Stride Student Loans: 2023 Review

Stride features

One of Stride’s selling points is its unique structure. Most ISAs are offered directly by universities, but Stride is one of the few companies that offers its product independently — though you’ll still have to attend an eligible program and school.

Stride also has a relatively short repayment timeline. In general, borrowers can expect to make 60 monthly payments over a maximum of 10 years.

Stride: In the details

Requirements

In order to qualify for an ISA with Stride Funding, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident attending school in the U.S.
• Reside in a state Stride serves.
• Be within at least two years of graduation.
• Be enrolled in a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral program at an accredited four-year college.
• Be enrolled at least half time.
• Have no major credit issues.
• Have a GPA of at least 2.9.

Who is this loan good for?

A Stride ISA is a good option for borrowers entering a high-earning field, since Stride says that it’s designed for borrowers pursuing health care, engineering, computer science and business. It’s also worth pursuing if you’re interested in taking advantage of workshops and other career services.

That said, you may have better luck elsewhere if you can qualify for a more cost-efficient federal student loan or private loan. 

Interest rates

Stride does not assess interest on its ISAs. Instead, you’ll pay an income share rate between 1 percent and 15 percent of the amount you borrow.

Fees and penalties

Stride funding does not charge any application fees, though it may charge a fee if your payment is late. You can avoid this by setting up automatic payments through Stride’s loan servicer, Knowledge Finance.

Repayment terms and grace period

Generally speaking, Stride borrowers will need to make 60 payments on their ISA, unless they meet the payment cap before that time. The maximum repayment timeline is 10 years.

Stride offers a three-month grace period after graduation before borrowers have to start making the monthly payments.

Borrowers can also request a short-term economic hardship forbearance if they’re experiencing illness, natural disaster and more.

How to apply for a loan with Stride

Stride’s application process is entirely online and can be completed on any device.

1. Get prequalified. Start by navigating to the website and fill out a few questions about your education and program. According to Stride, this process takes under one minute to complete, and you’ll instantly receive a quote if you qualify.
2. View your offer. After qualifying, you’ll apply for ISA funding through its online application. Be prepared to answer questions about your school, your expected graduation date, how much money you need and basic personal information.
3. Get funded. Accept your personalized ISA quote and access funding. 

Customer service

Stride has been the target of scrutiny in recent years. In March 2021, the Student Borrower Protection Center and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund claimed that the company’s lending model discriminates against students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions.

According to the letter, applicants who listed HBCUs when requesting a quote received higher rate quotes, even when incomes, credit scores and financial backgrounds were the same as applicants listing other institutions. Since the report has been published, no legal action has been taken against the company.

For questions concerning your eligibility or application, call 214-775-9960. Support is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. 

If you need assistance or have questions about repayment, you can contact Knowledge Finance, Stride’s servicing partner, by phone at 855-479-0490 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Friday. Payment and automated account information is available 24/7 by phone, and borrowers may use a secure messaging service on Knowledge Finance’s website.