Cosigner Option: International students may choose to borrow a fixed or variable interest rate private educational loan with a creditworthy US cosigner. Each year, Columbia University publishes a Suggested Lender List which provides a comparison chart of private lenders offering education loans to international students with a creditworthy US cosigner. Your US cosigner must be a citizen or permanent resident. Keep in mind that for some lenders, a student must have a social security number in addition to having a cosigner. For application instructions, please visit each lender's website. Processing time for loans is 4 to 6 weeks assuming all documentation is in order.
No-cosigner Option: A no-cosigner loan option is available through
Prodigy Finance or
Quorum Federal Credit Union for international students. To apply, please visit their websites. Loan amounts and terms vary by lender. Many international students also rely on family funds, personal savings, government or company sponsorships, and/or loans secured in their home countries. International students should review our
additional resources page, separated by country, for additional external assistance.