Navient Student Loans Review: Are They Worth Your Time?

Hunting for the best way to finance or refinance your education can be a mammoth task. This review aims to make that a little easier, by examining Navient and the student loans on offer, helping you to decide if it’s the best choice for your current situation.

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    Navient has been running for over 45 years, and during that time, has serviced more than $300 billion in student loans, and has given financial aid to over 10 million students and graduates in that time.

    Why get a student loan from Navient?

    Navient has financed so many students over the years that it must be doing something right! What makes them different is that rather than provide you with a loan itself, it acts as a sort of broker, putting you in contact with its many subsidiaries, so you have a wide range of options from which to choose the perfect loan for your situation.

    What student loans does Navient offer?

    It doesn’t support student loan refinancing, but it does allow you to take out private student loans. Because these come from a variety of lenders, the eligibility requirements, interest rates, terms, and options vary.

    Student loan refinancing information

    Unfortunately, there’s no option to refinance a loan with Navient, so if you already have an outstanding student loan from elsewhere, you’ll need to pursue another financier.

    Private student loans

    Due to the changing circumstances, there’s no one range of APRs or terms. You can take out variable or fixed-rate loans and many come with options for loan deferral, meaning that you can forgo payment for a certain length of time, which is perfect for if you’re suffering from a period of financial hardship.

    More about rates and fees of Navient’s loan options

    While it’s difficult to know for certain what kind of loan you’ll be offered without applying and undergoing a soft credit check, you can get some of the basic details. These are as follows:

     Fixed rates from:  

     4.3%
    Variable rates from:  2.75%
    Application fee:  Dependent on provider
    Origination fee:   Dependent on provider
    Disbursement fee:Dependent on provider
    Late fee:      Dependent on provider
    Returned payment fee:    Dependent on provider
    Prepayment penalty:  Dependent on provider

    Navient pros and cons

    Pros

    • Wide range of choices allowing you to tailor a loan to your situation
    • A proven track record with many students financed

    Cons

    • You can’t know for certain what you’ll be offered, and you can’t refinance a loan

    How to apply for a Navient student loan

    To begin the process of choosing your loan, head to the Navient website and enter your details for a soft credit check.

    Conclusion

    Navient does give you the ability to access some decent student loans, but you won't know what these are until you enter your individual details, and there’s no way to refinance a current loan.

    If you’re looking for refinancing options, or if you’d just prefer a little more clarity in regards to what's available, try CommonBond or Credible. Both of these lenders have competitive student loans that come highly recommended and have a variety of offers for refinancing your current loan.