Student Financial Services | International Students

Private banks also offer loan programs for educational costs. Some of these private loan programs will loan funds to international students. For most of these loans, the student is the borrower with the parent as a cosigner. Interest rates generally are variable.

For private loans, the borrowing limit is the total cost of education for the academic year (as defined by Johns Hopkins University) less any financial aid.

As a service to students and their families, Johns Hopkins University makes available this link to the Simple Tuition website which assists in comparing private loans and in identifying potential lenders. The Simple Tuition website is one of many tools that may be helpful when selecting a private loan lender. The University does not endorse or recommend any lender, nor does the University have any financial interest in any lending institution. Students and their families have the right to select the educational loan provider of their choice. Additional information on factors to consider when securing a private loan is available below.

Questions to ask a Private Lender (Top)

What is your lowest interest rate and fee combination and how can I get it? Is the rate only for a limited period or is it for the life of the loan?
For variable rate loans, is there a limit on how high the variable rate can go? How often is the interest rate adjusted, and how is it determined?
What interest rate can I get on a fixed-rate loan?
How long will I be repaying the loan? Is there any penalty for paying it off early?
When do I have to start making payments? How long can I defer payments while I'm in school? If I go to graduate school and defer payments, how much will I owe when I do start making them?
Will I lose my discount for paying on time if I have only one late payment or if I ask for a change in the payment schedule?
What proportion of your borrowers get the discounts you offer? Are your discounts guaranteed or are they subject to change later?
Would you allow me to defer or reduce my payments temporarily because of economic hardship? Under what circumstances and for how long?

-- From the Project on Student Debt (see website below)

Consumer Information on Student Loans (Top)

For more information on comparing lender benefits, see the following website:

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/loandiscounts.vp.html

For questions to ask when considering a private loan, see the following website:

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/private_loan_questions.vp.html

Some additional sites with information on private loans for international students are as follows:

www.edupass.org. Go to the section on Financing College.

www.InternationalStudent.com

www.isloan.org

Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund

Every year since 1948, the Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund program of the
Organization of American States has been granting interest free student
loans, to individuals from Latin America and Caribbean countries to help
them cover their studies and research at accredited institutions in the
United States. These loans are made on the understanding that when the
recipients have completed their studies, they are to return to their
respective home countries to assist in their countries' economic
development and social integration.

The Rowe Fund Student Loan Program helps citizens from Latin America and
Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies in universities across
the United States by awarding interest free loans. Applications are
accepted and reviewed year-round. For more information, go to http://www.oas.org/rowe/brochure.pdf. To download the application
forms, please visit our webpage at http://www.oas.org/rowe or contact us at rowefund@oas.org .

Information on current market interest rates is available at: http://bankrate.com.

For questions to ask when considering a private loan, see the following website:

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/private_loan_questions.vp.html