What is Bank of America?
Bank of America is the second largest bank in the United States. Though previously a student loan lender, Bank of America stopped offering private student loans in 2009.
For those looking for private student loans, there are many other options to consider. We recommend checking out our other lender reviews or visiting our compare lenders page to find the option that is right for you.
Alternative Options to a Bank of America Student Loan
Before you take out private student loans, it’s important to max out your federal student aid. The first step in doing this is filing the FAFSA®. The FAFSA is free and can be filed online. Filing the FAFSA is the only way to be eligible to receive federal student loans and grants. Once you file the FAFSA you will see what subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and well as grants you qualify for.
Once you’ve filed the FAFSA and determined your outstanding need, it’s a good time to look at private student loan lenders to help fill the financial gap. Here are some things to consider.
- Interest Rates: Private student loans come with competitive interest rates. For those with good credit, the rate may even be lower than that of federal student loans. Most lenders will offer the option of fixed or variable interest rates.
- Cosigner Options: Most students do not have the income or credit history to qualify for a private student loan on their own and may require a cosigner. A cosigner is someone who is equally responsible for your loan and is typically a parent, spouse, or close family member or friend. Many lenders offer cosigner release as an option, which allows the student to release the cosigner from responsibility for the loan after a series of consecutive on-time, monthly payments.
- Interest Rate Deductions: When comparing lenders, look for those that offer an interest rate deduction for enrollment in auto-pay. Many lenders offer a deduction of 0.25% for borrowers taking advantage of this benefit.
- Repayment Options: Private student loans will come with a variety of repayment options to choose from. These options typically range from 5 to 20 years, giving you the flexibility you need to manage your finances. Note, the longer you take to repay your loan, the more interest you will pay over the life of your loan.
- Customer Service: You will be dealing with your lender for a long time. Our lender reviews touch on the customer service of many national lenders and can help you choose the lender that is right for you. Look for features such as 24-hour customer service or online chat. Consider when and how you will want to reach your lender as you review your options.
What Do I Do With My Existing Bank of America Student Loans?
If you had a loan/s which was/were originally issued by Bank of America, they may or may not be the company which is servicing your student loan. Your student loan servicer, sometimes on behalf of your lender, will be the one to send you loan statements, and where you send your monthly payments. If you are unsure of who to contact with your student loans, there are a few ways to determine who your loan servicer is.
For federal loans previously serviced by Bank of America you can log into the Federal Student Aid website with your FSA ID to find your student loan servicer.
For private student loans previously held by Bank of America, you can find your current loan company by requesting a copy of your free annual credit report. On your credit report you will be able to see the names of your loan servicers and outstanding balances. This will come in handy if you’re looking to refinance your student loans.
Refinance Bank of America Student Loans
If you're considering student loan refinancing, regardless of your current loan servicer, you can choose a preferred lender and consolidate all your student loans in one place. When you refinance, the outstanding balances of your loans (both federal and private) will be paid off by the new lender, resulting in a new loan with new terms.
This process may enable you to reduce your interest rate and monthly payments by extending your repayment term. Keep in mind that increasing your repayment term will incur more interest over the life of your loan.
More>>>Best Student Loan Refinance Companies
Best Student Loan Refinance Lenders
College Ave Student Loans
- Variable rate range: 5.99% – 11.99% APR1
- Fixed rate range: 5.99% – 11.99% APR1
- No application or prepayment fees
- Apply in 3 minutes or less for instant credit decision
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
1The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as the borrower or cosigner, if applicable, enrolls in auto-pay and authorizes our loan servicer to automatically deduct your monthly payments from a valid bank account via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). The rate reduction applies for as long as the monthly payment amount is successfully deducted from the designated bank account and is suspended during periods of forbearance and certain deferments. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
2This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a refi borrower who selects the Full Principal & Interest Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $40,000 loan and a 5.5% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $434.11 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $52,092.61. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
3$5,000 is the minimum requirement to refinance. The maximum loan amount is $250,000 for those with medical, dental, pharmacy or veterinary doctorate degrees, and $150,000 for all other undergraduate or graduate degrees.
Information advertised valid as of 03/01/2023. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.
ELFI Student Loan Refinance
- Our customers have reported that they are saving an average of $278 every month or will see an average of $20,774 in total savings after refinancing their student loans with Education Loan Finance.1
- Variable and fixed rates starting from 5.28% APR and 5.48% APR2
- Prequalify in as little as two minutes
- Award winning customer service from your dedicated Student Loan Advisor who is matched to you from the moment you sign up
1Average savings calculations are based on information provided by SouthEast Bank/ Education Loan Finance customers who refinanced their student loans between 01/03/23 and 03/01/23. While these amounts represent reported average amounts saved, actual amounts saved will vary depending upon a number of factors.
2Rates accurate as of 09/26/23. The interest rate and monthly payment for variable rate loans may increase after closing. Your actual interest rate may be different from the rates shown above and will be based on the term of your loan, your financial history, and other factors, including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history. For example, a 10 year loan with a fixed rate of 6% would have 120 payments of $11.00 per $1,000 borrowed. To qualify for refinancing or student loan consolidation through Education Loan Finance, you must have at least $10,000 in qualified student loan debt and must have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved post-secondary Education Loan Finance institution. Education Loan Finance Parent Loans are limited to a maximum of the 10-year term.
SoFi Student Loans
- Rates as low as 5.09% variable and 4.49% fixed1
- No fees or prepayment penalties
- Unemployment protection
1Fixed rates range from 4.49% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates from 5.09% APR to 8.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates on 5-, 7-, and 10-year terms are capped at 8.95% APR; 15- and 20-year terms are capped at 9.95% APR. 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.
Splash Financial Refinance Loan
- Rates as low as 4.74%1 Variable APR and 4.96%1 Fixed APR
- No pre-payment penalties, origination, or application fees
- See rates in 3 minutes without affecting your credit score2
1The rates displayed may include a 0.25% autopay discount.
2To check the rates and terms you qualify for, Splash Financial conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, the lender will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.
Earnest Student Loan Refinancing
- Variable rates starting at 5.72% APR (including 0.25% Auto Pay discount)*
- Fixed rates starting at 5.19% APR (including 0.25% Auto Pay discount)*
- Choose your own monthly payment
- No fees of any kind and exceptional customer service for the life of your loan
- Check your rate in under 2 minutes
To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen or possess a 10-year (non-conditional) Permanent Resident Card, reside in a state Earnest lends in, and satisfy our minimum eligibility criteria. You may find more information on loan eligibility here: https://www.earnest.com/eligibility. Not all applicants will be approved for a loan, and not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Approval and interest rate depend on the review of a complete application.
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 5.97% 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.
*Auto Pay Discount: If you make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic, monthly deduction from a savings or checking account, your rate will be reduced by one quarter of one percent (0.25%) for so long as you continue to make automatic, electronic monthly payments. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Not all borrowers will qualify for our lowest rates, and your rate will be based on creditworthiness at time of application.
The information provided on this page is updated as of 11/28/2023. Earnest reserves the right to change, pause, or terminate product offerings at any time without notice.
Earnest loans are originated by Earnest Operations LLC. California Finance Lender License 6054788. NMLS # 1204917. Earnest Operations LLC is located at 303 2nd Street, Suite 401N, San Francisco, CA 94107. Terms and Conditions apply. Visit https://www.earnest.com/terms-of-service, e-mail us at [email protected], or call 888-601-2801 for more information on our student loan refinance product.
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