Only two Russian banks have specialized loans for education. RBC Money looked into the conditions under which you can get a preferential loan rate and what alternatives students have

A student taking an exam (Photo: TASS)

In 2012, Muscovite Anna Zulunova did not have enough points on the Unified State Exam to enter a budget place in the Faculty of State and Municipal Administration at the Higher School of Economics (HSE). In 2012, only pessimists were expecting a crisis, and Anna’s parents, who had their own business, agreed to pay for her education. But after two years there was not enough money to pay for training.

In the training section, the student was told about educational loans on preferential terms; on the advice of HSE staff, Anna contacted Sberbank. Two months later, most of which was spent collecting documents, Zulunova received a loan for 640 thousand rubles. deferred for the duration of training. She is satisfied with the terms of the loan. “Now I only pay interest, 7.06% per annum - that’s about 800 rubles. per month. After I graduate from university, I will have to pay about 8 thousand rubles for 10 years. per month".

Zulunova became one of the few Russian students who received a classic student loan. The main feature of loans for students is their low interest rate and deferment of repayment of the debt during their studies. This type of lending is very common in developed countries, but is still poorly developed in Russia. According to the Ministry of Education, 60% of Russian students - 5.5 million people - study for money. At the same time, about 300 targeted education loans are issued per year.

The main reason for such a deplorable state of affairs, says Alexey Goryaev, director of the NES Master of Finance program, is that 90% of students receive their first higher education no longer for the sake of real knowledge, but to have a “crust.” And if education is not valued, why take out a loan for it? “If we look at the results of sociological surveys of students, a very large proportion of them do not intend to work in their specialty. Such education is hardly worth seriously investing in it, much less going into debt for it,” explains Goryaev.

In addition, banks are reluctant to lend to students: this is not the most reliable category of borrowers, and low rates, lack of collateral and deferred payments for the entire duration of study make such programs unprofitable.

Government subsidies

Since it is unprofitable for commercial banks to lend to students, part of the loan rate is subsidized by the state. The Russian government began looking for ways to encourage banks to issue student loans in 2007. For seven years, officials experimented with subsidizing student loans and, as a result, approved a special state program in 2013.

According to its terms, a loan can be taken out for studying at any university. With the help of a loan, it is possible to pay not only for higher education in state universities (including postgraduate studies), but also for training in vocational schools, colleges and any private educational institutions. Young people over 14 years old can apply for a loan. There are no academic achievement requirements.

The loan term is the period of study increased by 10 years. You must begin repaying the principal debt only three months after graduation. No guarantors are required. By government decree, the preferential loan rate is defined as ¼ of the refinancing rate (8.25% per annum), increased by 5 percentage points. Thus, the rate for the borrower is 7.06% per annum (like Zulunova). The state reimburses the bank for ¾ of the bank’s refinancing rate: in 2013, the budget spent 17 million rubles for this purpose. However, only a few people can get a loan on such preferential terms.

Simple difficulties

There must be too many coincidences for this to happen. The Ministry of Education must enter into agreements with the university and the bank. And they, in turn, must conclude agreements among themselves. Only after this the bank can receive a subsidy. So far, the Ministry of Education and Science has managed to conclude agreements to subsidize educational loans with only two credit organizations - Sberbank and Rosinterbank. Of the 10 largest retail banks that RBC approached, only Rosbank is considering joining the state program. But first, the bank will observe its effectiveness, says Natalya Khmelevskaya, director of segment development and client marketing at Rosbank.

At the same time, not all Russian universities have managed to conclude agreements with the two banks participating in the program. Of the 10 leading (according to Expert RA) Russian universities, only three have agreements with banks - the Higher School of Economics, MGIMO and St. Petersburg State University. MSTU im. N.E. Bauman is in the process of completing the paperwork. However, even applicants to these universities do not have much choice. For example, MGIMO works with only one bank - Sberbank.

As a result, from the start of the new program to the end of March 2015, only 300 loans were issued. Why don't banks want to participate in the state program?

The main reason is unfavorable conditions. The subsidy scheme proposed by the government does not reflect market realities, says Anton Pavlov, head of the retail business development department of Absolut Bank. The subsidy is tied to the refinancing rate, which in our country means little; the main benchmark for Russian banks is the key rate, he says. “Now it is 14%, you can judge the difference yourself.” If the state subsidized ¾ of this particular rate, then the rate for students would be 8.5% per annum.

For student loans to be profitable for banks, the rate on them must be at least 20%, says Pavlov. “In the current economic situation, most students simply cannot afford to repay such a loan,” the banker said. For example, if you borrow 1 million rubles from the bank. at this rate, then during training interest payments will amount to 15 thousand rubles. Then, over the course of 10 years, the graduate will have to pay about 25 thousand rubles. monthly.

Alternative loans

What should students do who still want to get a student loan? Often, education is paid for with the help of ordinary consumer loans, which, as a rule, are received by the student’s parents, says Elena Dokuchaeva, president of the Sequoia Credit Consolidation collection agency. “According to our estimates, no more than 5% of consumer loans are taken out to pay for education. And in total, education loans occupy no more than 2% of the total loan portfolio of individuals,” says Dokuchaeva.

For example, a regular consumer loan, which, however, is advertised as educational, is offered by Citibank. “Education loan” is issued for a period of up to five years at 21% per annum.

In addition to a state-subsidized loan, which is called “Credit”, Rosinterbank has its own program “Affordable Education”. Loans under this program are issued not only in rubles, but also in foreign currency, since the bank reviews applications for tuition fees abroad. Russian universities must have a license to conduct educational activities. Foreign educational organizations must participate in rankings recognized in Russia. The interest rate ranges from 13% to 25% per annum in rubles and from 8.9% to 20.9% in foreign currency. It depends on the loan term and the number of paid semesters.

Bank "Education" provides loans only for studying at state universities. The borrower must have a permanent job, so if the student himself does not work, the loan can be issued to his parents. The interest rate is 25%, the bank does not provide deferment. Funds are transferred immediately to the educational institution's account.

Credit Europe Bank issues loans for studying at Russian universities, language schools and advanced training courses. Loan in the amount of 10 to 400 thousand rubles. can be obtained only for one year or one semester of study. The rate depends on the university: for some educational institutions it is 22%, for others - up to 60%. To receive a loan, you need a certificate of official employment, the borrower’s age is 21 years or older; due to such conditions, the student’s parents most often receive the loan.

In addition, students can receive a 1% annual discount at Center-Invest Bank. The procedure is this: you take out a regular consumer loan, provide a certificate of paid education, and your rate is reduced.

Personal experience: how to get an educational loan in Russia and the USA

Maxim Faldin, founder of Wikimar

A country - USA
Loan rate - 5%
Sum - $150 000
Payment - $900

In 2007, I enrolled in a two-year MBA program at Stanford. After I successfully passed the exams, they sent me a questionnaire. One of the questions concerned the method of payment for training. I checked the “credit” box. After that, they sent me an agreement with the terms of financing my loan.

All the processing went through the financial department of the university; I’m not even sure that I remember correctly which bank gave me the loan. Once a month at the university, I was simply given a check, which I paid at any Wells Fargo branch - the company was the settlement bank for the loan.

The loan size was $150,000, of which $110,000 went to pay for the education itself, and the remaining $40,000 was the so-called living cost. You could use it to buy any things necessary for education, even a laptop.

The terms of the loan are excellent: term - 25 years at a rate of 5% per annum. You had to start paying only 6 months after completing your studies. Before this period, neither the principal nor the interest had to be repaid. I still pay just over $900 a month through my Wells Fargo online account. The payment is small for me, and the devaluation of the ruble does not bother me at all. If I were offered to borrow again under such conditions, I would gladly do so.

Sonya Savelyeva, project manager at Strelka Institute (Photo: Artem Goloshchapov for RBC)

A country- Russia
Loan rate - 10%
Sum - $45 000
Payment - $1121

In 2006, I came from St. Petersburg to enter the Faculty of Foreign Languages ​​and Regional Studies at Moscow State University and was not able to enroll in free places. When I picked up the documents from the study unit, the managers of the Credo program from Soyuz Bank were waiting for me at the exit; their office was located in the first humanities building of Moscow State University. I was offered to take out a loan to pay for tuition - $45,000 at a rate of 10% with a deferment for five years.

After graduation, you had to pay a little more than $1000 for five years. There were no special requirements, other than a guarantee from the parents. The bank did not offer loans in rubles. At that moment, I knew nothing about loans - no one in my family had ever taken them.

After the devaluation of the ruble, payments began to eat up up to 80% of my income. The bank refuses to convert the loan into rubles. Sometimes my parents have to help me. I have two years left to pay off the loan. If I can’t do this, the only thing the bank can offer is to extend the loan until 2021. The payment should be reduced to approximately $500.

Now I really regret that I took out a loan in dollars. But, by and large, I had no choice. My parents could not pay for education, and the only bank where at that moment it was possible to get an educational loan with a deferment was Soyuz.

Educational lending in Russia is not so developed, but it offers excellent opportunities for applicants. What universities can I pay for with a loan? How to get it, how much will you have to pay? Let's figure it out.

The number of budget places in universities is limited, and competition in prestigious educational institutions increases from year to year. What to do if you were unable to enroll on a free basis, but there is no money for studying at the commercial department?

For applicants who did not achieve the required score on the Unified State Exam or did not pass the exams, they offer paid training. If your family’s financial situation does not allow you to pay for your studies, you can turn to credit organizations and banks for help and get an educational loan. The practice of financial support for students came to us from Europe and the USA.

In the USA, 60% of students obtain higher education with the help of an educational loan. Not only US citizens can get a student loan (Private International Student Loan). More information can be found on the website

What is an educational loan?

The main difference between an educational loan and a regular consumer loan is the grace period for repayment. It is implied that During training, the student pays only interest, and after graduating from university and getting a job, repays the principal amount in equal shares.

The size of the loan provided depends on the specific bank. He can:

• cover the full cost of training;
• partially compensate the student’s expenses;
• be paid in stages for each semester or in full at once for the course for which the applicant is enrolled.

The educational credit sector in Russia is just beginning to develop; its share in the financial market is small. Therefore, some banks offer more stringent loan conditions, shorter repayment terms, and an individually set interest rate based on the borrower’s credit history or the availability of collateral.

Who can take out a student loan?

Students enrolled in commercial departments of universities, colleges, and courses can apply for a student loan. Prerequisites for this:

• age at least 14 years and presence of co-borrowers (parents or other relatives);
• over 18 years of age and having co-borrowers or employment with a regular income that covers loan payments.

Russian banks issue student loans only to citizens of the Russian Federation who have permanent registration in the Russian Federation. When concluding an agreement, the bank will require you to indicate and be sure to check the numbers of two telephones - cell phone and home.

For what purposes can you take an educational loan?

Banks issue loans for the following types of training:

• to receive first and second higher education;
• vocational training in colleges and schools;
• completion of master's or postgraduate studies;
• for advanced training - MBA, language courses, courses in municipal management.

Any form of training is acceptable. It can be full-time, part-time or remote. However, when counting on receiving a loan to pay for education, you need to remember that the chosen university must be included in the list approved by the bank and posted on the official website.

Let's compare the two most popular financial institutions that offer education lending services.

Educational loans in numbers

A comparison table of several loan offers will help you make an informed choice:

	"Pochta Bank"	"Europe Bank"
Loan terms	Up to 150 months	From 6 to 12 months (extension possible after completion)
Security
Credit insurance
Annual interest rate	● 14.9% subject to insurance ● 27.9% base rate
Loan repayment	With a deferment of principal repayment until graduation	Monthly in equal installments
List of universities	It is possible to add the selected university to the list	Only from the bank's list
Loan transfer	To the borrower's account, you can step by step	The entire amount goes to the university account
Covering tuition costs	Within the limit from 50,000 to 2,000,000 rubles.

When choosing a bank to obtain a student loan, in addition to financial aspects, you need to take into account some risks:

• The possibility of expulsion for poor academic performance or for other reasons - education will be interrupted, but obligations to the bank will remain.
• Difficulties with finding employment after graduation and, accordingly, difficulties with debt payments.

The loan product must be selected taking into account possible problems, and insurance programs should not be neglected when concluding an agreement.

Educational loan from Pochta Bank

The bank offers students the “Knowledge is Power” program, under which you can get a student loan with a limit of 50,000 to 2,000,000 rubles.

Advantages of the offer from Pochta Bank:

• without collateral;
• there are no fees for repaying the loan ahead of schedule;
• low annual rate subject to participation in the loan insurance program - 14.9%;
• until graduation, the borrower pays only interest (grace period for the principal);
• interest will be accrued on the amount actually used (the possibility of receiving a loan in stages);
• increasing the credit limit if necessary - with the involvement of relatives as co-borrowers;
• preferential deferment for repayment of the principal debt - when taking an academic leave or looking for a job after graduation (up to three months).

The downside of an educational loan from Post Bank is the additional costs of loan insurance. Participation in the insurance program will cost 0.29% of the total loan amount.

You can pay for commercial education at universities in the Russian Federation in 69 cities, including universities and academies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Novgorod, and Krasnoyarsk. In the bank's list:

1. More than 80 and the Moscow region, including,.
2. 50 and the Leningrad region, for example, .
3. Universities and institutes in other Russian cities.

A complete list of educational institutions for whose services you can pay with Pochta Bank credit funds is listed on the official website.

Important! Future applicants who do not find their chosen university on the list can apply to have it added to the list. It's better to do this in advance.

To get a loan, you need to collect a package of documents, including:

• the borrower's passport with permanent registration in the Russian Federation;
• passports of co-borrowers (parents, relatives), if the borrower has not reached the age of majority or does not have a permanent confirmed income;
• SNILS number and TIN of the employer (if there is a job);
• agreement with the educational institution (this will be required after the loan is approved).

After the bank reviews the loan application, the client will be offered individual conditions. When the parties agree, an agreement is signed, the bank opens an account for the client, into which the approved amount is credited.

Lifehack: To estimate the loan size taking into account all interest and markups, you can use loan calculator on the Internet or on the bank’s website. The manager will more accurately calculate the amount of monthly payments based on your application.

The head office of Pochta Bank is located in Moscow at pl. Preobrazhenskaya, 8. Branches can be found in any city in the Russian Federation and even in small villages. 24-hour multi-line telephone with free calls throughout Russia - 8 800 550 0770.

Educational loan from Credit Europe Bank

Credit Europe Bank belongs to the foreign group FIBA ​​and has been operating in Russia since 1994. As part of its services to the population, it issues educational loans. The head office is located in Moscow.

The bank has representative offices in 9 cities, whose residents can apply for a loan at the following addresses:

Advantages of contacting Credit Europe Bank:

• without collateral and compulsory insurance;
• the loan is issued in the amount of up to 100% of the required amount;
• interest is calculated on the balance of the debt;
• there is no overpayment for early repayment.

Disadvantages of the offer from Credit Europe Bank:, .

Institutes of Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod and 29 other cities of Russia.

A complete list of educational institutions for whose services an educational loan is provided can be found on the bank’s official website.

To receive money you need:

• conclude an agreement with the selected university;
• collect documents - passports of the borrower and co-borrowers (in the absence of your own permanent income), other papers at the request of the bank (their list will be clarified by the credit manager at the first consultation);
• submit an application to Credit Europe Bank and wait for approval.

After signing the agreement, the loan amount will be transferred to the university account according to the invoice provided by the borrower.

The decision on approval is made after regular credit history checks and compliance with all standard bank conditions. Any information of interest on applying for an educational loan can be clarified on the website or by multi-channel phones:

• 8 495-775-775-7 for residents of Moscow and the Moscow region;
• 8 800-700-775-7 for residents of other regions of the Russian Federation.

Is it worth taking out an educational loan?

Despite the more comfortable conditions compared to a regular consumer loan, an educational loan does not often attract the attention of potential borrowers. This is due to several reasons:

• rather high interest rates of banks;
• lack of government support (the program was frozen in 2017);
• low financial capabilities of many families - the lending limit is calculated based on the total income of the borrowers.

But for many school graduates, a student loan is the real and only opportunity to get a prestigious education and create a strong base for further growth.

Typically, an educational loan allows you to pay 90% of the entire cost of education. Let's consider the conditions for student lending, features of loan processing and other nuances.

Banks began offering educational loans not so long ago. A student loan is a type of consumer loan, but with some preferential features.

To obtain an educational loan, you must contact the appropriate bank. Educational loans are provided exclusively for tuition fees and in the exact amount of the invoice that was issued by the educational institution. Certain conditions and features depend on the issuer's program.

Government subsidies

Students who have enrolled in strictly defined specialties will be able to apply for an educational loan on preferential terms. It is also required that the university work with this program.

• Borrowers are adult applicants or students over 14 years of age(in the latter case, permission from the guardianship authorities and parents will be required).
• For minors who are taken under guardianship, a loan is not issued.

Banks that provide education loans: TOP 15

Russian banks have developed special educational products that are available for registration to a wide range of citizens. Each financial institution puts forward its own requirements for potential borrowers.

VTB 24 provides educational loans in a maximum amount of up to 3,600,000 rubles. The loan can be issued either without collateral or with a guarantee.

Post Bank offers a student loan of up to 2 million rubles. Features a long repayment period.

At Sovcombank you can apply for an educational loan under two programs - “Standard Plus” and “Super Plus”. In the first case, the maximum amount to be issued is 200 thousand rubles, in the second - 600 thousand.

Ural Bank

The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of the most popular options. You can apply for an educational loan for a maximum amount of 600 thousand rubles. The interest rate is 15%, the repayment period is 3-7 years. The loan is issued to persons over 21 years of age. Documents you will need are a passport and another document of your choice (driver’s license, SNILS).

Orient Express Bank

At Orient Express Bank you can get an educational loan, the duration of which is 1-5 years, the largest amount to be issued is 1 million rubles. The interest rate is 15%. You can repay the loan early.

Soyuz Bank offers an educational loan, the duration of which is a maximum of 16 years. The interest rate is 10%. You can receive funds in dollars or rubles. The amount is issued to borrowers up to 100% of the entire cost of education.

Rosselkhozbank offers an educational loan for a maximum period of 10 years. The interest rate is at least 14%. The largest amount is 350 thousand rubles. Funds are transferred to the account of the educational institution in two ways - one time or every semester. It is possible to increase the loan repayment period to 5 years.

Renaissance Credit

At Renaissance Credit you can get a student loan of up to 700 thousand rubles. Interest rate – from 13.9%, repayment period – 2-5 years.

OTP Bank offers to obtain an education loan at an interest rate of at least 14.9%. The largest loan amount is 750 thousand rubles, duration is 1-5 years. Full and partial repayment is available.

At UralSib you can get loans for education up to 500 thousand rubles. Loan duration – up to 5 years. The interest rate is from 15 to 18%.

Baltiysky Bank has developed an educational loan program, the duration of which is up to 7 years. The interest rate is 19%. The banking institution does not require a down payment.

You can get a loan from Education Bank for a period of 5 years. The interest rate is 15%. The loan is issued only to students studying at state universities.

Bank Societe Generale Vostok offers students to take out an educational loan, the maximum amount of which is 750 thousand rubles. The duration does not exceed 6 years, the interest rate is 14%. Money can be received in euros, dollars and rubles.

Probusinessbank offers loans for an MBA degree, doctoral studies or postgraduate studies. The duration of the loan is 2 years, the maximum amount to be issued is 300 thousand rubles.

National Prombank offers to receive an educational loan in the amount of up to 90% of the entire cost of education. A deposit or guarantee from the student's legal representatives is required.

Often banks, under the guise of an educational loan, offer to issue a standard consumer loan, which does not include benefits. What distinguishes it from a regular loan is that the money is transferred to the university account immediately. The disadvantage is the lack of benefits: in this case, it is best to apply for a loan secured by property collateral or for urgent needs in the name of close relatives or parents.

Conditions for student loans

An education loan differs in that it is issued without a certificate of income (with the exception of the borrower receiving a second education).

Debt repayment begins either from the third year of using credit funds, or after receiving education and subsequent employment. Until this time, the borrower pays installments, the amount of which is equal to the accrued interest.

It is possible to obtain a loan to pay for education at partner universities of a banking institution, the list of which has been predetermined.

Interest rate

The advantage of an education loan is that the resulting overpayment is small. Some banking programs have low interest rates. Those borrowers who took out an education loan with a government subsidy will be able to save the most. According to the preferential program, the amount of overpayment is affected by the refinancing rate of the country's Central Bank.

The choice of bank affects the interest rate:

• overpayment under the Rosinterbank program is equal to ¼ of the Central Bank refinancing rate, plus added 5% ;
• overpayment under the Sberbank program is equal to ¼ of the Central Bank refinancing rate, plus 3% .

Loan repayment: amount and terms

• The rules of the banking institution establish the amount of the loan for educational purposes. Its amount should not be more than 100% from the entire cost of training, since the bank transfers funds to the university account.
• There are banks that provide educational loans subject to a down payment of 10% and more to pay for university services.
• The repayment duration is from 3 to 16 years depending on which bank was selected.
• The preferential program with a government subsidy provides for deferred payment. According to it, the validity period of the loan agreement after receiving an education diploma is up to 10 years.

Loan security

Preferential educational loans do not require collateral or income certificates. In cases where a loan is issued without government support, some issuers require guarantees from individuals or collateral of property.

The establishment of collateral is carried out on an individual basis; the parameters of the borrower, the loan amount and other factors are taken into account.

Features of obtaining a loan

Applying for a loan to pay for education differs from standard lending and consists of the following steps.

1. Passing exams, entering the chosen educational institution.
2. Selecting a banking institution from the list of university partners that offer the most favorable conditions.
3. Familiarization with the list of packages of documents in order to submit an application and their collection (presented on the website of the issuing bank).
4. Submitting an application through a bank branch.
5. Receiving a positive decision.
6. Studying the terms of the loan, signing documents.

The required documents to obtain a loan include the following.

1. Agreement on the provision of services between the future potential borrower and the university.
2. Official papers that act as confirmation that the student has entered an educational institution.
3. INN, SNILS and passport of the potential borrower.
4. Documents that confirm the applicant’s registration (temporary or permanent).
5. Documents from the military registration and enlistment office.
6. An application form filled in advance according to the form of a banking institution.
7. A document taken from the university accounting department, which contains an invoice for payment of educational services.

If the potential borrower has not reached 18 years, he will need to provide:

• birth certificate;
• passports of parents, legal representatives;
• parental consent in writing;
• permission from the guardianship authorities.

Loan repayment

• Loan repayment has its own characteristics. The interest portion of the debt can be repaid during the borrower’s studies, plus the bank provides 3 months to repay the debt after the student graduates from the university.
• The principal amount is paid for 10 years after the borrower has acquired a profession and is employed.
• Some programs do not have deferred payment.
• The borrower has the right to repay part of the cost of training or the full loan without accruing additional penalties and fines.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of educational loans include the following factors:

• lending rates have been lowered;
• there are no commission charges;
• a deferment of loan repayment is often provided;
• there are government subsidies;
• You can get a loan for individuals from 14 years old.

Disadvantages of these loans:

• registration requires a lot of documents and certificates;
• the list of university partners is limited;
• if a student arrived to study from another city, then the lack of registration in the region of application will prevent him from obtaining a loan;
• due to deferment of payment, the amount of overpayment increases significantly;
• Some banking institutions require a down payment of 10-30% from the cost of educational services of the selected institution;
• sometimes collateral is required (for example, real estate);
• one of the conditions of almost every bank is life and disability insurance for the borrower and co-borrower, and this leads to even greater expenses;
• An educational loan forces a young person to obtain the chosen specialty and diploma, even if he realizes that he made a mistake with his choice (the student can also be expelled - then he will lose a large amount of money and time).

Getting a decent education is the first investment in the future of young people. Unfortunately, not every family is able to pay for tuition with their own funds. is one of the priority areas of the banking sector.

Which banks offer special programs, lending features, conditions for obtaining a loan, how to pay for education in foreign educational institutions. Current offers from banks in 2018.

Borrowing money to pay for education is a type of targeted consumer loan. Its main features are:

1. Possibility to make a deal for a student. The borrower under the agreement can be the student over 14 years of age (with parent guarantors) or the child’s parents themselves.
2. Obtaining a grace period when only interest is paid for using the loan. The loan is repaid after a certain time.
3. The deal is targeted. The money is transferred directly to the account of the educational institution. A one-time issue or opening of a credit line is allowed.

Loans are provided without additional payments (no insurance, commissions, etc.). As collateral, a surety can be issued, a vehicle pledge, etc. There are credit organizations that provide loans without collateral.

How to get an education loan?

The transaction is completed in several stages:

1. Choice of lender. First, you should select credit institutions that implement such programs. A list of banks can be found using specialized sites on the Internet.
2. On the credit institution's website, review the list of required documents. Prepare them for submission to the bank.
3. Documents are submitted at the place of registration of the client or at the location of the educational institution.
4. Application processing time is from 3 to 5 days. At this time, the bank has the right to request additional certificates, a guarantee (if necessary), etc.
5. If the decision is positive, a day is set for completing the transaction and transferring money.

The loan amount can be used to pay for one semester, or, when opening a credit line, the loan will be issued in tranches to pay for the entire period of study by semester.

Minimum requirements for borrowers

Banks set the following requirements for borrowers:

• Availability of Russian citizenship, permanent registration;
• Age from 18–20 years, registration is allowed for a borrower aged 14 years or older with written parental consent and permission from the guardianship authorities.
• Having a minimum work experience of 3 months;
• Obtaining sufficient regular income to service the debt;
• Availability of mobile and home/work telephone numbers.

If the borrower or co-borrower has a negative credit history or open overdue debt, the loan will be denied.

List of documents for obtaining an educational loan

Different banks require various additional documents, but the list of basic ones is standard:

• Passport;
• Agreement on the provision of paid educational services;
• If the borrower does not live at the place of registration, a certificate of actual place of residence is provided;
• Receipt for payment of tuition fees.

Additional requirements may include confirmation of income with personal income tax certificates 2 (according to the bank form), an extract from the work book, information about receipts to the personal account in the Pension Fund.

Co-borrowers and/or guarantors must confirm their income and employment, provide a passport and 2 documents. If the transaction is executed for a minor, the consent of the guardianship authorities and the child’s legal representatives is provided.

Education loan terms

Standard conditions:

• the loan amount is determined based on the cost of training and the solvency of the borrower; in some banks the maximum amount is determined to be 1,500–2,000 thousand rubles;
• the currency of provision depends on the currency of the invoice; most often, the loan is issued in rubles;
• loan term from 120 to 150 months;
• interest rate 14.0–30% per annum.

State subsidies of interest rates from 2018 will be carried out in accordance with the Rules approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 197 of February 26, 2018:

The document defines the requirements for banks, as recipients of subsidies, for borrowers, and the conditions for transferring funds.

Conditions for educational loans under the program:

• In addition to a loan to pay for education, it is possible to issue a related loan to pay for accommodation, food, and household needs. Its size is defined as 7 regional subsistence levels;
• The loan term is calculated as follows: grace period (training + 3 months) + 120 months;
• the bank has the right to increase the interest rate not by 5 (as was previously), but by 7 p. plus ¾ of the refinancing rate, i.e. the interest rate today can be 9.5%;
• no collateral required;
• During the period of study, the borrower is given a deferment on the payment of the principal debt and part of the interest for the first 2 years of study;
• extension of the contract is allowed once.

The program is planned to be launched in the fall of 2018; the government subsidy program is currently suspended.

The main difficulties in obtaining a loan for education abroad

Education received in foreign educational institutions is considered the most prestigious and high-quality. Specialists with diplomas from foreign educational institutions have access to the best companies for management positions with good incomes and brilliant prospects.

The cost of education abroad is an order of magnitude higher than in Russian universities. It is difficult to find a bank willing to finance a transaction; stricter requirements may be imposed on both the borrower and the lending conditions.

Difficulties when applying for an education loan in Europe:

• To create a package of documents, banks request an agreement with an educational institution for the provision of paid services, i.e. the client will need to visit the university, draw up an agreement, translate it, notarize it, etc. This will entail additional costs of money and time, and the result of the application review may be negative.
• The minimum age of the borrower is 22–34 years, so it is almost impossible to get a loan for a school graduate.
• The borrower must have a high level of solvency in order to be able to obtain a large loan amount.
• For such transactions, prolongation is not allowed, and the “deferred payment” service is not possible.
• An initial payment of 10–15% of the cost of training is often required, in addition to funds for living abroad.
• The borrower should be prepared for additional costs associated with currency conversion if the loan is provided in rubles, but tuition fees are required to be paid in dollars or euros.
• If the loan is issued in the payment currency, then there will be different interest rates on it, the borrower will be dependent on the foreign currency exchange rate.

To reduce the risks of a transaction, banks may request a pledge or guarantee.

A long loan period for studying abroad makes the borrower dependent on the credit institution. The debt is payable even in the event of force majeure.

Comparison of banks providing education loans

Programs are not offered by all lending institutions. This is due to the high risks of the transaction, as well as the fact that the resolution on interest rate subsidies has not yet entered into force.

1 Sberbank

Until 2017, the bank operated the “Education Loan with State Support” program.

As of today, the program has been suspended until Resolution No. 197 of February 26, 2018 comes into force.

According to the program, up to 100% of the cost of training was paid, the interest rate was 7.5% per annum, the loan term was determined as the time of study + 10 years, and a grace period was provided for the use of borrowed funds.

To obtain a loan, no collateral or guarantee was required; the transaction could be completed from the age of 14 without taking into account solvency.

2 Post Bank

The company offers the “Knowledge is Power” loan product:

Terms of registration:

• You can get a loan for studying at those universities, a list of which is available on the bank’s website. If the educational institution is not on the list, you should leave an application for its inclusion;
• The maximum amount provided is 2 million rubles;
• The term is up to 150 months, only interest is paid during training, the principal debt begins to be repaid after graduation;
• Interest rate 14.9–27.9% per annum;
• To consider the application, you must provide: passport, SNLIS, income certificate;
• The loan is provided to citizens of the Russian Federation over 18 years of age who have permanent registration, a minimum work experience of 3 months, and a permanent job;
• The borrower should not have any open arrears;
• If the loan is not issued by the student himself, then he must act as a co-borrower under the agreement.

The application is reviewed within 3 days.

3 Alfa Bank

The credit institution implements the “Education Loan” program:

Terms of provision:

• The maximum loan amount is from 1.5 to 3 million rubles. Owners of salary cards can count on the maximum amount;
• Loan term up to 7 years;
• Rate from 11.99%, regardless of the presence/absence of insurance;
• No collateral and/or surety required;
• The borrower must be a citizen of the Russian Federation, have permanent registration in the region where the bank's representative office is located, be over 21 years old, and have a permanent net income of at least 10 thousand rubles. per month, experience from 6 months;
• To consider the application, you need to collect a package of documents: passport, SNILS (TIN, license), title card for a car (for real estate owned, voluntary insurance policy, copy of the work book), certificate 2 of personal income tax.

4 Zapsibkombank

The credit institution has more than 80 branches and representative offices in many regions of the Russian Federation, including Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, etc. The bank offers the “Education Loan” program:

Terms of issue:

• The borrower gets the opportunity to pay for studies at Russian universities up to 80% of the cost with borrowed funds, 20% is paid independently;
• Maximum term 5 years;
• Rate from 12.9 to 18.9% per annum, depending on the borrower’s status, loan amount, connection to the “Financial Protection” program;
• Provided in the form of opening a credit line, interest is accrued only on the actual debt;
• The security may be a pledge of real estate, vehicles, a deposit, or a guarantee from an individual. If you have good solvency, the option of executing a transaction without collateral is considered;
• The application can be submitted by citizens of the Russian Federation living in the region served by the bank, with a minimum experience of 6 months, and having a constant sufficient income.

The loan application can be submitted online, the review period is up to 4 days.

Summary table by banks

For comparison, the main current conditions of banks for the provision of educational loans are collected in the table:

Current programs generally have short terms and fairly high interest rates.

Conclusion

To obtain a profitable education loan, it is better to wait for the decision on subsidizing the interest rate to come into force, or to take out an ordinary consumer loan in order to be able to take advantage of the preferential lending program in the future.

From December 1, 2018, you can receive a subsidy from the state for an educational loan. In this case, the benefit will be 2/3 of the Central Bank refinancing rate. That is, a student receives a student loan at a reduced rate. And he will have to pay for it only after training. Find out how to get such a loan, who can give it to you and how it works in this article.

What is an education loan and how is it different from other loans?

In essence, an education loan is an ordinary consumer loan. But it has several specific conditions.

• First of all, it is targeted. Issued to a future student to receive education at a paid university;
• The student does not receive any money in hand. They are transferred directly to the university account subject to a number of conditions;
• One of the most important conditions for obtaining is successful study. Information about grades for the session is received by the bank at the end of each semester and, if the conditions for academic performance are met, the next payment is made. If not, the student is expelled or pays independently;
• There is no need to pay the main interest and the “body” of the loan while studying. All calculations are made only after the graduate passes the final exams and starts working. Plus 3 months for adaptation. Payments already begin with the salary. During the course of study, banks, in accordance with state regulations, may introduce an obligation to pay only part of the accrued interest. This way, interest accumulates more slowly and payments are less significant.
• Interest is calculated on the money actually paid to the university. But, since they are not paid, they are “refinanced” and added to the “body”. Thus, you then need to pay interest on interest as well.
• The maximum amount is 7 subsistence minimums for the constituent entity of the Russian Federation (Moscow - 15,397 rubles for 2018 multiplied by 7) and benefits multiplied by the number of months, taking into account interest (that is, the maximum debt together with interest cannot exceed 7 minimums multiplied by the sum of the number of months of study and 3 months for adaptation at work).

Who can get an education loan and what is needed for this?

The requirements are imposed not only on the borrower, but also on the university where he will study. If everything is more or less clear with the borrower, he is studied in much the same way as for obtaining any other loan (the availability of information about him in the credit history bureau, his biography is studied from the point of view of the police, his permanent registration at the place of registration, etc.) , then the university is assessed in terms of state registration and the likelihood that the graduate will get a good, well-paid job that will allow him to make payments. Sberbank and the Ministry of Education and Science (Ministry of Education and Science) even maintain entire registers of higher educational institutions that are eligible for loan benefits and for which they can be issued in principle.

In this regard, it is easier for the student and it's better to choose right away The university is more prestigious (large Moscow ones, etc.), because you still have to pay a little right away, and the level of payment for a specialist who has graduated from a good university will allow him not only to quickly pay off the loan, but also to earn good money in the future, without wasting time on secondary education quality and related work.

Do I need collateral and a guarantor?

To obtain a loan from Sberbank, collateral (property, real estate, securities) and the presence of a guarantor are highly desirable. Similar preferences are expressed in other banks. However, in the absence of collateral and guarantors, the road to lending is not at all closed. In each individual case, the bank independently assesses its risks and if the recipient is satisfied with the candidacy, there are no requirements for the presence of collateral and a guarantor. Although, when considering a possible interest rate, their presence may play in favor of reducing it, because in this way the bank’s risks are reduced.

Do I need to pay extra myself, make a down payment?

As for the down payment, it all depends on the specific bank and the specific program. The maximum required down payment from practice is 20%. The minimum is zero. But in this case, the bank risks more and is forced to more carefully evaluate the prospective borrower.

Even with state support and related benefits, you still have to pay extra on your own. The minimum rates on such loans are 12%, in fact they can reach 17% - 19%, and the state can only guarantee 3/4 of the Central Bank refinancing rate. From March 26, 2018, this rate is set at 7.25%, so the benefit for an educational loan will be 5.437%.

Amount of state subsidy for educational loan

As has already been calculated, on average (if there is no decision to change the Central Bank refinancing rate), the state subsidizes 5.437% of the rate. Example - if a student receives a loan at a rate of 12% per annum, then in fact upon completion of studies the payments will be the same as for a loan at a rate of 6.563%. If at the time of registration the Bank of Russia decides to increase the base rate, then in this case (while maintaining 12%), the loan to the borrower will cost less - the state’s share in paying for university education will increase.

The total duration of the program is 10 years. It is assumed that it will be enough for training and to fully pay off debts. The bank’s agreement stipulates how many years the future graduate will have to pay off the debt; based on this, future payments will be established.

By the way, there is no point in hoping that the bank will go bankrupt within this period and there will be no need to pay. About it - . In addition, in the Government Resolution, the state guarantees banks a return of 20% of the amount of non-repaid education loans, thereby reducing risks and making the issue of participation in this program more attractive for banks.

Which banks participate in the preferential program and which universities can you enroll in?

At the time of writing, the only participant in the program was Sberbank. However, the upcoming Government Resolution should expand the list of participating banks. As well as the number of universities that will have the right to conclude trilateral funding agreements.