LIVING EXPENSE FINANCING MADE SIMPLE
Finance Up To $5K in Cost of Living
Affordable Monthly Payments
THE SAME LOW RATE FOR ALL
Below you'll find your honest & upfront rate, even if you opt to add a cosigner.
Borrow up to $5,000 for cost of living
Make full (interest + principal) payments one month after your cost of living loan is disbursed to you
- Elect to receive your funds via electronic transfer or paper check in the loan application
Now, let's calculate your monthly payment:
Students may borrow from $ to $
*The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) shown is estimated based on the loan type, origination fee, and approximate program length. The actual APR may be slightly different than the example provided based on loan type and program length. To learn how an APR is calculated, visit our blog.
MORE INFO ON TERMS
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| Skills Fund Loan | 36 Month | |
|---|---|---|
| Cosigners | Note: Up to 1 cosigner might be required in some instances. | |
| Origination Fee | 4.0% of loan requested (1) | |
| Interest Rate (2) | Fixed 9.49% interest rate, 12.20% estimated APR |
|
| Capitalization of Interest | Immediate Repayment Loans: Interest not capitalized unless payments not made. | |
| Payments Required While Enrolled? | Immediate Repayment Loans: Yes, full payments (interest + principal) are mandatory roughly one month after loan is disbursed. | |
| Grace Period | Two-month period after the in-school period, following official program completion, and before interest and principal repayment begins. (3) Immediate Repayment Loans: None, full repayments start roughly one month after loan is disbursed. |
|
| Post-Grace Period | Immediate Repayment Loans: Full repayments (principal and interest) are required. | |
| Principal and Interest Repayment Term | 36 months (3 years) | |
This example shows the monthly payments of a $5,000 immediate repayment type Skills Fund loan:
| Example on a $5,000 loan | 36 Month |
|---|---|
| Annual Percentage Rate | 12.20% (4) |
| Finance Charge (the dollar amount the credit will cost you) | $995.69 (4) |
| Full Monthly (Principal and Interest) Payment | $166.55 (4) |
- (1) The 4.0% origination fee is assessed to all loans, and is added to the principal request, so for example, requesting $5,000 will result in a $200 origination fee that will be added to your loan balance and increase the amount you will accrue interest against to $5,200.
- (2) Interest rates are fixed and never vary.
- (3) Program completion dates are determined by the school, and full repayment begins 2 months after that date.
- (4) Annual Percentage Rate (APR): Finance charge and monthly payments are estimated based upon borrowing $5,000, a 4.0% origination fee, and the 36-month principal and interest period.
QUALIFYING FOR SKILLS FUND FINANCING
Our underwriting reflects an investment in your future success. Skills Fund does not use current income nor employment history in your credit decision, and you may qualify for a Skills Fund loan if you meet the basic underwriting criteria, including:
You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (Green Card holder)
- No bankruptcies or history of default on a public or private loan
Worried about your credit health? You may either begin your loan application with a cosigner, or following credit denial, you may be given the opportunity to add a cosigner.
All approved fellows are given the same low rate - with or without a cosigner.
TAKE 10 MINUTES & APPLY
ATTENTION APPLICANTS: Please note that the application will require you to input "0" into the tuition field in order to proceed with requesting cost of living.
If you are a cosigner begin the addendum now by clicking here.
Before you begin, please read these important notes:
- Customer identification policy:
- For the purpose of the following notice, the words "you" and "your" mean the Borrower and the Cosigner. All applicants: Important Federal Law Notice - Important information about procedures for opening a new account: To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver's license or other identifying documents.
- Consent to share data:
- By clicking the box below and beginning the application, I consent under Federal and state privacy laws to Insight providing to Skills Fund information related to my application, enrollment, and completion, including but not limited to information contained in my original application and supplements as well as information regarding my completion, graduation, and post-graduation outcomes information.
While in the application, please note:
- DO NOT use the browser Back button. Using the browser Back button may cause invalid information and delay the processing of your loan.
- Your application will not be complete until it has been signed and submitted along with any required documentation.
- You will need the address and phone number of 3 references to complete your application, including one relative not living with you. Others may be friends, employers, etc.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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HOW MUCH CAN I BORROW AND FOR WHAT SPECIFIC USES?
For Insight's programs, you may borrow from $2,000 to $5,000 for cost of living.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY LIVING STIPEND?
Your lump sum living stipend will be sent to you on the second Wednesday after your program start. You can elect to have your cost of living disbursed via electronic funds transfer or mailed directly to the address provided in their loan application.
Please allow 1 - 5 business days for your electronic funds transfer to be reflected in your bank account. For all fellow who elect to have funds mailed to their address, please allow 5 - 10 business days for your check to arrive via U.S. Standard Mail.
HOW AND WHEN WILL I REPAY MY LOAN?
You will start making full monthly payments (interest plus principal) roughly one month after your loan is disbursed to Insight. Disbursement occurs on the second Wednesday after program start.
Upon loan acceptance, we will provide you with several options for making payments, including automated payments. You may create an account at AspireServicingCenter.com at any time to manage payments and account balance.
WILL I GET CHARGED ANY FEES FOR TAKING OUT THIS LOAN?
You will be charged an origination fee of 4.0%. This amount will be added to the amount of tuition you borrow and included in the total loan principal amount you finance. This fee helps cover the administrative fees associated with originating the loan and charged by our partner bank. Please see terms in "More Info on Terms" above.
Please note: This fee is already reflected in the general APR outlined above and in the loan calculator. Interested in learning more about your interest rate vs. APR? Check out our blog post here.
DO I NEED A COSIGNER?
If you do not meet the loan underwriting criteria, a cosigner may be needed. You can (1) apply individually, and should you not be approved, you may be given the opportunity to amend your application with a cosigner, or (2) initiate your loan process with a cosigner.
Please note: We advise you to apply individually to begin, and should you not be credit approved, you may be given the opportunity to amend your application with a cosigner.
WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR A LOAN?
Apply for the loan after your acceptance into a program. Your program cohort must begin within 90 days of the date that you apply for a loan.
WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO PROVIDE SKILLS FUND?
During the loan application process, we will ask you for the following information:
- Full name
- Address
- Email and other contact information
- Social Security Number
- Date of Birth
- Loan amount requested
- U.S. Citizenship/Permanent Resident Status
- Current Income (not a factor in credit decision)
- Current Employment Status (not a factor in credit decision)
- Three personal references
- Cosigner information (if applicable)
WILL YOU CHECK MY CREDIT?
Yes. When you apply we will check your credit, including your credit score. Interested in learning more about what goes into your credit score? Visit our blog and explore our credit history resources today.
For other general questions about Skills Fund financing, please visit our Resource Center.
CONTACT US
- Questions about your Skills Fund Fellow Application?
- Please contact CustomerTrust@Skills.Fund or fill out the form below.