MEFA Student Loans Review: Non-Profit Lender With Low Rates And Fees

When you need a private student loan for school, finding a student loan provider who can meet your needs and has reasonable loan terms is critical.

Private student loan providers are not all created equal. So researching providers is a must when it comes to finding a good deal. Looking for lenders that are non-profit organizations can be a good starting point as they may be willing to offer more attractive rates and/or terms.

MEFA is one such non-profit provider. For undergraduate and graduate students who are United States citizens and attend an eligible college, MEFA student loans could be a strong option. We’ll explain the loan features and when a private student loan from MEFA could make sense.

See how MEFA compares to other private lenders in minutes on Credible!

Who Is MEFA?

MEFA is the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. They are a non-profit organization based in Boston, MA. MEFA provides student loans for undergraduate and graduate students alike. MEFA was created in 1982 by the Massachusetts state legislature at the request of colleges and universities across the state.

What Do They Offer?

MEFA offers private student loans to undergraduate and graduate students. They also provide student loan refinancing. While MEFA is a Massachusetts-based organization, they lend to families in all 50 states.

A MEFA loan only covers one school year. Students must apply each year that they will be in school. For example, if you want a loan to cover four years of school, you’ll need to apply four times for four loans.

Students can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any financial aid. Minimum loan amounts are $2,000 for private schools and $1,500 for public schools. Cosigners are generally required for undergraduate loans.

Qualifications

Students must be enrolled at least half time in an accredited degree-granting undergraduate or graduate program and maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined by the school. The school must be a non-profit but can be public or private. Loan applications are subject to MEFA credit approval standards.

To find out your actual loan rates, you'll have to go through the full application process, which does require a hard credit check. If you are using a cosigner, they will also require a credit check and the final loan amount can depend on the cosigner's finances. Upon approval, any loan rate that you might receive will fall within the ranges stated below for undergraduate and graduate loans.

Undergraduate Loans

There are several types of student loans for undergraduates to choose from. Fixed rates vary from 3.75% to 5.75% APR. Note: rates subject to change.

• Immediate Repayment (10-year term): Payments begin immediately (28th day of the month following the final disbursement). 3.75% - 5.30% APR. 
• Immediate Repayment (15-year term): Payments begin the same as above. 3.95% - 5.35% APR.
• Interest-Only Repayment (15-year term): Interest-only payments begin immediately. Payments that include principal begin after the undergraduate anticipated in-school period. 4.25% - 5.40% APR.
• Deferred Repayment (15-year term): Payments are deferred until six months after the student graduates or no longer meet academic qualifications. Deferments are available for a maximum of 60 months. 4.38% - 5.50% APR. 
• Student Deferred Repayment with Co-Borrower Release (15-year term): Same terms as “Deferred Repayment.” However, the co-borrower can be released after 48 consecutive on-time payments. 4.62% - 5.75% APR.

Graduate Loans

There are two types of graduate student loans available from MEFA. Both have fixed rates. The same loan minimum and maximum amounts apply for graduate as undergraduate loans.

• Interest-Only Repayment (15-year term): Payments begin the 28th day following the final loan disbursement. The principal will be added to loan payments once the in-school period ends. 4.25% - 5.40% APR.
• Deferred Repayment (15-year term): Payments are deferred until six months after the student graduates or no longer meet academic qualifications. Unlike undergraduate loans, deferments on graduate loans max out at 36 months. 4.45% - 5.50% APR.

Are There Any Fees?

MEFA student loans (for both undergrads and graduates) come with no application or origination fees. They also don't charge fees for late payments or returned checks. Finally, there are no prepayment penalties on MEFA student loans.

How Do I Open An Account?

To apply for a MEFA loan, visit https://www.mefa.org. Keep in mind that MEFA doesn't offer pre-qualified rate quotes. If you submit a loan application, a hard credit inquiry will be placed on your credit report.

Is My Money Safe?

Since MEFA doesn’t take deposits, there isn’t any money to lose. If you're approved for a MEFA student loan, the funds will be disbursed directly to your college or university.

Is It Worth It?

For students who need to take out private student loans to help pay for school, MEFA student loans could be worth it. They have competitive rates and terms and do offer some in-school deferment options.

However, one major downside to MEFA is that they don't have any formal hardship forbearance policy. And since they use traditional loan underwriting methods, it's likely that you'll need a cosigner to get approved for a MEFA undergraduate student loan (and only one of their loans offers cosigner release).

Before you apply for any MEFA student loans, be sure to compare them with other private lenders on Credible. And if you're looking to take out a private student loan without a cosigner, check out our guide.

MEFA Student Loans Features