Private Student Loans for College

Our students are our number one priority, so we seek out lenders that demonstrate excellence in all they do. Franklin University does not endorse any private educational loan lender. No student is required to choose a lender from Franklin’s Private Educational Loan Preferred Lender List. You may choose any eligible and participating lender -- regardless of whether the lender appears on our preferred list or not.

Franklin’s preferred lenders are:

• Citizens
• Cognition Financial - AAA Advantage
• College Ave Student Loans
• Nelnet Bank
• PNC
• Sallie Mae
• SoFI
• Wright-Patt Credit Union

None of these lenders are affiliated with each other. You are not required to choose your lender from this list

Step 1: Compare Lenders and Apply

To simplify the process of choosing your lender, you may select a lender from Franklin’s Preferred Lender List. Visit the Great Lakes FastChoice website to compare and view lender benefits, loan disclosures, loan cost examples, and apply for a loan.

Step 2: Applicant Self-Certification

Before any money can be disbursed from a private education loan, the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form must be completed and submitted to the lender -- not Franklin’s Financial Aid Office. Many lenders provide this form during the loan application process, so if you did not complete it then, please download the form now and submit it to your lender.

In order to complete Section 2 of the Self-Certification, you need to fill in the Cost of Attendance (COA) and Estimated Financial Assistance portions. Find the COA on your Franklin Financial Aid Award Letter or, if you have not yet received your Award Letter, visit the Cost of Attendance section on our website, and select the undergraduate or graduate COA model.

Step 3: Authorization

Your lender will send Franklin University’s Financial Aid Office a request to certify your loan. We will email you an Authorization for Private Education Loan. You must complete and return the form to our office before we can certify your loan.

1. Franklin University protects your choice of lender by:        
   • Making it clear that you have the right to select any lender
   • Processing/certifying loans in a timely manner -- regardless of lender
2. Franklin University employees may not request or accept any kind of payments or benefits from a lender in exchange for being included on a preferred or recommended lender list, or in exchange for the school recommending the lender to students and parents.    
3. Franklin University employees are prohibited from receiving any gift, including travel gifts, of more than nominal value from any lender, servicer or guarantee agency.   Franklin University reserves the right to add or remove any lending agency from the Preferred Lender List at any time.    
4. Franklin University employees are held to the highest ethical principles, as defined by our code of conduct.