ELFI Student Loan Refinance Review
Student Loan Refinancing
Flexibility: Cosigner release not available
Overall Limits: $10,000 (minimum)
ELFI through Southeast Bank is a very strong candidate for student loan refinancing across the board. Though this lender’s terms come with a few limitations — no cosigner release, for example — it is still an all-around great choice with competitive rates and good repayment flexibility for students and parents.
Pros
- Loan refinancing available for both parents and students
- Spousal cosigning available
- Borrow up to the full balance of your loans
- No origination, application or prepayment fees
Cons
- Cosigner release not available
- High minimum borrowing requirement
- Late fees
How does this loan compare?
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| Rates from (APR) i x While Savingforcollege.com strives to keep the information up to date, the lender rates, terms and other information are subject to change at any time. Interest rates listed include all available discounts. |
Fixed:
4.88% - 8.44%
Variable:
4.86% - 8.49%
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Fixed:
4.49% - 9.99%
Variable:
5.99% - 9.99%
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Fixed:
4.89% - 90.40%
Variable:
5.54% - 9.12%
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| Loan repayment terms (Years) | 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years | 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years | 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years |
| Cosigner release? | None | None | Yes, after 12 months on-time principal and interest payments |
Full Review
Unlike some more lenient lenders, you need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an approved post-secondary institution in order to qualify for ELFI refinance loans. Those that didn’t complete their degree or that earned Associate’s degrees or Certificates are not eligible. ELFI offers both fixed- and variable-rate loans. Deferment and discharge are not generally available (this is assessed on an individual basis), but students or parents facing temporary financial hardship may apply for up to 12 months of forbearance.
ELFI’s call center has evening and weekend availability to take questions.
The minimum you must borrow for an ELFI refinancing loan is $10,000. An advantage, is that you may borrow up to the total balance of your remaining private and/or federal student loans. Student loan refinancing term options include 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20-year variable or fixed-rate loans, and parent refinancing term options range from 5 to 10 years. If you have a limited credit history or income, you will need to apply with a cosigner in order to qualify. And if you do this, you will not have the option to release your cosigner from their obligation.
ELFI - Private Student Loan Details
- Credit Check: Soft for Rate Check, Hard for Application
- Repayment Terms: 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
- Minimum Borrowing Limit: $10,000
- Application Fee: None
- Origination Fee: None
- Prepayment Penalty: None
- Late Fee: Yes
- Minimum Credit Score: 680
- Minimum Annual Income: $35,000
- Citizenship Restriction: Citizens or Residents
- List of States where Loan is Not Available: None
- Approved Schools Include: Non-Profit
- Maximum Deferment Period: Not specified by lender
- Maximum Forbearance Period: 12 months
- Cosigner Release Option: None
- Disability Discharge: Not specified by lender
- US-Based Call Center: Not specified by lender
- Hours of Operation (in addition to weekdays): Evenings and Weekends
- Application Timeline: Personalized rate in minutes
- Scholarship Search Tool: None
- Sponsors a Scholarship: None
- Job and Career Assistance: None
- Financial Literacy Training: Yes
Other Loans that ELFI Offers:
