UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Apply for Aid

Personal Loans

SELF Loan

  • Borrower: Students regardless of financial need who are a Minnesota resident. A credit-worthy co-signer is required.
  • Lender: Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
  • Loan Amount: Up to $7500 per grade level for undergraduate students ($9000 for graduate students). Amount must also fit within your cost of attendance budget for a given academic year. Maximum total amount you can receive in SELF loans is $55,000.
  • Application Process: Apply online at www.selfloan.state.mn.us
  • Interest Rate: The SELF interest rate is variable, but cannot change more than 3% in a 12 month period. Please check www.selfloan.state.mn.us for current rates.
  • Repayment and FAQs: There are repayment terms while you are enrolled in school. Please see www.selfloan.state.mn.us for more information and Frequently Asked Questions.

 

Alternative Loan

  • Borrower: Students regardless of financial need. Meant to provide additional funds after you have applied for federal financial aid. Alternative loans often have a higher interest rate and loan fees. For these reasons we highly recommend all students and families apply for federal financial aid through the FAFSA before applying for an alternative loan.
  • Lender: You choose between a variety of private banks and lenders on the online application.
  • Loan Amount: Up to your cost of attendance, minus any other aid you have received.
  • Application process: Apply online through FASTChoice or Credible. (Note: UW River Falls receives no compensation or consideration from these providers of private education loan comparison services. You are not limited to using the lenders listed on either FASTChoice or Credible for private education loans).
  • Interest Rate and Repayment: Unlike federal loans, the terms of alternative loans are set by the individual lenders. The interest rate and fees are determined by your credit history, your debt-to-income ratio and that of your co-signer. The interest rates for alternative loans are variable and are most often based on a range using the Prime or SOFR as a base and add an additional percentage based on the borrower's credit. The current Prime and SOFR rates are available at the Federal Reserve Statistical Release.