The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available starting in December, please visit 2024-25 FAFSA Changes to learn more.
Current Office Hours and Contact Information: Contact Us
You may need additional funding for school and opt to apply for funding through a private lending agency, such as a bank or credit union. For most students, federal loans are a better option and should be utilized before private loans are considered. Alternative loans require a credit check and may have a higher, variable interest rate. They also do not offer the flexible repayment, consolidation, and loan forgiveness options that may be available with federal loans.
Oregon State University cannot recommend specific private lenders. Our best advice is to explore options with a lender you may already do business with and feel comfortable using. We also recommend doing your research to be sure that you will not be in for any surprises later. The Federal Student Aid website provides some additional information on how to compare federal and private loans. More information about taking out a private loan may also be found on the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protections Bureau websites.
Private student loans must be certified by the school you are attending. Below are some important notes regarding the certification process:
Once your lender sends us your private loan certification, you will receive a confirmation email from us with important information. You can check on the status of the loan certification in your OSU Financial Aid Portal (access at the top of this webpage) on the Home tab. After we certify the loan, your lender will have a mandatory borrower right-to-cancel period before they send us the funds. This period is approximately 10 business days, but may be longer as determined by your lender.