Personal References

You are required to provide two personal references when applying for a student loan. You will be asked to supply your references' names, phone numbers, and addresses.

Your references:

• Should know you well.
• Must be adults.
• Must live in the United States.
• Must not live at the same address as you or each other.

Your references will be used solely for the purpose of completing your application. The information will be not be used for marketing or sold to any third parties.

What is the FAFSA?

The U.S. government provides for federal student loans through the FFELP program (Federal Family Education Loan Program). The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the U.S. government form that you submit to request federal financial aid.

You must fill out a FAFSA before applying for federal student loans such as Stafford, PLUS, or Graduate PLUS loans. Many schools also use it as part of their financial aid application processes. You must complete a FAFSA for each year you attend school.

You can apply for a FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Applying is free, and you can complete the entire application online.

We recommend that you submit a FAFSA before you apply for student loans on our site. In particular, in order to sign your student loan application electronically on our site, you must:

1. Submit a FAFSA.
2. Apply for a PIN (personal identification number) on the FAFSA web site. You will be asked for this PIN when you sign your loan application online.

Why Would I Need a Co-Applicant?

Private loans are subject to credit approval and require a satisfactory credit history to qualify.

How does having a co-applicant help?

If you do not have an established credit history, a co-applicant will improve the likelihood of your approval.

Also, a co-applicant with an established credit history may lower your loan rates and fees.

Do most applicants need a co-applicant?

While applicants are not required to provide a co-applicant, the attributes of adding a co-applicant may significantly strengthen the quality of your application.