Loans on this list are available to all HLS International Students (J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D.). Important: J.D. students with further questions about the Preferred Lender List may contact J.D. Student Financial Services, and LL.M and S.J.D. students Financial Aid Office.
Students attending HLS and are not required to borrow from the lenders on the Preferred Lender List. It is possible that students could obtain better rates or terms from lenders not on this list. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents may qualify for U.S. federal student loans and the terms and conditions of these federal funds may be more favorable than the terms and conditions of private education loans. Students from OFAC Sanctioned Countries s on the Preferred Lender List.
We recommend that J.D. students review the How Do I Choose A Loan Program? page and Learn more about Student Loans page before applying for a loan. International J.D. students may want to review our page with Additional Loan Information for International J.D. Students.
This is a quick guide to the highlights of each loan program. Although we have attempted to provide accurate information, borrowers should review and verify the exact terms, conditions, qualifications, and disclosures associated with any loan product with the lender. Students attending HLS and are not required to borrow from the lenders on the Preferred Lender List. It is possible that students could obtain better rates or terms from lenders not on this list.
Please note that if you are interested in applying for a College Ave Loan, have a non-US IP address, and are unable to complete your loan application, you may need to access the application through a VPN. You may access the application by utilizing the HLS VPN link.
* This estimated repayment cost was calculated by HLS Student Financial Services based on a single disbursed amount of $10,000 repaid over a 10-year term, with loan fees added to the amount borrowed, and interest accrued during a 40-month in-school deferment and grace period capitalized (added to the outstanding principal) when repayment begins. Because lenders may use different assumptions about deferment and disbursement, these estimates may differ from repayment cost estimates provided by the lenders under Truth in Lending Act (TILA) requirements.
The table above provides a quick overview of preferred lender programs. To review the full loan program details, see the Preferred Lender List for International StudentsStudents (PDF).
Other Important Information
The private lenders on the Preferred Lender List are not affiliated with each other or with Harvard University. The private lenders on the list were selected through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process conducted in . The RFP was posted on the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA) listserve which includes both local and national lenders. A committee including members of Harvard Law School Student Financial Services and members of the Harvard Central Financial Administration evaluated the RFP responses. In choosing the lenders and loan products for the Preferred Lender List, proposals were evaluated based on competitiveness 
of interest rates and fees, borrower benefits, deferment and forbearance provisions, and customer service. You can view the RFP request and a description of the 2021-22 Preferred Lender List Selection Process.
Preferred Lender List for International Students: Academic Year 2021-2022
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) requires institutions participating in the federal student loan programs develop, publish and enforce a code of conduct with respect to student loans. Harvard University is committed to the highest standard of ethics and conduct. Financial aid staff are bound to the conflict of interest and commitment policies applicable to Harvard employees. Additionally, to comply with the HEOA, Harvard has adopted the federally mandated Code of Conduct to address specific legislative concerns relating to educational loan programs.
Lenders of private education loans are required to collect from all borrowers a completed and signed Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification Form prior to disbursing the loan. Individual lenders should have copies of this form on their websites and typically have implemented their own procedures for collecting the form as part of the loan application process. We recommend contacting your lender directly if you have specific questions about the process for submitting this form.