to provide loans that are personalized to your needs.
Whether you’re paying back private or federal student loans, you may qualify to refinance up to $150,000 in undergraduate and graduate school debt with College Ave. Students who have earned medical, dental, pharmacy, or veterinary degrees may qualify to refinance as much as $300,000.
How to qualify
To qualify to refinance student loans with College Ave, you must have earned your degree and established a history of earnings and credit. College Ave does not disclose minimum credit score and income requirements.
Repayment
When you refinance student loans with College Ave, you’ll have a choice of up to 16 loan terms ranging from five to 20 years. Generally speaking, the shorter the loan term, the lower the interest rate and total repayment cost. While spreading out your payments over a longer period of time may cost you additional interest in the long run, it can make your monthly payments more manageable.
Like many lenders, College Ave offers a 0.25% rate reduction if you agree to have your monthly payments withdrawn automatically from your bank account.
How College Ave refinancing compares to other lenders
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| Rates from (APR) | Fixed: 4.89%+2 Variable: 3.89%+2 | Fixed: 3.23%+ Variable: 2.44%+ | Fixed: 3.49%+¹ Variable: 2.72%+¹ |
| Loan repayment terms (Years) | 5 to 20 years | 5, 8, 12, 15 | 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 |
| Loan amount | $5,000 to $300,000 | $7,500 to $300,000 | $10,000 to $350,000 (depending on level of education) |
| Cosigner release? | Not offered for refinancing | Yes, applications accepted after 12 consecutive payments | Yes, applications accepted after 36 months of consecutive payments |
| Transfer parent loan to child? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Loan servicer | College Ave Servicing LLC | Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) | Firstmark Services |
| Best for | Graduates seeking flexible loan terms | Those applying with a cosigner | Those who want to lower their monthly payment |
All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | 1Citizens Bank Disclosures | 2College Ave Disclosures | 3 ELFI Disclosures | 4SoFi Disclosures | 5EDvestinU Disclosures |
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Citizens Bank Education Refinance Loan Rate Disclosure: Variable rate, based on the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") published in The Wall Street Journal on the twenty-fifth day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month. As of May 1, 2020, the one-month LIBOR rate is 0.44%. Variable interest rates range from 2.72%-8.38% (2.72%-8.38% APR) and will fluctuate over the term of the borrower's loan with changes in the LIBOR rate, and will vary based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a co-signer. Fixed interest rates range from 3.49% - 8.63% (3.49% - 8.63%APR) based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a co-signer. Lowest rates shown are for eligible, creditworthy applicants with a graduate level degree, require a 5-year repayment term and include our Loyalty discount and Automatic Payment discounts of 0.25 percentage points each, as outlined in the Loyalty and Automatic Payment Discount disclosures. The maximum variable rate on the Education Refinance Loan is the greater of 21.00% or Prime Rate plus 9.00%. Subject to additional terms and conditions, and rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Such changes will only apply to applications taken after the effective date of change. Please note: Due to federal regulations, Citizens Bank is required to provide every potential borrower with disclosure information before they apply for a private student loan. The borrower will be presented with an Application Disclosure and an Approval Disclosure within the application process before they accept the terms and conditions of their loan. |
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How to refinance student loans with College Ave
With an easy application process and wide selection of loan terms, College Avenue Student Loans can be a good choice for refinancing student loans. The rates you’ll be offered will depend largely on your credit score, so it’s wise to request rates from multiple lenders.
Credible makes it easy to request rates from College Ave and other lenders offering student loan refinancing without affecting your credit score. Take 2 minutes to fill out our form, and our integrations with credit bureaus and lenders lets you compare loans you’re prequalified for. Your personal information is not shared with lenders unless you see an option you’d like to proceed with.
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College Ave private student loans
Best for:
- Parents who want control over funds
- Choice of repayment terms
- Multiple plans for in-school repayment
College Ave interest rates and loan details
College Ave offers a wide range of loan terms and repayment plans. Rates can be competitive, particularly if you (or your cosigner) has a strong credit score.
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| Rates from (APR) | Fixed: 4.39%+2,3 Variable: 2.49%+2,3 |
| Loan amounts |
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| Loan terms | 5 to 20 years (depending on degree type) |
| Residency |
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| Fees | No application, origination, or disbursement fees |
| Prepayment penalty | None |
| Cosigner release | Applications for cosigner release accepted once more than half of the scheduled repayment period has elapsed |
| Repayment plans | You can defer payments on most College Ave loans until after leaving school, or:
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| Key benefits |
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| Loan servicer | College Ave Servicing LLC |
| Best for |
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Lowest APRs reflect autopay, loyalty, and interest-only repayment discounts where available | 2,3College Ave Disclosures |
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Check Out: Lenders That Offer the Best Private Student Loans
College Ave private student loans review
College Ave offers several student loans tailored for undergraduates, graduate students, and parents. The wide selection of loan terms and repayment plans makes it easier to choose a loan with a monthly payment you can manage.
If you’re taking out a parent loan, you can receive up to $2,500 of the loan directly, allowing you to control your child’s spending on expenses like books, computers, or dorm supplies.
Like many private lenders, College Ave offers a 0.25% interest rate discount if you sign up to have payments automatically withdrawn from your bank account. You can also get a $150 statement credit on the College Ave Career Loan with Success Rewards for completing your degree.
How to qualify
College Ave does not publish minimum credit score and income requirements, but most private student loans do require a cosigner. That’s because students usually don’t have a history of credit and earnings that would qualify them for a loan on their own. Even if you don’t need one, using a cosigner can help you get a lower rate.
According to a recent analysis of a large pool of private student loans made by College Ave, the average borrower or cosigner’s FICO score was 759. Only 13% had FICO scores below 700, and none had FICO scores lower than 660.
If you do take out a College Ave student loan with a cosigner, you can request that they be released from their obligation after more than half of your repayment term has elapsed. In other words, if your repayment term was 10 years, you can apply for cosigner release after 5 years.
To be approved for cosigner release, your 24 most recent payments must have been on time, and your income for the last two years must be more than twice of your outstanding loan balance.
Learn More: How to Apply for a Student Loan
Repayment
Unless you’re taking out a parent loan, you can defer payments on College Ave private student loans until after leaving school. The length of your “grace period” depends on the degree you’re pursuing:
- Undergraduate and graduate students: 6 months
- College Ave Law School Loan: 9 months, with option to add up to 12 months deferment for clerkship
- College Ave Dental School Loan: 12 months, with option to add up to 24 months deferment for residency
- College Ave Medical School Loan: 36 months, with option to add up to 48 months of deferment for residency
If you defer payments while you’re in school, that will add to the cost of the loan. Even if you just pay some or all of the interest that accrues each month, that can save you money. Making full payments of principal and interest from the start saves the most.
Repayment of parent loans begins immediately, and you must at least cover the interest owed while the student is enrolled.
How College Ave compares to other lenders
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| Rates from (APR) | Fixed: 4.39%+2,3 Variable: 2.49%+2,3 | Fixed: 5.09% - 12.49%6 Variable: 2.15% - 10.37%6 | Fixed: 3.98%+ Variable: 3.17%+ |
| Loan repayment terms (Years) | 5, 8, 10, 15, 20 | 15, 20 | 5, 10, 15 |
| Loan amount | $1,000 up to 100% of cost of attendance | $1,000 up to 100% of certified cost of attendance (aggregate loan limits apply) | $1,000 minimum, up to school's cost of attendance within $200,000 cap |
| Cosigner release? | Yes, applications for after more than half of the scheduled repayment period has elapsed | No option for cosigner release | Yes, applications accepted after 24 on-time payments |
| Loan servicer | College Ave Servicing LLC | Discover Bank | University Account Service (UAS) |
| Best for | Students and parents seeking flexible loan terms | Students who can claim rewards for good grades | Students who don't have a cosigner |
Lowest APRs reflect autopay, loyalty, and interest-only repayment discounts where available | 1Citizens Bank Disclosures | 2,3College Ave Disclosures | 6Discover Disclosures | 8EDvestinU Disclosures | 9Sallie Mae Disclosures |
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Citizens Bank Student Loan Rate Disclosure Variable rate, based on the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") published in The Wall Street Journal on the twenty-fifth day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month. As of May 1, 2020, the one-month LIBOR rate is 0.44%. Variable interest rates range from 1.47%-9.80% (1.47%-9.65% APR) and will fluctuate over the term of the loan with changes in the LIBOR rate, and will vary based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a co-signer. Fixed interest rates range from 4.40%-12.19% (4.40% - 12.04% APR) based on applicable terms, level of degree earned and presence of a co-signer. Lowest rates shown requires application with a co- signer, are for eligible applicants, require a 5-year repayment term, borrower making scheduled payments while in school and include our Loyalty and Automatic Payment discounts of 0.25 percentage points each, as outlined in the Loyalty Discount and Automatic Payment Discount disclosures. Subject to additional terms and conditions, and rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Such changes will only apply to applications taken after the effective date of change. Please note: Due to federal regulations, Citizens Bank is required to provide every potential borrower with disclosure information before they apply for a private student loan. The borrower will be presented with an Application Disclosure and an Approval Disclosure within the application process before they accept the terms and conditions of the loan. |
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How to take out private student loans with College Ave
Before applying for a student loan, you should first take advantage of college grants and scholarships available to you. Also know your federal student aid options when researching how to pay for college. If you still need money to pay for college expenses, compare student loans from multiple lenders to ensure you’re getting the best rates and terms for your situation.
You can use Credible to request rates from a range of lenders (including College Ave) who offer student loans. It takes less than three minutes to fill out the single form needed, and lenders don’t see your personal information unless you choose an option you want to proceed with.
See Your Rates
Checking rates will not affect your credit
How College Ave can improve
With competitive rates and a range of repayment terms, College Ave is a leading provider of private student loans and student loan refinancing. But College Ave could improve by:
- Providing more transparency into minimum income and credit score requirements
- Offering refinancing to qualified borrowers who didn’t earn their degree
- Providing more options for borrowers who experience financial hardship
The company above is one of Credible’s approved partner lenders. Because they compete for your business through Credible, you can request rates from them by filling out a single form. Then, you can compare your available options side-by-side. Requesting rates is free, doesn’t affect your credit score, and your personal information is not shared with our partner lenders unless you see an option you like. Credible receives compensation if you close a loan with one of our partner lenders. The rates you receive and the fees you pay (if any) are not impacted by this compensation.
