Financial Planning: International Students

International students have the option to borrow through a U.S. lender with a credit worthy U.S. or permanent resident co-signer. A co-signer loan may carry a lower interest rate. Private education loans are funded by private lending institutions and require a separate loan application. Private loans may offer fixed and variable interest rates based on the co-signer’s credit history and credit score. Loan amounts are limited to the published total cost of education as determined by the educational institution, less any loans or financial assistance you receive.

Cornell does not recommend any lenders. You are encouraged to compare lenders and loan terms to select the loan that best fits your needs. Students are responsible for researching and applying for their alternative loan. You may visit Johnson’s FASTChoice web tool to view a list of lenders students have most often used in the past. FASTChoice is not a lender; it is an independent, online loan comparison program. This interactive program provides loan counseling and basic information about borrowing for students interested in private lender options. Students can apply online for loans directly from this site. Students are free to select any lender they choose, including those not presented through FASTChoice.

The Johnson Financial Aid Office has worked to identify private student loans for those who do not have a co-signer. For more information on these financing options, please email our office. If approved for a private student loan, those funds may be included as financial support on the Declaration of Finance.

Johnson has partnered with the Quorum Federal Credit Union (QFCU) to provide loans to international students (students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, and require a visa for entry to the United States). More information on this financing option and the application may be found here.

Please Note: In accordance with regulatory guidelines, students who are on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List are NOT eligible for this private education line of credit. In addition, students that reside in countries with OFAC comprehensive sanctions are NOT eligible for this private education line of credit during the time they reside in those respective countries. Please see http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx for further information.

International students should investigate all sources of funding within their own countries, such as government scholarships and loans, private agencies, and bank loan programs. You can find additional country specific offerings on the Scholarships and Grants page.

For further information, contact:

Financial Aid Office
117 Sage Hall
Johnson Graduate School of Management
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-6201
Email: Financial Aid