Graduate Student Loans

Our eligibility requirements are:

1. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students can apply with a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident cosigner.
2. The student must be enrolled at least half-time in a degree granting program at an eligible institution.
3. The student must have good credit or have a qualified cosigner.
4. The student must have attained the age of majority in their state of residence, or if the student has not met the age of majority in their state of residence, a cosigner will be required.
5. The student must have no prior student loan defaults.

For graduate programs, you can typically borrow from $1,000 up to 100% of your school's certified cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid you receive. The exact amount is determined during the school certification process and is subject to credit approval. Certified costs may include tuition and fees, housing, books, supplies, transportation, and required technology.

Graduate student loans can be used for eligible education‑related expenses included in your school’s certified cost of attendance. These may include tuition and fees, housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, and required technology.

Yes. Graduate student loans can be used for eligible education‑related expenses included in your school's certified cost of attendance, which may include items like housing, food, transportation, books, and supplies, in addition to tuition and fees.

Borrowers can choose from three repayment options for their student loans. With immediate repayment, you begin making principal and interest payments shortly after the loan is disbursed. With interest‑only repayment, you pay interest while you're in school, and full principal and interest payments begin six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half‑time enrollment. With deferred repayment, no payments are required while you're in school, and principal and interest payments begin six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half‑time enrollment. During deferred repayment, interest continues to accrue and is added to the principal when repayment begins.

Citizens student loans have no origination, application, or disbursement fees, and there is no penalty for paying more than the minimum monthly payment amount or paying it your loan off early.

Multi‑year approval lets eligible graduate students apply once and receive an approved borrowing amount for the current academic year and future years through their anticipated graduation date. If you qualify and remain eligible, you can request funds for later years without submitting a new full application.

The application can be completed online or by phone in just a few minutes. After the loan is processed and approved, your school must certify the loan for the correct amount before funds can be disbursed. The whole process can take several business days.