Ohio University

Alternative Loans

Alternative loans are used to help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount available from federal and state grant and loan programs. There are hundreds of lenders providing different types of private educational loans. We have provided the link below to a list of several loan companies from which our students choose to borrow.

Alternative Loan Lenders

Cost Calculator

The loan programs differ, so it is important that you know the terms and conditions of the loan, as well as, your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. Remember that a loan is a debt that must be repaid. It is recommended that students borrow wisely.

It is recommended that a student use a cosigner to help ensure receiving the lowest rate possible. Most un-cosigned loans have fees and a higher interest rate attached to the loan.

Before you look at alternative funding, please make sure that you have exhausted all possible federal and state financial aid funds available. Our office strongly recommends that students file the FAFSA before applying for alternative loans.

If you have questions regarding an alternative loan program, we suggest you contact the specific lender directly. Please feel free to contact our office with general questions at 740-593-4141.

The deadline for alternative loan certification for the 2010-2011 year was May 1, 2011.  We are no longer able to certify alternative loans for 2010-2011.

Please be advised that certification and payment of private alternative loan funds currently is delayed.

If you have applied for a private alternative loan and have received confirmation of credit approval, we anticipate that your loan will be applied toward your account balance no later than Monday, September 19.

If you are expecting to receive a refund from the payment of your alternative loan, and this delay will cause you financial hardship, you can request emergency funds through a University Short-Term Loan.

To request a Short-Term Loan, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships in 020 Chubb Hall, call 740-593-4141, or send an e-mail to financial.aid@ohio.edu.

We apologize for this inconvenience. Should the process be further delayed, we will contact you on September 19 with additional information. Thank you for your continued patience.

PLUS vs Alternative Loans