Click to go to the CFNC home pageskip to main content
Click to open My CFNC Click to open Career Center Click to open Student Planner Click to open College Fair You are now at Online Applications Click to open Paying for College Click to open NC College Savings Plan
Click to log into My CFNCClick to create My CFNC
Click to search CFNC & Campus Sites
Click to contact CFNC Click to learn more about CFNC
College Admission
FAFSA
Transcripts
Loan Applications
Student Stafford Loan
Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan
Parent PLUS Loan
EXTRA Education Loan
Consolidation Loan
Installment Payment Plan
Ask an Expert
CFNC Home
 

Federal Consolidation Loan Program

The Federal Consolidation Loan Program was established to help people who borrowed money from multiple lenders or had to borrow a large amount to finance their college education and then have difficulty making the required monthly payments.

Apply Now

Apply for a Consolidation Loan.

pdf Download Consolidation Loan Application Form

Eligibility Requirements

For a consolidation loan with College Foundation, Inc., you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Have a total outstanding balance of at least $500 on the loans you wish to consolidate.
  • Be in grace or repayment status (including loans in deferment or forbearance) at the time of application for the loans you wish to consolidate.
  • Have made satisfactory repayment arrangements with the holder of your loans or agree to repay the consolidation loan under an income-sensitive repayment plan if your loans are in a default status.
  • Not be subject to a judgment issued by a court, unless the judgment has been vacated.
  • Not be subject to an order for wage garnishment unless the order has been lifted.
  • Not have another consolidation loan application pending with another lender.

Note: If you consolidate during your grace period, the remainder of your grace period will be cancelled as of the date the consolidation loan is made.

To borrow a Consolidation Loan from College Foundation, Inc. (CFI), the prospective borrower must have a North Carolina Connection as well as meet federal loan requirements. The required connection is established by having at least one FFELP Loan outstanding with CFI.

 
Start loan application
Compare lenders
calculate payments

 

 

Loans That Can Be Consolidated

  • Subsidized Federal Stafford loans
  • Unsubsidized and nonsubsidized Federal Stafford loans
  • Federal Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
  • Federal Perkins loans (NDSL)
  • Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), including Loans for Disadvantaged Students
  • Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL)
  • Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL)
  • Federal PLUS (parent and graduate/professional) Loans
  • Federal Consolidation Loans**
  • Loans made under the Federal Nursing Student Loan Program (NSLP)
  • Loans made under the Federal Direct Loan Program

*Federal Consolidation loans can be included only if you have at least one other eligible loan made before or after the existing consolidation loan that will be consolidated.

REVIEW ALL YOUR STUDENT LOANS

Fees

  • No origination fee.
  • No guarantee fee.
  • No repayment fee.

Interest Rate

  • The interest rate on your Federal Consolidation Loan will be a fixed rate based on the weighted average of the statutory interest rates of the loans being consolidated (excluding Health Education Assistance Loans [HEAL]), rounded up to the nearest 1/8th percent, or 8.25 percent, whichever is less.
  • For any portion of the loan attributable to HEAL, the interest rate is variable and adjusts each July 1.
  • In determining the weighted average of the statutory interest rates on the CFI loans being consolidated, CFI uses the rates in effect for each underlying loan at the time your signed Consolidation Loan application is received. If loans from another lender are also to be included in the new loan, CFI uses the rates reported by that loan holder.

Repayment

  • Your first payment will be due within 60 days after your consolidation loan is made.
  • You must continue to make your regularly scheduled loan payments to your original lenders until your consolidation loan has been processed. The consolidation loan processing period may be up to 45 days.
  • The following list shows the maximum repayment period available based on the combined total of your consolidation loan and other outstanding education loans (public or private higher education loan programs; personal loans cannot be considered):
  Education Debt Repayment Period
  $500.00 - $9,999.99 12 years
  $10,000.00 - $19,999.99 15 years
  $20,000.00 - $39,999.99 20 years
  $40,000.00 - $59,999.99 25 years
  $60,000.00 and above 30 years
  • You may select one of the following repayment options for your consolidation loan:
  • Standard Repayment Plan - You pay the same monthly payment amount (including principal and interest) throughout the repayment period.
  • Graduated Repayment Plan - You start with a lower monthly payment at the beginning of your repayment period, then gradually increase over the course of the repayment period.
  • Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan - You make a monthly payment based on a percentage of your monthly gross income.
  • Extended Repayment Plan - You extend payments for a lengthened repayment term of up to 25 years. (Available only to borrowers who received their first loan on or after October 7, 1998, and have more than $30,000 in outstanding principal and interest through FFELP.)
 

Important Consideration Before Consolidation

Even though you will have lower payments after consolidating your loans, the extended repayment period will increase the total interest charges over the life of your loan. Also, making payments over a longer period may make it harder to save for retirement or a child's college education. However, you can make early payments on your loan at any time, which can save you money by reducing the total amount of interest paid.

Consolidation may also limit your eligibility for certain deferments and interest subsidy benefits. Generally, you should consider a loan consolidation only on a large education loan debt and if you are having serious difficulty making your payments.

Any benefits for which you have previously qualified under the NC Advantage Program will be forfeited upon consolidation of the applicable loans. You will become eligible to qualify for the benefits available to CFI Consolidation borrowers. See the details on benefits offered for Federal Consolidation Loans here: http://www.cfnc.org/paying/loan/nc_advantage_2.jsp

 

Nondiscriminatory Policy

All student financial assistance is awarded on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, age (with the exception that borrowers must be at least 17 to enter into loan contracts under North Carolina law), or any other protected characteristics established by law.

 

Privacy Policy

If you apply for this online loan, we assure you that we will not use your personal information for any other purpose or disclose it to any other party except as provided for in the application and promissory note. Review our complete privacy policy.
 

Apply Now

Apply for a consolidation loan.

 
pdf Download Consolidation Loan Application Form

 

 
 

 

   
  Copyright © 2001-2008 College Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.
Site Map | Privacy Policy | Technical Support