Mpower Financing Student Loan Refinance Review

Our Rating: B- ⓘ (Compare)

Mpower Financing, Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), is among the few refinance options for international students. In addition to student loan refinancing, Mpower (stylized as MPOWER) advertises financial education, credit-building, and job placement services.

*$100K is the cumulative lifetime limit for Mpower loans. For example, applicants who have already borrowed $25K will only be eligible to refinance up to $75K.
**Lowest rates always include the 0.50% interest reduction for enrolling in auto-pay and an additional 0.50% interest rate reduction for six (6) on-time payments for a total reduction of 1.00%.

Skip to: Rates & Fees | Eligibility Requirements | Repayment Options | Consumer Reviews & Complaints | FAQ

Mpower Refinance Rates & Fees

Mpower’s lowest listed fixed rate includes the total 0.25% interest rate reduction for enrolling in auto-pay.

In 2023, Mpower raised its lowest available fixed rate 64.4% (from 7.44% APR) and its highest fixed rate 47.7% (from 8.45% APR).

Additional information about Mpower refinance rates:

• Checking your rate with Mpower will not affect your credit score. They will conduct a soft, not hard, credit inquiry (learn the difference).
• Mpower does offer a discount for setting up auto-pay: 0.25% interest rate reduction.

Additional Fees

Beyond interest rates, there are a number of fees a refinance lender may charge up-front or during the loan servicing period. Below is a list of these fees that Mpower does or does not charge.

1. Application fee – fee to apply for rates & approval.
2. Loan origination fee – fee to create the new loan.
3. Disbursement fee – fee for distributing funds to lenders to pay off loans that have been refinanced.
4. Prepayment penalty – fee for making extra payments to reduce a refinance loan balance or pay it off early.
5. Late payment fee – fee for making a late payment.
6. Returned payment fee – fee for failed payments due to insufficient funds, also known as a “bounced check”.
7. Collection fee – fee for collection activity on a defaulted debt.

Current Promotions & Offers

Mpower offers a 0.25% interest rate reduction for enrolling in direct debit or auto-pay.

Borrowing is not required to be eligible for Mpower scholarships, including its monthly scholarship series.

Mpower Refinance Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for refinancing with Mpower, all borrowers must meet the criteria below.

• Citizenship Requirement: none.
• Income Requirement: undisclosed.
• Credit Score Requirement: none.
• Graduation Requirement: bachelor’s degree.
• Location Requirement: current U.S. residence (3+ months).

Additional restrictions apply for specific individuals and loans.

• Refinance borrowers must have two (2) years of work experience in order to qualify.
• To qualify with Mpower, a borrower must have a valid visa (including OPT, H-1B, PGWP and more) or be a DACA recipient, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylum seeker.
• Though borrowers must have U.S. residency, it is possible to refinance from any of 14 countries, including: Australia, Austria, Brazil, The Dominican Republic, Germany, India, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Switzerland, Spain, or the United Kingdom.

Mpower Student Loan Repayment Options

Lenders vary greatly on the benefits and options provided to borrowers during the loan servicing period. Additionally, benefits may only be available on a case-by-case basis. Mpower offers some relief options.

Deferment & Forbearance

Mpower does not specify any conditions for deferment or forbearance. Mpower’s online Support Center, however, does reference forbearance. Mpower also offers free financial counseling to its borrowers.

See typical conditions for deferment and forbearance below.

Additional Options

Mpower may offer other opportunities for relief or contract modification.

• Co-signer release does not appear to be available after refinancing (though borrowers may reapply without a co-signer).
• Death / disability discharge may be available in the unfortunate circumstance that a borrower passes away or suffers total permanent disability.

Mpower Reviews, Complaints & Lawsuits

Beyond our own findings, our team also collected the most genuinely insightful customer experiences we could find, including any instances of legal action against the company in which the details became public.

Mpower Online Reviews

Few examples of Mpower customer reviews are available on English-language public forums. This is understandable considering Mpower is one of few lenders that refinances education loans for international students.

Below are 3 samples of MPower customer feedback from social media platforms, included here for their value as unedited, uncensored, and unsolicited user experiences. Note that these reviews are unverified, may include inaccuracies, and may provide outdated information (about rates, bonus offers, etc.).

“Anyone who intends to study in the US and needs private loans funding I highly recommend use @MPOWERfinancing . Check them out.” – @khanyelwazi on Twitter, 11/13/2021

“@MPOWERfinancing why is it so hard to get in contact with your team? Why do I have to keep sending 3-4 emails with no response? This issue has been going on for years. You need to do better it’s frustrating.” – @ikvinjeleuk on Twitter, 11/7/2021

“@MPOWERfinancing Can someone at mpower PLEASE get back to me about the status of my loan? I have gone without a response for nearly two weeks and my program start date is THURSDAY. I can’t move to the US without your response. Very frustrated with this poor service!!!” – @soft_aspects on Twitter, 8/31/2021

More (unfiltered) customer reviews of Mpower are available on TrustPilot.com (4.7 of 5).

Mpower CFPB Complaints

As consumer finance companies, student loan refinancing lenders fall under the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). As part of its mission, this federal agency allows consumers to log official complaints. These complaints are publicly available on the CFPB official website.

Since December 4, 2022, the CFPB has logged 11 complaints about MPOWER Financing, Public Benefit Corporation (Mpower) at a rate of one (1) complaint every 47 ½ days; that is just above the average daily complaint rate among reviewed lenders. Among 6 complaints that include narrative details, none specifically reference refinance.

In 2023, Mpower received 7 consumer complaints, which is equivalent to:

• 56% higher than its average annual complaint rate.
• one (1) complaint for every $5.81 million of estimated corporate revenue.
• one (1) complaint for every 11 employees.

The allegations made in these complaints are unverified, are not necessarily representative of all consumers’ experiences with MEFA, and may contain outdated information (about rates, bonus offers, etc.).

Below we’ve included three (3) of the most recent complaints (as of this writing) in which the consumer consented to share their details.

Complaint 8743589
4/10/2024

“I applied for MPower Financing student loan to study masters at XXXX XXXXy in the XXXX XXXX requested the amount $ XXXX XXXX and I was denied because my projected dept burden at the time of graduation exceeds risk limits as reported. I have no debt both home and abroad. I applied at XXXXXXXX XXXX in the United States 2022 and I did not get the Mpower Financing student Loan. please send me a copy of my credit report. Please, I need finance to do my study in the United States legally and I am passionate to pay back on time.”

Complaint 8381711
2/21/2024

“Hello greetings to you dear representative, probably I applied to study in XXXX from the MPOWER Financing student loan hopefully I believe to accomplish my future through this wonderful experience that MPOWER Financing is trying to make it easier for me, but in return with a sad news that my student loan was not approved due to ” Delinquent past or present credit obligations ” Rather I appeal to CFPB as reference in backing up my student loan to accomplish my journey studying in XXXX, so be it to resolve any company credit report, thank you so much. Sincerely.”

Complaint 8245795
1/29/2024
Florida

“On XX/XX/2023, Mpower Financing placed a hard inquiry on my XXXX report that led to a drop in my credit score, negatively impacting my overall credit health. I filed an ID theft report with the FTC and formally wrote to Mpower Financing requesting detailed and specific information about what led to the hard inquiry. Even though it received my letter, the company refused to provide the information that I requested. Instead, it sent random emails to me claiming the inquiries were made in error. My credit score has remained same since it dropped as a result of the inquiry, though it sent me an email saying it had removed the hard inquiries. I needed the specifics of what exactly happened to enable me take actionable steps to prevent the recurrence of such fraudulent activities on my credit report. However, Mpower ‘s deliberate refusal to provide the information, as required by law, is making it practically impossible for me to take further action to secure my financial health.”

To search for complaints made against Mpower in the CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database, click here.

Mpower Lawsuits

Mpower Financing, PBC has not been subject to any major litigation.

Note that while this information is updated regularly, ongoing legal action is subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the most common questions consumers have about student loan refinancing with Mpower.

• Is Mpower good for refinancing student loans?
  Mpower may be the best option for international students with no FICO score or credit history.

• Does Mpower require a minimum credit score to qualify for student loan refinancing?
  No, Mpower does not require a minimum credit score. Mpower advertises its services as a means to building a credit history.

• Do I have to have a U.S. bank account?
  No, Mpower accepts payment from eligible international financial institutions. Note that there may be fees associated with any currency exchange.

• Are Mpower loans federal?
  Mpower loans are not federal. Mpower has no affiliation with the federal government or the U.S. Department of Education.

• Does Mpower charge a prepayment penalty?
  There are no penalties for early payments or repaying a loan in full before its term is over.

• Does checking your rates with Mpower hurt your credit score?
  It depends; while Mpower does not require a FICO credit score, the refinance application process does include a review of any existing U.S. or Canadian credit history, or a credit history in the applicant’s country of origin (if available). This inquiry may temporarily impact a U.S. credit score.

• Is Mpower a bank?
  No, Mpower is not a bank. Bank of Lake Mills originates Mpower loans.

• Can I refinance a Mpower loan?
  No; because Mpower offers the same APR (and interest rate reductions) to every refinance borrower, there is no reason to refinance an Mpower loan more than once.

• Can I refinance just some of my loans with Mpower?
  Yes, you can refinance some, all, or just one of your qualifying student loans with Mpower. You may choose to refinance your private loans only or refinance private and federal loans together.

• Can I refinance loans that have already been refinanced?
  Yes, you can refinance loans as many times as you want with Mpower. Note that each time you refinance, you will have to submit a new application; every application requires a hard credit check that may affect your credit score.

• Can my spouse and I refinance our loans together with Mpower?
  Mpower only refinances loans for which the applicant is the primary borrower.

• How long does it take to refinance with Mpower?
  Mpower does not specify a timeline for refinancing student loans.

• Who services Mpower refinance loans?
  Mpower has loan servicers authorized to work with different borrowers. For example, NorthStar processes payments from students studying in Canada who need to make payments using Canadian dollars.

• Does Mpower offer a grace period?
  Borrowers may be eligible for interest-only payments for the first six (6) months after graduation. Contact Mpower for details.

• How often do variable rates change?
  Mpower does not offer variable rates.

• Can I get any special rates or discounts with Mpower?
  Mpower offers up to 1.50% in interest rate reductions for borrowers who make a minimum six (6) months eligible automatic payments and who provide proof of graduation and U.S. employment.

• What happens if I file for bankruptcy?
  Mpower does not specify a course of action; it is safe to assume that you will still have to repay your Mpower loan in the event that you file for bankruptcy.

• Does Mpower partner with any major student refinance lender marketplaces?
  Mpower does not appear to partner with any major student refinance lender marketplaces.

Compare Student Loan Refinance Reviews

Sources

1. Mpower Financing, Refinance International Student Loan
2. Mpower Support Center
3. ZoomInfo, MPOWER Financing