EdvestinU Overview
EdvestinU is a private student loan program offered by Granite Edvance Corporation (formerly the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation), a New Hampshire-based nonprofit that has been supporting college access for approximately 60 years. Despite its New Hampshire roots, EdvestinU offers private student loans, parent loans, and refinancing nationwide. The organization also serves international students who apply with an eligible U.S. co-signer. Loans are serviced by Firstmark Services.
EdvestinU stands out in several ways: its rate ceiling of approximately 10.44% is lower than most national competitors (Sallie Mae 17.49%, Earnest 16.49%). It offers a generous 0.50% autopay discount (double the industry standard 0.25%). Co-signer release is available after 24 consecutive on-time payments. And the forbearance policy (up to 24 months for financial hardship, plus academic deferment) is among the most generous in this review series. New Hampshire residents or students attending New Hampshire schools benefit from an additional rate reduction of up to 1.5% through the Granite Edvance Student Loan program.
Borrowers should exhaust federal loan options before considering any private student loan.
Pros and Cons of EdvestinU Student Loans
Pros
- Low rate ceiling (~10.44%). Protects less-qualified borrowers from extreme pricing. Lower than most fintech competitors.
- 0.50% autopay discount. Double the standard 0.25%. This is the most generous autopay discount in the review series, tied with Funding U and better than all other mainstream lenders.
- Generous forbearance (up to 24 months). Among the longest forbearance periods in the private student loan market. Academic deferment and administrative forbearance also available.
- International students eligible with a co-signer. International students with a creditworthy U.S. co-signer can qualify, a feature many lenders lack.
- Nonprofit mission. Granite Edvance reinvests loan proceeds into New Hampshire education, including $750,000 in scholarships in 2025.
- Co-signer release after 24 months. Standard timeline; better than INvestEd (48 mo.) and EdvestinU’s own refinance product.
- Refinancing without a degree requirement. One of very few lenders that does not require graduation to refinance.
- NH residents get up to 1.5% rate reduction. Significant additional savings for in-state borrowers.
Cons
- Late fee present. 5% of past-due amount. ISL Education, Abe, SoFi, and Ascent charge zero late fees.
- Higher credit threshold without co-signer (750). Borrowers applying solo need a 750 FICO, which is well into the “excellent” range. With a co-signer, the minimum drops to 675.
- Only 7, 10, or 15-year terms. No 5 or 20-year options for in-school loans.
- No Trustpilot profile. Limited independent consumer review data makes it harder to assess the borrower experience at scale.
- $30,000 minimum income requirement. Borrowers or co-signers must earn at least $30,000 annually.
EdvestinU
EdvestinU earns a 3.5 out of 5.0 and combines nonprofit pricing with broader eligibility than most mission-driven lenders. Available in all 50 states plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, EdvestinU also serves international students with a U.S. co-signer, a feature that most nonprofit lenders lack. The rate ceiling of 10.44% fixed keeps worst-case pricing well below fintech competitors.
The 0.50% autopay discount is double the industry standard and the highest among nonprofit lenders (tied with Funding U). A 24-month forbearance option (among the longest available) provides meaningful hardship protection. The program is offered by Granite Edvance Corporation, a New Hampshire nonprofit with roughly 60 years of experience in education finance. NH residents receive up to an additional 1.5% rate reduction through the Granite Edvance Student Loan program.
EdvestinU also offers refinancing without a degree requirement, opening that option to borrowers who left school before graduating. The limitations include a 5% late fee on past-due amounts, a $30,000 minimum income requirement, a 750 FICO threshold for solo applicants (675 with a co-signer), and only three term options (7, 10, or 15 years). For international students who have a U.S.-based co-signer and want nonprofit pricing, EdvestinU is one of the few options available.
- Fixed APR: 4.45% – 10.44% (with 0.50% autopay discount)
- 0.50% autopay discount, double the industry standard
- International students eligible with a U.S. co-signer
- 24-month forbearance, among the longest in the market
- Co-signer release after 24 consecutive on-time payments
How EdvestinU Compares
Feature | EdvestinU | ISL Education Lending |
Fixed APR | ~4.45% – 10.44% | ~2.70% – 8.70% |
Rate Ceiling | ~10.44% | ~8.70% |
Late Fee | 5% of past-due | None |
Loan Amounts | $1K – $225K lifetime | $1K – COA |
Terms | 7, 10, or 15 years | 10 or 15 years |
Co-signer Release | 24 months | 24 months |
Autopay Discount | 0.50% | 0.25% |
Forbearance | Up to 24 months | Limited |
International Students | Yes (with co-signer) | No |
Refinancing | Yes (no degree required) | Yes (incl. in-school) |
NH Discount | Up to 1.5% | No (IL discount available) |
Nonprofit | Yes | Yes |
Final Verdict on EdvestinU Student Loans
EdvestinU earns a 3.5 out of 5.0 in our scoring framework (weighted 3.78, just below the 4.0 threshold). Its strengths are clear: a nonprofit mission backed by 60 years of Granite Edvance’s education work, competitive rates with a low ceiling, a 0.50% autopay discount, generous 24-month forbearance, co-signer release, international student eligibility, and no-degree-required refinancing. For New Hampshire borrowers, the additional 1.5% rate reduction makes EdvestinU particularly attractive.
The weaknesses are modest: a late fee, higher solo-applicant credit threshold (750), limited term options, and no Trustpilot presence. Overall, EdvestinU is a strong choice for borrowers who value nonprofit lending, rate protection, and generous hardship provisions.
Before applying, exhaust all federal student loan options.
Methodology
Data sourced from EdvestinU’s website, Education Data Initiative, and CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.
