Financial Aid

Lenders

Private student loans should be considered “last resort” opportunities. You should utilize all other financing options before applying for a private loan product - federal student loan programs are less expensive than private loans and should be considered first. Students and their families should also remember that the University a payment plan option for each semester. 

The WIU Financial Aid Office will process alternative loans for ANY lender selected by a student. Students are not required to choose a lender included on the Private Lender List.

Methodology & Criteria

The lenders included on the Preferred Lender List have responded to a public Request for Information (RFI) distributed by the WIU Financial Aid Office.

Submissions were evaluated and lenders selected based on the benefits the loan products offer to borrowers, including interest rates and fees, repayment benefits and terms, ability to apply, sign, certify and disburse electronically, quality of customer service to borrowers, problem resolution, loan management tools and availability of consumer information and web based service features.

The WIU Preferred Lender List is not a comprehensive list of all the educational loans available. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement or recommendation by Western Illinois University. If a parent or student has worked with a lender not listed below, and has received excellent benefits and quality service from this lender, you may continue to do business with that lender.