8 Impressive ABA-Approved Online Law School Options

Attending one of the 200 law schools that are accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) is a top priority for many law students, especially those who hope to become practicing attorneys after graduating. But, until recently, finding ABA-accredited online law schools simply wasn’t possible.

The ABA feels strongly that live, in-person interaction between teachers, students and classmates provides certain learning opportunities that self-paced distance education simply can’t match. For this reason, there are still no ABA-approved online Juris Doctor (JD) programs that offer 100% distance education.

However, all law schools can provide up to one-third of a student’s coursework online and a few institutions have found creative ways to maximize this allowance. Also, beginning in 2015, the ABA began granting variances to a few schools, allowing them to provide more than one-third of a student’s credits online.

In this article, we list the schools that currently offer ABA-approved online law school options and how their programs are structured. Learn why ABA-accreditation is so important and how the coronavirus has (at least temporarily) dramatically expanded the number of online JD programs.

ABA-approved, live online law school programs

There are two main types of ABA-accredited online law schools available today. The first type is the “blended” or “hybrid” online JD program. The rest are “weekend-based” programs.

Blended programs provide a mix of online and residential courses. However, hybrid programs might require a variance from the ABA if the percentage of credit hours that its students earn online exceeds the one-third limit. Weekend-based programs don’t require a variance.

Of the few blended programs that have been granted waivers by the ABA, only Syracuse offers live sessions for some of its online classes. Below, we explain what this groundbreaking program offers.

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1. Syracuse University College of Law

JDinteractive (JDi) is a flexible online program offered by the Syracuse University College of Law. It was first approved by the ABA in February 2018 with an enrollment limit of 65 students. Recently, it was given the green light to expand the program to 100 students per semester.

JDi offers three different types of instruction:

Syracuse says that at least 50% of a JDi student’s instruction is in real-time. The program takes three years and three months to complete.

The estimated annual tuition for the Syracuse JDi program for the 2020-2021 academic year is $40,425, which is over $13,000 cheaper than its on-campus JD program. Based on the latest data from the Internet Legal Research Group (IRLG), here are a few key statistics to keep in mind if you’re considering the Syracuse University College of Law:

The application deadline for Syracuse University College of Law is April 1st.

ABA-approved, blended online law school programs

The following schools also have received a variance from the ABA to offer more than one-third of their students’ credit hours online. However, the online-portion of the following programs is self-paced rather than real-time.

2. Mitchell Hamline School of Law

In 2015, Mitchell Hamline School of Law became the first law school to be granted a variance from the ABA’s distance education requirements. Its first graduates completed the program in 2018.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s Blended Learning option is a four-year program that can be completed in three years. The first two years is largely spent in hybrid courses that are one-third online and two-thirds in person.

For the final two years, students can choose from a range of blended, fully online or fully in-person course formats. The online courses are fully self-paced. There are no “live” online courses.

For the 2020-2021 academic year, part-time students can expect to pay $33,630 per year in tuition while full-time students will pay $46,550. Here are a few more key statistics to know about Mitchell Hamline School of Law:

The application deadline for Mitchell Hamline School of Law is August 1st..

3. Southwestern Law School

In 2017, Southwestern Law School was granted a variance from the ABA from Distance Education Standard 306. And, in the fall of 2019, it launched its Part-Time Evening JD Program.

This program cuts the commuting time in half for enrolled students. Instead of traveling four nights a week to attend in-person classes, students commute to campus just twice a week. And the other half of their coursework is completed online.

Southwestern Law School’s Part-Time Evening JD program takes four years to complete. The total annual tuition for 2020-2021 semesters is $36,894. Here are a few more key Southwestern Law School statistics:

The application deadline for Southwestern Law School is April 3rd.

4. University of Dayton School of Law

The University of Dayton received its online law school variance from the ABA in 2018. Its Online Hybrid JD Program takes less than four years to complete and blends online and in-person learning.

Students who are enrolled in the Online Hybrid JD Program work through a combination of in-depth self-paced online course materials and interactive video classes. Additionally, each student must complete 10 in-person sessions at Dayton’s Ohio campus and a semester-long externship.

For the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, the tuition for the Online Hybrid JD program is $21,000. That’s a huge discount from Dayton’s Traditional JD program which has an annual tuition of $35,873. If you’re considering the University of Dayton School of Law, here are a few statistics to keep in mind:

The application deadline for University of Dayton School of Law is May 1st.

5. University of New Hampshire School of Law

University of New Hampshire’s Franklin Pierce School of Law received ABA-approval for its Hybrid JD program in February 2019. The program officially launched in the fall of the same year.

New Hampshire’s Hybrid JD program can be completed almost fully online. It only requires four on-campus weekend “immersion” periods per year. The remaining online instruction includes live and recorded video lectures, reading and writing assignments, evaluations, and discussion board interactions.

The program has a year-round design and can be completed in three and half years. For New Hampshire residents, the tuition is $33,150 per year. Non-residents, meanwhile, pay $38,250 per year in tuition. Here are few more key statistics worth noting:

The application deadline for University of New Hampshire School of Law is March 15th.

ABA-approved, weekend-based online law school programs

The following law schools have not received approval from the ABA to offer more than one-third of their instruction online. However, they still offer more flexibility than traditional on-campus programs.

Rather than having to attend live classes all day, students at the programs listed below can combine online learning with in-person instruction on evenings or weekends. Here are three innovative programs worth considering.

6. Loyola University Chicago School of Law

The Weekend JD is a part-time program offered by Loyola University Chicago’s School of Law that only requires eight weekends of in-person instruction per semester.

On-campuses classes meet every other weekend on Saturday and Sundays. And the rest of their students’ coursework is completed online via the Sakai collaborative online learning environment.

The program is designed to be completed in four years (eight semesters). Annual tuition for the Weekend JD program is $37,280. Here are few more school details to keep in mind:

The application deadline for Loyola University Chicago School of Law is March 1st.

7. Seton Hall University School of Law

The part-time JD program at Seton Hall offers one-third of its course content and instruction online. Students can complete their online coursework at any time, making it a flexible option for working professionals.

In-person instruction takes place on Saturdays and Sundays over eight weekends, and exams are taken on a ninth weekend. The program takes four years to complete. In years three and four, students can also take weekday or evening classes and up to 15 credits can be completed entirely online.

Tuition for Seton Hall’s part-time online law school program is $41,136 per year. Below are the key admissions, performance, and employment statistics for Seton Hall University’s School of Law.

The application deadline for Seton Hall Seton Hall University School of Law is April 1st.

8. University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Sturm College of Law’s Professional Part-Time JD program offers up to one-third of its course instruction online. Students fulfill the remainder of their requirements by taking in-person classes every other weekend.

Like Seton Hall’s part-time program, the Sturm College of Law requires just eight weekends on on-campus instruction per semester. However, while Seton Hall only allocates one week for final exams, Sturm College of Law students spend an additional two weekends on campus taking their end-of-semester examinations.

Sturm College of Law’s part-time students take two semesters per year and the program typically takes four years to complete. The annual tuition cost is $39,512. Here are a few more key numbers to keep in mind:

The application deadline for Sturm College of Law is June 1st.

Advantages of attending an ABA-approved school

The biggest reason for attending one of the ABA-accredited online law schools is that it will likely be required if you want to sit for the bar exam. Although a few states allow students from unaccredited programs to take the bar (California being a notable example), this is by far the exception rather than the rule.

Unaccredited law schools might offer more flexible learning options and/or cheaper tuition rates. But, even so, you’ll want to avoid attending schools that are not ABA-approved if it hurts your job prospects or result in less income as a lawyer after graduation.

It should be noted that not everyone who studies law wants to be a lawyer. Some working professionals pursue a Masters in Legal Studies (MLS) to improve their understanding of legal matters in their existing careers. If this is your situation, choosing a non-ABA school could make sense.

But if you plan to practice law and represent clients, choose an ABA approved program. See the full list of ABA accredited law schools.

How COVID-19 impacted your online law school options

The coronavirus pandemic made it difficult for law schools to follow state and local social distancing guidelines without severely limiting face-to-face class time. The ABA has responded to these “extraordinary circumstances” by temporarily giving all law schools the ability to expand their online programs.

One school was granted a variance from the ABA distance education limits in May 2020 and the other 199 schools received variances later in July. In November, 48 schools were given permission to make more modifications or to extend their existing variances.

For now, there’s more accessibility to online law school than ever before. But it’s too early to predict whether these changes will stick after the COVID-19 emergency passes.

With so many schools being forced to make online education work, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some permanent variances down the road. It’s possible that someday we’ll look back at the COVID-19 outbreak as the time that ABA-accredited law schools began to widely accept online learning as legitimate.

How to pay for online law school

Regardless of whether you choose a traditional on-campus program or a hybrid online law school, earning your JD degree from an ABA-accredited school will be expensive. It’s important that you have a thoughtful game plan for covering the cost.

Applying for scholarships and grants can help law students minimize student debt. But if you need to take out student loans, there are a variety of options to pay for law school. Choosing the wrong loan type could cost you thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your repayment.

If you're thinking about attending an ABA-approved law school that could put you in six figures of debt after graduation, our pre-debt consult is for you. Our team of CFP®, CFA or CSLP consultants can help you find the best ways to finance your online law school education.

Clint Proctor

Clint Proctor is a freelance writer and founder of WalletWiseGuy.com, where he writes about how students and millennials can win with money. When he's away from his keyboard, he enjoys drinking coffee, traveling, obsessing over the Green Bay Packers and spending time with his wife and two boys.

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SoFi: ​​Fixed rates range from 4.99% APR to 9.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from 6.24% APR to 9.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates will never exceed 13.95% (the maximum rate for these loans). SoFi rate ranges are current as of 08/26/24 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.

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Lender and Bonus Disclosure

Splash: If you refinance over $100,000 through this site, $500 of the cash bonus listed above is provided directly by Student Loan Planner. Lowest rates displayed may include an autopay discount of 0.25%.

To begin the qualification process for the Student Loan Planner® sign on bonus, customers must apply from the link provided. Customers who are approved for and close a loan will receive the $300-$500 bonus through Splash Financial. The amount of the bonus will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. There is a limit of one bonus per borrower. This offer is not valid for current Splash customers who refinance their existing Splash loans, customers who have previously received a bonus, or with any other bonus offers received from Splash via this or any other channel. If the applicant was referred using the referral bonus, they will not receive the bonus provided via the referring party. Additional terms and conditions apply.

For the $1,000 bonus associated with refinancing at least $100,000, $500 of the bonus is provided by Student Loan Planner® via Giftly, which can be redeemed as a deposit to your bank account or PayPal account. Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.

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Earnest: $1,000 for $100K or more, $200 for $50K to $99.999.99. For Earnest, if you refinance $100,000 or more through this site, $500 of the $1,000 cash bonus is provided directly by Student Loan Planner. Rate range above includes optional 0.25% Auto Pay discount.

Earnest Bonus Offer Disclosure:

Terms and conditions apply. To qualify for this Earnest Bonus offer: 1) you must not currently be an Earnest client, or have received the bonus in the past, 2) you must submit a completed student loan refinancing application through the designated Student Loan Planner® link; 3) you must provide a valid email address and a valid checking account number during the application process; and 4) your loan must be fully disbursed.

You will receive a $1,000 bonus if you refinance $100,000 or more, or a $200 bonus if you refinance an amount from $50,000 to $99,999.99. For the $1,000 Welcome Bonus offer, $500 will be paid directly by Student Loan Planner® via Giftly. Earnest will automatically transmit $500 to your checking account after the final disbursement. For the $200 Welcome Bonus offer, Earnest will automatically transmit the $200 bonus to your checking account after the final disbursement. There is a limit of one bonus per borrower. This offer is not valid for current Earnest clients who refinance their existing Earnest loans, clients who have previously received a bonus, or with any other bonus offers received from Earnest via this or any other channel. Bonus cannot be issued to residents in KY, MA, or MI.

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Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 5.44% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.24% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.

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You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay.

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These examples provide estimates based on payments beginning immediately upon loan disbursement. Variable APR: A $10,000 loan with a 20-year term (240 monthly payments of $72) and a 5.89% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $17,042.39. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed APR: A $10,000 loan with a 20-year term (240 monthly payments of $72) and a 6.04% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $17,249.77. Your actual repayment terms may vary.Terms and Conditions apply. Visit https://www.earnest. com/terms-of-service, e-mail us at hello@earnest.com, or call 888-601-2801 for more information on our student loan refinance product.

Student Loan Origination Loan Cost Examples

These examples provide estimates based on the Deferred Repayment option, meaning you make no payments while enrolled in school and during the separation period of 9 billing periods thereafter. Variable APR: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $157.12) and an 11.69% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $21,290.40. For a variable loan, after your starting rate is set, your rate will then vary with the market. Fixed APR: A $10,000 loan with a 15-year term (180 monthly payments of $173.51) and an 13.03% APR would result in a total estimated payment amount of $22,827.79. Your actual repayment terms may vary.

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Student Loan Planner® Bonus Disclosure:

Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.

Laurel Road: If you refinance more than $250,000 through our link and Student Loan Planner receives credit, a $500 cash bonus will be provided directly by Student Loan Planner. If you are a member of a professional association, Laurel Road might offer you the choice of an interest rate discount or the $300, $500, or $750 cash bonus mentioned above. Offers from Laurel Road cannot be combined. Rate range above includes optional 0.25% Auto Pay discount.

Laurel Road Bonus Offer Disclosure:

Rates as of 8/15/24. Rates Subject to Change. Terms and Conditions Apply. All products subject to credit approval. Laurel Road disclosures. To qualify for this Laurel Road Welcome Bonus offer: 1) you must not currently be an Laurel Road client, or have received the bonus in the past, 2) you must submit a completed student loan refinancing application through the designated Student Loan Planner® link; 3) you must provide a valid email address and a valid checking account number during the application process; and 4) your loan must be fully disbursed. If a borrower is eligible for and chooses to accept an interest rate promotional offer due to that borrower’s membership in a professional association, the borrower will not be eligible for the cash bonus from Laurel Road. However, the borrower can still be eligible for the Student Loan Planner® bonus if they qualify under the “Student Loan Planner® Bonus Disclosure terms below.” If you opt to receive the cash bonus incentive offer, you will receive a $1,050 bonus if you refinance $100,000 or more, or a $300 bonus if you refinance an amount from $50,000 to $99,999.99. For the $1,050 Welcome Bonus offer, $500 will be paid directly by Student Loan Planner® via Giftly. Laurel Road will automatically transmit $550 to your checking account after the final disbursement. For the $300 Welcome Bonus offer, Laurel Road will automatically transmit the $300 bonus to your checking account after the final disbursement. There is a limit of one bonus per borrower. This offer is not valid for current Laurel Road clients who refinance their existing Laurel Road loans, clients who have previously received a bonus, or with any other bonus offers received from Laurel Road via this or any other channel.

You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay

Student Loan Planner® Bonus Disclosure

Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.

Lender and Bonus disclosure

Elfi: If you refinance over $150,000 through this site, $500 of the cash bonus listed above is provided directly by Student Loan Planner.

To begin the qualification process for the Student Loan Planner® sign on bonus, customers must apply from the link provided on https://www.elfi.com/student-loan-planner. Customers who are approved for and close a loan will receive the $300-$775 bonus through a reduction in the principal balance of their Education Loan Finance loan when your loan has been disbursed. The amount of the bonus will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. In order to receive this bonus, customers will be required to complete and submit a W9 form with all required documents. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the recipient. There is a limit of one bonus per borrower. This offer is not valid for current ELFI customers who refinance their existing ELFI loans, customers who have previously received a bonus, or with any other bonus offers received from ELFI via this or any other channel. If the applicant was referred using the referral bonus, they will not receive the bonus provided via the referring party. If the applicant becomes an ELFI customer, they may participate in the referral bonus by becoming the referring party. Additional terms and conditions apply.

For the $1,275 bonus associated with refinancing at least $150,000, $500 of the bonus is provided by Student Loan Planner® via Giftly, which can be redeemed as a deposit to your bank account or PayPal account. Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.

Credible: If you refinance over $100,000 through this site, $500 of the cash bonus listed above is provided directly by Student Loan Planner.

To begin the qualification process for the Student Loan Planner® sign on bonus, customers must apply from the link provided on www.credible.com.

All bonus payments are by e-gift card. See terms. The amount of the bonus will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. In order to receive this bonus, customers will be required to complete and submit a W9 form with all required documents. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the recipient. A customer will only be eligible to receive the bonus one time. New applicants are eligible for only one bonus. Additional terms and conditions apply.

For the $1,250 bonus associated with refinancing at least $100,000, $500 of the bonus is provided by Student Loan Planner® via Giftly, which can be redeemed as a deposit to your bank account or PayPal account. Upon disbursement of a qualifying loan, the borrower must notify Student Loan Planner® that a qualifying loan was refinanced through the site, as the lender does not share the names or contact information of borrowers. Borrowers must complete the Refinance Bonus Request form to claim a bonus offer. Student Loan Planner® will confirm loan eligibility and, upon confirmation of a qualifying refinance, will send via email a $500 e-gift card within 14 business days following the last day of the month in which the qualifying loan was confirmed eligible by Student Loan Planner®. If a borrower does not claim the Student Loan Planner® bonus within six months of the loan disbursement, the borrower forfeits their right to claim said bonus. The bonus amount will depend on the total loan amount disbursed. This offer is not valid for borrowers who have previously received a bonus from Student Loan Planner®.

Student loan refinance interest disclosure

The lenders on the Credible.com platform offer fixed rates ranging from 4.94% – 10.99% APR. Variable interest rates offered by the lenders on Credible.com range from 5.28% – 12.45% APR. Variable rates will fluctuate over the term of the borrower’s loan with changes in the Index rate. The Index will be either LIBOR, SOFR, or the Prime Rate of interest as published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The maximum variable rate on the Education Refinance Loan is the greater of 21.00% or Prime Rate plus 9.00%. Rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Your actual rate may be different from the rates advertised and/or shown above and will be based on factors such as the term of your loan, your financial history (including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history) and the degree you are in the process of achieving or have achieved. While not always the case, lower rates typically require creditworthy applicants with creditworthy cosigners, graduate degrees, and shorter repayment terms (terms vary by lender and can range from 5-20 years) and include loyalty and Automatic Payment discounts, where applicable. Loyalty and Automatic Payment discount requirements as well as Lender terms and conditions will vary by lender and therefore, reading each lender’s disclosures is important. Additionally, lenders may have loan minimum and maximum requirements, degree requirements, educational institution requirements, citizenship and residency requirements as well as other lender-specific requirements.

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