HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union Student Loan Review 2020: Finance your Education

This Credit Union was founded in 1936 and has since grown to become the largest in Hawaii, with almost 130,000 members, and 14 branches across the islands of Maui, Oahu, and the big island. Those with a membership, and their families, can access undergraduate student loans with this provider.

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union
Undergraduate Student Loans Best for
2 /5
Rating
$ 1,000 /mo
Starting Price
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Table of Contents

    Why Get a Student Loan from HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union?

    This organization only offers one type of student loan, in stark contrast to many industry competitors. For graduates, medical students, or parents seeking to fund their student loans, it’s best to look elsewhere.

    However, there are a couple of fairly decent features of this loan, such as the $75,000 maximum loan amount. It won’t cover all courses of study, but it’ll probably be enough to cover many, depending on your tuition/board/expense requirements.

    What Student Loans does HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union offer?

    The Undergraduate Line of Credit Loan

    This is the only option available with this company. Here’s a list of features to consider when deciding whether or not to make a loan application:

    • Suitable for applicants who’ve been unable to find funding from avenues like grants, scholarships, etc.
    • If you don’t know which college you’ll attend, or how much money you’ll require - you can still apply, and finalize the loan once your course of choice is finalized.
    • There are several repayment options, depending on what you prefer, or can afford to pay.
    • It’s possible in many cases to borrow up to the full remainder of the cost of your education.
    • You don’t need a co-signer to apply, but having one with a strong credit rating will not only increase the likelihood of being accepted but may also significantly decrease your APR.

    Loan amounts

    $1,000 - $75,000

    Terms

    20 years for $40,000 and below, 25 years for any amount higher than $40,000

    APRs

    6% - 15%

    Automatic debit APR reduction

    0.25%

    Prepayment fee

    $0

    Eligibility

    Applicants must be:

    1. An undergraduate student
    2. A US citizen/permanent resident
    3. Making ‘satisfactory’ academic progress
    4. Enrolled at least half time, except in the summer semester
    5. Attending one of the 1794 approved schools
    6. Eligible for Credit Union membership (see below for more)

    Membership

    To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

    1. Involved in education in a Maui or Oahu school up the 12th-grade level, either as an employee, student, student’s parent, or retired worker.
    2. Aligned with one of almost 5,000 specified ‘Select Employee Groups’ 
    3. An immediate family member is already a Union member

    Repayment Options

    It’s possible to begin full payments immediately, to pay interest-only during your education, or to defer payments completely until after graduation.

    Pros and Cons

    Pros

    • No co-signer necessary for an application
    • Fairly decent maximum loan amount
    • Can be used for studies undertaken outside of Hawaii

    Cons

    • Limited availability
    • High minimum APR

    Conclusion

    HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union student loans are extremely limited in both scope and availability. Thankfully, there are some great alternatives, like Salli Mae, which offers loans for graduates, law school, medical and dental residency, and many more. Its APRs start from an incredibly low 2.25%.