INvestEd Student Loans Review September 2025

Paying for college is a challenge for many students. If you live in Indiana or plan to attend school there, INvestEd private student loans could be an option to help cover your costs. This Indiana-based nonprofit lender has offered private student loans for more than 45 years.

In this review, we'll cover INvestEd's loan terms, interest rates, eligibility requirements, and benefits to help you decide if these loans are a good fit for your needs.

INvestEd student loans review

Best for: Indiana students

INvestEd offers competitive private student loans and parent loans only to Indiana residents or students enrolled at Indiana schools. With more than 45 years of experience, the nonprofit focuses on helping Hoosiers access funding for college.

Pros and cons

Pros of INvestEd student loans

• Low minimum borrowing limits: You can borrow as little as $1,001 if you're attending school in Indiana or $2,001 if you're an Indiana resident attending school out of state.
• Autopay discount of 0.25 percentage points: You'll get a small rate reduction when you set up automatic payments to help you save money over the life of the loan.
• Short cosigner release requirements: A cosigner can be released after just 12 months of on-time payments, a shorter timeline than many other private lenders offer.
• Transparent qualification requirements: INvestEd clearly outlines its minimum credit score and income requirements, so you know what's needed before applying.

Cons of INvestEd student loans

• Loans are available only to Indiana residents: If you don't live in Indiana or attend school there, you won't qualify for these loans.
• No prequalification option to view your rates: You'll have to submit a full application, including a hard credit check, to see what interest rate you qualify for.
• No loan options for international students: Only U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens can apply, with no loan options for international students.

Eligibility requirements

INvestEd is transparent about its criteria for private student loans. To qualify, you'll need to meet the following requirements:

• Credit score: You must have a FICO score of at least 670 to be eligible.
• Employment: You'll need to show proof of steady employment for the past two years.
• Income: Your total monthly debt payments, including this loan, must be no more than 30% of your gross monthly income. Alternatively, you can qualify if you earn at least $3,333 in gross monthly income.
• Credit history: You cannot have any delinquencies of 60 days or more in the past two years, nor any repossessions, judgments, foreclosures, garnishments, or tax liens.
• Credit management: You cannot have charge-offs greater than $100, any bankruptcies within the past five years, or a default on student loans.
• Residency: You must be an Indiana resident and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.

If you don't meet these requirements on your own, you can apply with a cosigner who does.

Borrowing limits

INvestEd lets you borrow as much as your school's cost of attendance, minus any financial aid you've already received, such as federal loans, scholarships, or grants. The minimum you can borrow is $1,001 if you attend a school in Indiana or $2,001 if you attend college outside the state.

See Also: How Much Can You Borrow in Student Loans?

Repayment terms

With INvestEd student loans, you can choose a repayment term of five, 10, or 15 years. You'll also have flexibility in how you make payments while you're in school:

• In-school deferment: You can postpone payments while enrolled and for up to six months after graduation. This option is only available with fixed-rate loans.
• Interest-only payments: You can pay only the interest that accrues while you're in school, which helps prevent your balance from growing.
• Full payments: You can begin making full interest and principal payments right away. If you can afford it, this option will reduce your total borrowing costs.

Notable benefits

INvestEd offers several benefits that can make its private student loans more flexible and affordable:

• Autopay discount: You'll receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction when you sign up for automatic payments.
• Cosigner release: A cosigner can be removed from your loan after 12 consecutive months of on-time, full payments if you qualify on your own.
• Forbearance: If you face financial hardship, you may be able to pause payments temporarily at the lender's discretion.
• Scholarship opportunities for borrowers: Borrowers can enter a drawing to win a $1,000 INvestEd scholarship. A total of five students are selected to receive the scholarship each year.

Compare private student loan rates

What to consider before borrowing from INvestEd

INvestEd could be a good option for you, but it's important to weigh the following factors before applying:

• Residency requirements: You must be an Indiana resident or attending school in Indiana to qualify.
• Full application required: INvestEd doesn't offer a prequalification option. To see your rate, you'll need to complete a full application, which triggers a hard credit check that can temporarily lower your credit score by up to five points.
• Interest rates: While INvestEd's rates are competitive, it's smart to compare offers. Many lenders let you prequalify with only a soft credit check, which makes it easier to shop around before submitting a full loan application.
• Other funding options: Private loans should often be a last resort. Consider scholarships, grants, personal savings, part-time work, employer tuition assistance, or federal student loans before turning to INvestEd.

How to apply for an INvestEd student loan

If you decide to apply for an INvestEd private student loan, here's how the process works:

1. Gather your documents: You'll need your Social Security number, your two most recent pay stubs, and W-2 forms.
2. Complete the application: Provide personal and residency details, along with cosigner information if you're applying with one.
3. Submit your application: Once submitted, you'll find out if you're approved and what interest rate you qualify for.
4. Accept the loan terms: If you decide to move forward, review the loan agreement carefully and sign to accept the terms.

Why you can trust our Credible experts

The Credible editorial team is independent and unbiased. Partners do not influence our editorial content. To help you find the best student loan for your situation, we conduct thorough research and analyze thousands of lender data points. Using data-driven methodologies, we score criteria that are important to you. This allows us to objectively rank student loan lenders and products. To learn more, read our methodology below.

Methodology

To determine INvestEd's lender rating, Credible collected more than 1,000 points of data on two dozen private student loan companies and evaluated them on several different categories: repayment options, eligibility, interest rates, loan terms, and customer support. We assigned a score out of five stars to each lender based on our findings. Below are the weightings assigned to the general categories for the best student loan companies — which comprise individual criteria that are also weighted.

• Repayment options: 30%
• Eligibility: 25%
• Interest rates: 20%
• Loan terms: 15%
• Customer support: 10%

While the best lender for you will depend on your unique needs and financial circumstances, these findings should help answer your questions and assist you in your search for the best student loan.

Learn more about our methodology.