Selecting a Lender
Our Lending Partners have been selected through a competitive process following a Request For Proposal (RFP) through the FIU Purchasing and Procurement Office.

We encourage you to research these Lenders when deciding who you will borrow from. The Lenders were selected on the basis of best service in processing, lowest cost and customer service.

If you wish to use a Lender not on our Lending Partner list, through PantherSoft, please complete an Administrative Request with the name of your Lender. In order to expedite the processing of your loan through a Lender not on the list, please request your Lender to submit by mail or by fax a Stafford Loan Certification form to the Financial Aid Office. If you previously borrowed federal loans from a lender, we recommend that you continue to borrow from the same lender in order to manage your student loan debt most efficiently.


Applying for a Stafford Loan at Florida International University
  • Student completes the FAFSA and submits it to the federal processor (By Internet 2 weeks or paper application 4 weeks to process) www.fafsa.ed.gov
  • Student receives a Student Aid Report (SAR) and all schools listed on the FAFSA receive an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) from the federal processor.
  • FIU school code is 009635
  • School uses the ISIR to award the student's financial aid, including Stafford loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
  • Financial Aid Office sends e-mail notifying existing students of financial aid award, including Stafford loans. Students access Panthersoft using Panther ID and Password to access online award by clicking on the “Finances” link, ”View My Financial Aid Award” and selecting the appropriate academic year. New FIU students will receive a letter that provides directions for accessing their online award.
  • To accept or decline your Stafford loans, check the select box under the “Accept” or “Decline” column when viewing your financial aid award online
  • If you are a first time borrower of Stafford Loans (subsidized or unsubsidized) at FIU , you must select a lender, “Lender Selection” and complete the “Entrance Interview Information”. These links can be found below the online awards section. (Your award will not be processed if the required documentation is not completed.)
  • Lender mails Master Promissory Note (MPN) to first time FIU borrowers or student can complete an electronically signed MPN by visiting your lender’s website by clicking on the logo or web address found on this web page.
  • Student completes MPN and returns it to lender or successfully e-signs their MPN online.
  • Financial Aid Office receives disbursement electronically from lender and disburses it to student's account
  • All money owed to FIU is deducted first and the student receives the remainder in a refund check.






  Click on the lender logo or web address to research additional information and electronically sign your Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Lender Code Key Features



Wells Fargo
1-800-658-3567
www.wellsfargo.com/student
807176
  • 0% origination fees
  • 0% default fee
  • Reduce your interest rate to as low as 5.8%
  • 0.75% immediate interest rate reduction at repayment
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction when Wells Fargo automatically withdraws payments from a checking or savings account
  • Last six months free — Wells Fargo will waive the last six months of regularly scheduled payments on the loan if all previous payments were made on-time
  • Benefit Recovery — We give you the opportunity to earn back the on-time interest rate reduction if it’s lost due to a late payment.
  • Wells Fargo offers life-of-loan servicing – one point of contact from application through final payment.
  • Combined billing for Wells Fargo federal and private loans
Edamerica contact information

Edamerica
1-866-842-8045
www.edamerica.net
831453
  • Zero origination fee
  • 1% interest rate reduction for graduation at repayment
  • .25 interest rate reduction for auto-debit
  • 1% rebate after first twelve on-time payments
  • 1% rebate after next twelve on-time payments
  • Benefit repair option after 24 months of on-time payments
  • Up to 16% savings in total loan costs
  • Life-of-loan servicing; your loan will not be sold
AFC contact information

Academic Finance Corporation (AFC)
1-877-AFC-4322
www.afclending.com
833864
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction upon entering repayment
  • 1.75% interest rate reduction upon signing up for ACH
  • No minimum number of on-time payments is required to receive these benefits
Bank of America contact information

Bank of America
1-800-344-8382
www.bankofamerica.com/ studentbanking
831846
  • 0% origination fee.
  • 0% federal default fee.
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction for borrowers who have their loan payments made with automatic debit.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 12 consecutive on-time payments.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 24 consecutive on-time payments.
  • 1.00% outstanding principal balance reduction after making 36 consecutive on-time payments.
  • Missing a payment during one of the twelve-month periods does not disqualify borrower from receiving future benefit(s).
  • Payments up to 15 days late are still considered on time.


SunTrust
1-888-889-5191
www.nelnet.net
824135
  • 0% origination fee for loans after April 1, 2006
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction with automatic debit
  • 3.33% rebate of the original principal balance after making first 30 consecutive payments on time
Citibank contact information

Citibank
1-800-967-2400
www.studentloan.com
826878
  • 0% origination fee
  • 0% federal default fee
  • Save up to 6% on your principal loan balance with Citibank’s zero payments the last 6 months when all payments are made on time
  • Automatic 1.00% interest rate reduction as a graduation present
  • Additional 0.25% interest rate reduction when you sign up for E-Z Pay auto debit and receive electronic statements only
  • New! Benefit Recovery Feature: Unlimited chances to earn back automatic rate reduction lost as a result of late payments.
  • Life-of-loan servicing

Access Group information

Access Group
1-800-282-1550

www.accessgroup.org

808851
  • 0% origination fee
  • 0.8% interest rate reduction after making your first payment on-time
  • One-time rehabilitation option after 12 consecutive monthly payments on time for borrowers with a late payment
  • 0.25% interest rate reduction for borrowers who authorize automatic monthly payments
Wachovia contact information

Wachovia Education Finance
1-800-338-2243
www.wachovia.com
830005
Wachovia saves you up to 9.49% off your original loan amount. Our rebates reduce your total loan balance therefore you pay less interest over the life of the loan which increases your effective savings up to 9.49%
  • Save 2% with Zero Origination Fee
  • Save 3.5% of your original loan amount:
  • 1% rebate at the start of repayment
  • 1% rebate after 12 scheduled payments
  • 1.5% rebate after 24 scheduled payments
Student Loan Xpress contact and benefit information

Student Loan Xpress
1-888-274-0398
www.studentloanxpress.com
823584
  • 0% origination fee
  • 5% principal reduction after 48 on-time payments
  • Stafford loan borrowers receive a 0.25% interest rate reduction for automatic debit