Nelnet Bank Student Loan Refinance Review

Our Rating: C- ⓘ (Compare)

Note that in Spring 2024, Nelnet Bank paused its student loan refinancing applications in order to launch a new program scheduled for release in Summer 2024.

Nelnet Bank may be a good option for borrowers who already have Nelnet student loans. Nelnet Bank (previously U-fi) is a subsidiary of student lender Nelnet, Inc., which has repeatedly faced litigation for unlawful practices.

*Lowest rates always include a 0.25% interest reduction for enrolling in auto-pay.

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

†Parents may refinance in their own names or transfer debt to a child

Nelnet Bank Refinance Rates & Fees

Nelnet Bank offers fixed rates and variable rates. Note that the rates below are from the Nelnet website, which explicitly states that rate values may not be up-to-date.

Also note that the lowest rates always include a 0.25% interest rate reduction for enrolling in automatic payments.

†Only variable rates are available with 25-year terms; fixed rates are available on terms up to 20 years.

Additional information about Nelnet Bank refinance rates:

• Checking your rate with Nelnet Bank will not affect your credit score. They will conduct a soft, not hard, credit inquiry (learn the difference).
• Nelnet Bank does offer a discount for setting up auto-pay: 0.25% interest rate reduction; this reduction is void any time three consecutive automatic deductions returned for insufficient funds at any time during the term of the loan.
• Variable rates are based on the One-Month SOFR (5.34% as of this writing) as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and/or The Wall Street Journal “Money Rates” table on the 25^th day (or the next business day) of the immediately preceding calendar month.

Nelnet Bank refinance rates recent history:

In 2023, Nelnet Bank raised its lowest available fixed rate for new loans 58.6% (from 4.49% APR) and its highest fixed rate 14.3% (from 9.44% APR). The lowest available variable rate went up 19.5% (from 6.35% APR) and the highest starting variable rate increased 11.4% (from 13.01% APR).

In 2022, Nelnet Bank increased its lowest and highest fixed rates 95.2% and 58.4%, respectively; its lowest and highest variable rates increased 239.6% and 144.1%.

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 Nelnet Bank 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

Nelnet Bank offers a 0.25% interest rate reduction for enrolling in auto-pay.

Nelnet Bank Refinance Eligibility Requirements

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

• Citizenship Requirement: U.S. citizenship or permanent residence.
• Income Requirement: $36,000 annual minimum without co-signer.
• Credit Score Requirement: 680 minimum score.
• Graduation Requirement: bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Location Requirement: unspecified.

Additional restrictions apply for specific individuals and loans.

• Borrowers must not be enrolled in school half-time or more.
• Borrowers with undergraduate degrees may refinance up to $125,000.
• Graduate or doctorate degree holders may refinance up to $175,000.
• A graduate degree in a healthcare profession may qualify the borrower to refinance up to $500,000.
• No history of student loan default; this applies both to the primary borrower and the co-signer.
• Neither borrower nor co-signer can have filed for bankruptcy in the last 84 months (7 years).

Nelnet Bank 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. Nelnet Bank offers some relief options.

Deferment & Forbearance

Nelnet Bank may offer forbearance under certain conditions, such as temporary hardship.

Additional Options

Nelnet Bank may offer other opportunities for relief or contract modification.

• Nelnet Bank offers forbearance for general hardship in increments of 2 or 3 months up to 12 months total over the life of the loan.
• Co-signer release is available after 24 months of consecutive, qualifying payments.
• Death / disability discharge is available in the unfortunate circumstance that a borrower passes away or suffers total permanent disability.

Nelnet Bank 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.

Nelnet Bank Online Reviews

Few Nelnet Bank customer reviews are available on public forums due to the company’s newness. Customer reviews of Nelnet, Inc.’s past consolidation and refinancing programs have been included below for their value as unedited, uncensored, and unsolicited user experiences with Nelnet Bank’s parent corporation. Note that these reviews are unverified, may include inaccuracies, and may provide outdated information (about rates, bonus offers, etc.).

“I was with nelnet and consolidated [my loans] which went to FedLoan servicing. However, I’ve been paying for 5 years and it’s literally at the same balance it was 5 years ago. Absolutely ridiculous” – Aly Smotherman on Facebook, 7/9/2020

“Took out 32k in student loans, ended up owing 52k in 7 years while paying the minimum payment. Had to refinance privately with a 1.5 percent interest rate to stop the bleeding and turn it around. I’m now half way paid off and have another 1.5 years away from being debt free. Had Nelnet not jacked up my interest rate, I would be done with my loans by now. Nelnet is the worst and predatory.” – Jason Christopher DeBaca on Facebook, 6/22/2019

“You always have the option of consolidation. I personally have Nelnet as my servicer as well, and while they are very helpful, be sure to document every call you have with them so you can refer back to it if they fail to do something they promised. I keep a running word doc and it’s saved me more than once.” – User at reddit, 11/30/2015

More (unfiltered) customer reviews of Nelnet, Inc. are available at TrustPilot.com (1.7 out of 5)

Nelnet Bank Consumer Complaints

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

Since March 1, 2012, consumers have submitted 7,593 complaints about Nelnet, Inc. (Nelnet Bank) to the CFPB at an average of one (1) complaint every 12 hours, which is more than 105 times the average daily complaint rate among reviewed lenders. Among 3,778 complaints with narratives, at least 75 or 1.99% specifically reference student loan refinance.

In 2022, Nelnet Bank’s consumer complaint rate is up 146.7% (as of this writing) compared to the complaint rate in an average year.

In 2021, Nelnet Bank received 1,417 complaints, which is twice its average annual complaint rate. In the same year, consumers filed the equivalent of one (1) complaint for every $1.059 million of that year’s corporate revenue or two (2) complaints for every nine (9) employees.

The allegations made in these complaints are unverified, are not necessarily representative of all consumers’ experiences with Nelnet Bank, and may contain outdated information (about rates, bonus offers, etc.). Note that a lender with a large customer base is likely to also have a higher number of complaints when compared with smaller lenders.

Below we’ve included three (3) of the most recent complaints (as of this writing) that specifically reference student loan refinance or refinancing and in which the consumer consented to sharing their details.

Complaint 6084996
10/14/2022
Florida

“In accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act 15 U.S.C 1681 & Fair Debt Collection Act 15 U.S.C 1692 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has violated my rights. 15 U.S.C 1681 section 602 A. States I have right to privacy. 15 U.S.C 1681 section 604 A section 2 : It also states a consumer reporting agency can not furnish a account without my written instructions. 15 U.S.C 1692 section 805 A. States that a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt at any unusual time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer.”

Complaint 6076962
10/12/2022
Maryland

“After looking through my consumer report in the beginning of XXXX of 2022 I noticed inaccurate accounts and information on my consumer report. The consumer reporting agencies never gave me my right to opt out and furthermore they never asked for permission to furnish this information. Further they have assumed this vital role and have infringed my right to privacy selling my information to a 3rd party debt collector and pursuant to 15 USC 1681 ( 4 ) my privacy has been invaded and damages have been done, the damages arose were to my mental health and my ability to get an apartment. Also, in pursuant to 15 USC 6802 obligations with respect to disclosures of personal information, ( b ) Opt out. A financial institution may not disclose nonpublic personal information to a non-affiliated third party. I have the right to opt out, but they are not giving me the right to. XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX private policy explain how they protect the privacy of the consumer, but they allowed 3rd party debt collectors into my consumer report. Also in Pursuant to 15 USC 1681a ( 2 ) ( b ) The term consumer report means any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumers credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living which is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumers eligibility. Exclusions, the term consumer report does not include any authorization or approval of a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly by the issuer of a credit card or similar device. In pursuant to 15 USC1602 the term credit card means any card, plate, coupon book or other credit device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on credit. By any card that includes my drivers license, Social security card. To put everything together my student loan was approved but my social security number and drivers license were used a transaction of obtaining money and by law this can not be on my consumer report.”

Complaint 6065224
10/8/2022
Tennessee

“On XX/XX/XXXX, I called and spoke to My Great Lakes representative. I requested all my XXXX & XXXX optional loan payments to be refunded ( 22 payments totaling {$11000.00} ). I was told 30 days. ( 30 business days would have been Friday – XX/XX/XXXX. ) I have waited over 44 days ( 30 business days ). The servicer is not providing my refund within a reasonable timeframe. The servicer is not fulfilling refund requests in the order that they have been received.”

For a full list of complaints made against Nelnet, Inc. (Nelnet Bank) in the CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database, click here.

Nelnet Bank Lawsuits

Nelnet Bank has not been explicitly implicated in any Nelnet, Inc. lawsuits. Most ongoing litigation, such as the proposed class action Isner-Monticello et al. v. Nelnet, Inc. (Case No. 8:20-cv-02135-MSS-TGW), predates the bank’s November 2020 founding.^[1]

Frequently Asked Questions

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

• Is Nelnet Bank good for refinancing student loans?
  Nelnet Bank may be a good option for current Nelnet borrowers or for borrowers who wish to transfer a parent loan into the benefiting student’s name.

• Does Nelnet Bank require a minimum credit score?
  Yes, Nelnet Bank requires a minimum credit score of 680 in order to qualify for student loan refinancing.

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

• Does Nelnet Bank 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 Nelnet Bank hurt your credit score?
  For their prequalification process, Nelnet Bank performs a soft credit check, which will not hurt your credit score. If you proceed with an application, however, Nelnet Bank will perform a hard credit check that may affect your credit score.

• Can I refinance a Nelnet Bank loan?
  You can refinance Nelnet Bank student loans, student loans from another private lender, and federal loans. There is no limit to the number of times a borrower may refinance with Nelnet Bank. Note, however, that every new line of credit requires a hard credit check that may affect your FICO score.

• Can I refinance just some of my loans with Nelnet Bank?
  Yes, you can refinance some, all, or just one of your qualifying student loans with Nelnet Bank. 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 Nelnet Bank. 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 Nelnet Bank?
  Nelnet Bank does not allow spouses to combine debt.

• How long does it take to refinance with Nelnet Bank?
  While Nelnet Bank does not disclose a detailed timeline, refinancing generally takes several weeks. After you accept their offer of terms, Nelnet Bank estimates 10-14 business days until disbursement.

• Who services Nelnet Bank refinance loans?
  Nelnet Bank services its own loans.

• Does Nelnet Bank offer a grace period?
  Nelnet Bank does not offer a grace period for refinance loans.

• How often do variable rates change?
  Nelnet Bank recalculates its variable rates once per month according to the 1-month SOFR.

• Can I get any special rates or discounts with Nelnet Bank?
  Nelnet Bank offers a 0.25% interest rate reduction to borrowers who enroll in auto-pay.

• What happens if I file for bankruptcy?
  You may still be required to repay your Nelnet Bank student refinance loan in the event that you declare bankruptcy.

Compare Student Loan Refinance Reviews

Sources

1. ClassAction.org, Isener-Monticello et al v. Nelnet, Inc. et al
2. Nelnet Bank, Student Loan Refinance
3. Nelnet Bank, Disclosures
4. Nelnet Bank, Frequently Asked Questions
5. Nelnet Bank, Private Education Refinance Loan Application and Solicitation Disclosure
6. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Complaint Database
7. Dun & Bradstreet (DnB), Business Directory: Nelnet Bank, Inc.
8. DnB, Business Directory: Nelnet, Inc.
9. Better Business Bureau, Search Businesses and Charities