MPOWER Snapshot
MPOWER is an online lender that offers non-cosigned undergraduate and graduate student loans to international, domestic, and DACA students. It is best for international students and DACA students who don’t have a credit history and can’t access a qualified cosigner.
Pros
Offers non-cosigned undergraduate and graduate student loans to international, domestic, and DACA students- You can get up to 0.25% in rate discounts
- Three unique scholarship opportunities for international students
Cons
Only available to students within two years of graduation - Higher interest rates and fees than other online lenders
- You have to make loan payments while you’re in school
- Offers only one repayment term of 10 years
Best Features of MPOWER
Offers non-cosigned undergraduate and graduate student loans to international, domestic, and DACA students
International and DACA students studying in the U.S. often struggle to finance their education because they do not have access to federal student loans and are not eligible with most private lenders.
Luckily MPOWER has given international and DACA students an option. MPOWER offers non-cosigned undergraduate and graduate student loans to international, domestic, and DACA students.
MPOWER considers dozens of data points, such as future income potential, to determine creditworthiness and make a lending decision. The company reviews credit history, but credit scores are not a factor in its decision since most international students do not have U.S. credit scores.
The non-cosigned loan offer is available to borrowers from more than 190 countries and 400+ schools.
In order to be eligible for MPOWER’s student loan, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- You must be admitted to or enrolled in an eligible school in the U.S. or Canada
- You must be within two years of graduating from your program
- Your program must start within 12 months
- You must live in either the U.S. or Canada while you’re in school
- Your program must be degree-granting
If you qualify for a student loan through MPOWER, you’ll get a fixed-rate loan with flexible loan amounts ($2,001 to $100,000 total) that can cover tuition, school supplies, and living expenses for future semesters or past due balances. Check out the table below for more information:
You can get up to 0.25% rate discounts
MPOWER rewards you for borrowing responsibly by offering up to a 0.25% rate discount on student loans. You can qualify for these rate discounts by enrolling in autopay.
Autopay will automatically debit your loan payment each month. When you enroll, MPOWER gives you a 0.25% deduction on your interest rate for as long as you remain enrolled.
Your discount will remain if you make on-time payments via autopay. An invalid payment, hardship (i.e., forbearance) request, or entering into a modified payment plan may reset your discount, so you may need to enroll again to earn your interest rate discount.
If you take advantage of the autopay discounts, you could save yourself hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of dollars throughout the lifetime of your loan.
Three unique scholarship opportunities for international students
MPOWER offers three unique scholarship opportunities for international students.
- Global Citizen Scholarship: One grand prize winner will get a $5,000 scholarship, while four regional winners will get $3,000 each. To be eligible, you must be an international student studying at an eligible school in the U.S. or Canada.
- Women in STEM Scholarship: Female international and DACA students who are enrolled in or accepted to an eligible full-time STEM degree program can receive $5,000, $3,000, or $2,000.
- MBA Scholarship Program: MBA students pursuing an MBA at one of MPOWER’s supported schools will be awarded up to $10,000
In order to be eligible for MPOWER’s scholarships, you must meet the following criteria:
- Accepted at, or enrolled in, a full-time degree program at a U.S. or Canadian school that MPOWER supports
- An international student allowed to legally study in the U.S. or Canada.
The latest rates from Sparrow’s partners
If you want to skip pre-qualification and apply directly with a lender, you can do so by clicking Apply below.
Drawbacks of MPOWER
Only available to students within two years of graduation
If you want to take out a private student loan through MPOWER, you must be within 2 years of graduating from your program. For example: if your anticipated graduation date is May 2023, then your program must have started in May 2021 or later.
Higher interest rates and fees than other online lenders
MPOWER is unique in that it does not require a cosigner, collateral, or credit history. With that said, its rates are quite high compared to other lenders. MPOWER also charges a 5% origination fee that is added to your loan balance. You can spread the origination fee across the lifetime of the loan. So for example, if you borrow $10,000, you will have to pay a $500 fee as part of your monthly loan payments after graduation.
You have to make interest-only loan payments while you’re in school
While many lenders offer a variety of payment options that allow you to postpone repayment until after you’ve graduated, MPOWER requires all borrowers to make interest-only payments starting 45 days after loan funds have been disbursed.
Although in-school payments can be difficult for some borrowers, it is the best way to reduce the amount of interest you pay over time.
MPOWER Eligibility Criteria, Repayment Options & More
Fees and Terms
Loan Terms
10 years.
Loan Amounts
$2,001 up to $55,000 per semester with an annual limit of $100,000.
Application or Origination Fee
Yes, 5% origination fee added to the loan balance.
Prepayment Penalty
No.
Late Fees
Yes.
Eligibility Requirements (Financial)
Minimum Credit Score
N/A.
Minimum Income
Did not disclose.
Typical Credit Score of Approved Borrowers
N/A.
Typical Income of Approved Borrower
Did not disclose.
Maximum Debt-to-Income Ratio
Did not disclose.
Ability to qualify if you’ve filed for bankruptcy
Did not disclose.
Eligibility Requirements (Personal)
Citizenship
International students must be from one of the 180 countries MPOWER works with. DACA students do not need a Social Security number to qualify.
Location
Available to international borrowers attending eligible schools in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Must be enrolled half-time or more
Yes.
Types of schools served
Borrowers must be attending an eligible Title IV that MPOWER works with.
Percentage of borrowers who have a cosigner
N/A.
Repayment Options
In-school Repayment Options
Interest-only repayment: Pay only interest starting 30-45 days after loan funds have been disbursed.
Grace period
6 months. Interest-only payments are still required.
In-school Deferment
Students enrolled at least half-time are eligible for up to 24 months of deferment while continuing to make interest-only payments.
Military Deferment
Active-duty service members can defer payments for 24 months, in 12-month increments. Interest still accrues, but during the period of active service, interest on loans will be reduced to 6%.
Disability Deferment
Did not disclose.
Forbearance
Available if you have a late payment or are about to miss a payment. Borrowers have a 24-month limit on forbearance, available in six-month increments. During forbearance, interest will continue to accrue on the loan.
Cosigner Release
N/A. No cosigner is required.
Death or Disability Discharge
Yes.
Autopay
Allows for surplus payments via autopay: Yes.
Allows for biweekly payments via autopay: No.
Customer Service
Loan Servicer
Launch.
In-house Customer Service Team
Yes.
Process for Escalating Concerns
Yes.
Borrowers get assigned a personal customer service representative
Yes.
Average time from application to approval
10 days.
Student loan rates from our partners
Ascent
Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Rates are effective as of 4/1/2024 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: AscentFunding.com/Rates. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest rates require interest-only payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the repayment examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins.
Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Rates are effective as of 4/1/2024 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: AscentFunding.com/Rates. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest rates require interest-only payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the repayment examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins.
LendKey
1 – Terms and Conditions Apply
Loan products, terms, and benefits may be modified or discontinued by participating lenders at any time without notice. Rates displayed are reserved for the most creditworthy consumers who enroll to make automatic monthly payments. Your initial rate will be determined after a review of your application and credit profile. Variable rates may increase after consummation. You must be either a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident in an eligible state and from an eligible school, and meet the lender’s credit and income requirements to qualify for a loan. Certain membership requirements (including the opening of a share account, a minimum share account deposit, and the payment of any applicable association fees in connection with membership) may apply in the event that an applicant wishes to apply with, and accept a loan offered from, a credit union lender. If you are not a member of the credit union lender, you may apply and become a member during the loan application process if you meet the lender’s eligibility criteria. Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may result in a better chance of loan approval and/or lower interest rate. Loans for exam preparation classes, including, but not limited to, loans for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and GRE preparation, are not available via LendKey.com.
2 – Cosigner Release
Some lenders participating on LendKey.com may offer the benefit of cosigner release. Cosigner release is subject to lender approval. In order to qualify, the borrower, alone, must meet the following requirements: (1) Make the required number of consecutive, on-time full principal and interest payments as indicated in the borrower’s credit agreement during the repayment period (excluding interest-only payments) immediately prior to the request. Any period of forbearance will reset the repayment clock; (2) The account cannot be in delinquent status; (3) The borrower must provide proof of income indicating that he/she meets the income requirements and pass a credit review demonstrating that he/she has a satisfactory credit history and the ability to assume full responsibility of loan repayment; (4) No bankruptcies or foreclosures in the last sixty months; and (5) No loan defaults.
3 – Autopay Rate Reduction
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments.
4 – AutoPay Discount & Lowest Interest Rate
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments. The lowest advertised APR is only available for loan terms of 10 years and is reserved for the highest qualified applicants, taking into consideration the applicant’s credit and other factors.
1 – Terms and Conditions Apply
Loan products, terms, and benefits may be modified or discontinued by participating lenders at any time without notice. Rates displayed are reserved for the most creditworthy consumers who enroll to make automatic monthly payments. Your initial rate will be determined after a review of your application and credit profile. Variable rates may increase after consummation. You must be either a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident in an eligible state and from an eligible school, and meet the lender’s credit and income requirements to qualify for a loan. Certain membership requirements (including the opening of a share account, a minimum share account deposit, and the payment of any applicable association fees in connection with membership) may apply in the event that an applicant wishes to apply with, and accept a loan offered from, a credit union lender. If you are not a member of the credit union lender, you may apply and become a member during the loan application process if you meet the lender’s eligibility criteria. Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may result in a better chance of loan approval and/or lower interest rate. Loans for exam preparation classes, including, but not limited to, loans for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and GRE preparation, are not available via LendKey.com.
2 – Cosigner Release
Some lenders participating on LendKey.com may offer the benefit of cosigner release. Cosigner release is subject to lender approval. In order to qualify, the borrower, alone, must meet the following requirements: (1) Make the required number of consecutive, on-time full principal and interest payments as indicated in the borrower’s credit agreement during the repayment period (excluding interest-only payments) immediately prior to the request. Any period of forbearance will reset the repayment clock; (2) The account cannot be in delinquent status; (3) The borrower must provide proof of income indicating that he/she meets the income requirements and pass a credit review demonstrating that he/she has a satisfactory credit history and the ability to assume full responsibility of loan repayment; (4) No bankruptcies or foreclosures in the last sixty months; and (5) No loan defaults.
3 – Autopay Rate Reduction
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments.
4 – AutoPay Discount & Lowest Interest Rate
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments. The lowest advertised APR is only available for loan terms of 10 years and is reserved for the highest qualified applicants, taking into consideration the applicant’s credit and other factors.
Earnest
Auto Pay Discount Disclosure
You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay.
Student Loan Origination (Private Student Loan) Interest Rate Disclosure
Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.36% APR to 16.15% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.87% APR to 16.45% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan origination loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. Although the rate will vary after you are approved, it will never exceed 36% (the maximum allowable for this loan). Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.
Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC, or FinWise Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Finwise Bank, 756 East Winchester, Suite 100, Murray, UT 84107
Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 535 Mission St., Suite 1663 San Francisco, CA 94105, NMLS #1204917, with support From Navient Solutions, LLC (NMLS #212430). One American Bank, FinWise Bank, and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.
© 2024 Earnest LLC. All rights reserved.
Auto Pay Discount Disclosure
You can take advantage of the Auto Pay interest rate reduction by setting up and maintaining active and automatic ACH withdrawal of your loan payment. The interest rate reduction for Auto Pay will be available only while your loan is enrolled in Auto Pay. Interest rate incentives for utilizing Auto Pay may not be combined with certain private student loan repayment programs that also offer an interest rate reduction. For multi-party loans, only one party may enroll in Auto Pay.
Student Loan Origination (Private Student Loan) Interest Rate Disclosure
Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.36% APR to 16.15% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 5.87% APR to 16.45% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan origination loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. Although the rate will vary after you are approved, it will never exceed 36% (the maximum allowable for this loan). Please note, Earnest Private Student Loans are not available in Nevada. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. It is important to note that the 0.25% Auto Pay discount is not available while loan payments are deferred.
Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC, or FinWise Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Finwise Bank, 756 East Winchester, Suite 100, Murray, UT 84107
Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 535 Mission St., Suite 1663 San Francisco, CA 94105, NMLS #1204917, with support From Navient Solutions, LLC (NMLS #212430). One American Bank, FinWise Bank, and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.
© 2024 Earnest LLC. All rights reserved.
College Ave
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
*The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as the borrower or cosigner, if applicable, enrolls in auto-pay and authorizes our loan servicer to automatically deduct your monthly payments from a valid bank account via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). The rate reduction applies for as long as the monthly payment amount is successfully deducted from the designated bank account and is suspended during periods of forbearance and certain deferments. Variable rates may increase after consummation. $5,000 is the minimum requirement to refinance. The maximum loan amount is $300,000 for those with medical, dental, pharmacy or veterinary doctorate degrees, and $150,000 for all other undergraduate or graduate degrees. Information advertised valid as of 08/25/2022. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a refi borrower with a Full Principal & Interest Repayment and a 10-year repayment term, has a $40,000 loan and a 5.5% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $434.11 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $52,092.61. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 3/07/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
*The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as the borrower or cosigner, if applicable, enrolls in auto-pay and authorizes our loan servicer to automatically deduct your monthly payments from a valid bank account via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). The rate reduction applies for as long as the monthly payment amount is successfully deducted from the designated bank account and is suspended during periods of forbearance and certain deferments. Variable rates may increase after consummation. $5,000 is the minimum requirement to refinance. The maximum loan amount is $300,000 for those with medical, dental, pharmacy or veterinary doctorate degrees, and $150,000 for all other undergraduate or graduate degrees. Information advertised valid as of 08/25/2022. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a refi borrower with a Full Principal & Interest Repayment and a 10-year repayment term, has a $40,000 loan and a 5.5% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $434.11 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $52,092.61. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 3/07/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.
MPOWER FAQs
Is MPOWER a legitimate lender?
Yes, MPOWER is a legitimate lender that offers private student loans to international and DACA students.
Is MPOWER available in all 50 states?
Yes, MPOWER is available in all 50 states.
How long does it take to get an MPOWER student loan?
Submitting an application through MPOWER takes a few minutes. Once you’ve submitted your loan application, MPOWER will instantaneously return a decision about your eligibility. If you qualify, you will receive the rate and terms of your loan.
It may take some time to actually receive your loan. Your school must approve the loan which may take between four to six weeks.
What happens if I don’t qualify for an MPOWER student loan?
If you don’t qualify for an MPOWER student student loan, the company will inform you why. Depending on the reason, you may consider applying with a different lender. To check your rates across multiple lenders at once, try using Sparrow’s free search engine. In just two minutes, you can receive real, personalized offers from over 15 different lenders ready to help you. And best of all, it won’t impact your credit score.
Are MPOWER student loans federal or private?
MPOWER’s loans are private loans. Before you take out a private student loan, we recommend that you exhaust your federal funding options, including grants and scholarships.
Does applying for a loan through MPOWER hurt my credit score?
It is unclear whether it will hurt your credit score. MPOWER conducts a soft credit check to determine your eligibility. While soft credit checks typically don’t hurt your credit score, MPOWER has stated that “Any potential lender pulling your credit may slightly lower your overall credit score temporarily.” Therefore, it isn’t totally clear whether or not applying for a loan with MPOWER will hurt your credit score or not.
Although MPOWER doesn’t use your FICO score to make loan decisions, the lender does review your credit history. If you have documented credit issues (missed payments, collection items, charge offs, etc.), these will negatively impact your chances to be pre-approved for a loan.