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Figure Lending Suspends Student Loan Refinance Program
Figure lending no long refinances student loans, but will continue servicing its existing customers' loans.
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Updated · 1 min read
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Ryan Lane is an editor on NerdWallet’s small-business team. He joined NerdWallet in 2019 as a student loans writer, serving as an authority on that topic after spending more than a decade at student loan guarantor American Student Assistance. In that role, Ryan co-authored the Student Loan Ranger blog in partnership with U.S. News & World Report, as well as wrote and edited content about education financing and financial literacy for multiple online properties, e-courses and more. Ryan also previously oversaw the production of life science journals as a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan is located in Rochester, New York.
Des Toups was a lead assigning editor who supported the student loans and auto loans teams. He had decades of experience in personal finance journalism, exploring everything from car insurance to bankruptcy to couponing to side hustles.
Lead Assigning Editor
Figure Lending stopped offering student loan refinancing in May 2020. While the lender will continue to service its existing refinanced loans, it isn’t accepting new applications for student loan refinancing.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.95-10.49%
Actual rate will vary based on your financial profile. Fixed annual percentage rates (APR) range from 4.60% APR to 10.74% APR (4.35% - 10.49% with .25% auto pay discount). Variable annual percentage rates (APR) range from 6.13% APR to 10.74% APR (5.88% - 10.49% with .25% auto pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once a month, but there is no limit on the amount that the rate could increase at one time. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and require selection of our shortest term offered (5 years) and enrollment in our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. Enrolling in autopay is not required as a condition for approval.
Variable APR
5.88-10.49%
Actual rate will vary based on your financial profile. Fixed annual percentage rates (APR) range from 4.60% APR to 10.74% APR (4.35% - 10.49% with .25% auto pay discount). Variable annual percentage rates (APR) range from 6.13% APR to 10.74% APR (5.88% - 10.49% with .25% auto pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once a month, but there is no limit on the amount that the rate could increase at one time. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and require selection of our shortest term offered (5 years) and enrollment in our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. Enrolling in autopay is not required as a condition for approval.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
Figure started refinancing student loans in October 2019, with a limited set of features and availability. Its initial refi product was built around an all-digital application process that eliminated steps like uploading pay stubs to verify income, for example.
Figure also offered a unique optional origination fee. This feature let you increase your balance by 1%, 2% or 3% in exchange for a lower fixed rate. (These fees were not available for variable rate loans.)
If you already refinanced with Figure
Figure will still be servicing its existing student loan refinance customers. Here are repayment details for these loans:
Repayment options
Academic deferment: Yes.
Military deferment: Yes.
Forbearance: Yes, borrowers can postpone payments in three-month increments, for up to 12 months total.
Co-signer release available: There’s no option to add a co-signer, but refinancing removes the original co-signer.
Death or disability discharge: Yes.
Repayment Preferences
Allows greater-than-minimum payments via autopay: Yes.
Allows biweekly payments via autopay: No.
Customer service
Loan servicer: Figure Lending.
In-house customer service team: Yes.
Process for escalating concerns: Yes.
Borrowers get assigned a dedicated banker, advisor or representative: No.
Average time from approval to payoff: Varies, but can be as quick as 5 days.
If you no longer wish to work with Figure, consider refinancing again with a different lender if you can qualify for a better interest rate. Don't take this step if you paid Figure's optional origination fee and have yet to pay off that additional cost.
