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John Carroll University / Student Enrollment and Financial Services / Financing a JCU Education / Loans / Private Loans

Students have the option to borrow private loans directly from lenders (banks) to help finance the cost of their education. There are many options available so it is important to do some preliminary research and to know that all loans are not equal. Pay special attention to interest rates, fees, credit scoring, and co-signing requirements. But first, before you look at private loans, make sure that you have exhausted all possibilities for federal and state financial aid programs. Exploring your options now may save you time and money in the future.

JCU Office of Student Enrollment and Financial Services has partnered with a third-party company to provide students with resources to assist in the private loan search. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding private loan terms or conditions, we suggest you contact the lender directly.

Fastchoice

Fastchoice, powered by Great Lakes Higher Education, is an online lender list that provides basic information on private loans. We hope you find this website to be a great resource which allows you to compare interest rates, borrower benefits, fees, and repayment options, prior to applying for a loan and having your credit information pulled. All the lenders on this list work closely with the JCU Student Enrollment and Financial Services office and work to ensure timely processing of your loan and electronically transfer funds to your student account.

  • Fastchoice Lenders (in alphabetical order): Citizens Bank, College Ave, Earnest, FundingU, Ohio Catholic Credit Union, Ohio Educational Credit Union, Nelnet, PNC, Sallie Mae, & SoFi.
  • The following criteria were used to evaluate these lenders: quality of customer service (for both students and schools), student satisfaction, ease of application process, competitive interest rates, low fees, flexible repayment options, and borrower benefits.  For more information on why JCU chose these lenders, please contact SEFS at enrollment@jcu.edu

Learn more about Fastchoice here.

Please note students have the right to borrow through any lender and are not limited to only those lenders included on our list. We only offer these lists to help simplify the search process for students and their families. We do ask that you notify Student Enrollment and Financial Services if you choose not to utilize a lender from these lists so that we are made aware of your loan application.

Private Alternative Loan Requirements Effective February 14, 2010

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) mandated a number of changes to provide a significant amount of additional information to families who choose to utilize private educational loans. Title X of the HEOA changes the disclosure requirements for the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) for private education loans made expressly for post-secondary education expenses. These requirements could delay the receipt of Alternative Loan approvals and disbursements. Please plan accordingly.

Access the Mandatory Borrower Disclosure Information and Self Certification Form