Application Process
Application requirements can vary depending on the lender, and you have the right to select the private lender of your choice.
ELMSelect is a private loan search engine where you can compare different lenders and loan products. Neither WVU nor Student Financial Services intends any specific endorsement of these lenders. Students are not limited to the loans listed by ELMSelect and may pursue private educational loans from lenders of their choosing.
Borrower Responsibility
The borrower for private loans may be the student or the parent, depending on the lender. Each lender has different eligibility requirements, interest rates, fees, and repayment terms.
Spring Priority Processing Deadline: December 15, 2025
To allow for processing time and avoid late payment consequences, students should apply early so the loan shows as anticipated aid towards your spring charges. If WVU does not receive the loan application by the priority processing deadline, it may not be processed by the beginning of the spring semester.
Some examples of what lenders may require include:
- Students to be enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program, while other lenders may allow students who are non-degree or enrolled less than half-time to borrow.
- Student maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility to receive their loans.
Tips on Applying
- Do not apply too early for a private loan because lenders have an expiration date on the credit check.
- Your application cannot be certified until after you are registered for classes and accepted or declined any other financial aid you have been offered.
- Submit your application between early May and mid-June for the upcoming academic year (fall and spring semesters) to have funds available for your fall bill. If you are applying for the spring semester only, please complete your application between early October and mid-November.
- A separate loan application is required for the summer term and for each academic year.