NaviRefi Student Loans: 2023 Review

NaviRefi features

NaviRefi allows you to refinance undergraduate, graduate and professional student loans. It’s a good option if you qualify and are looking for additional benefits, as Navient offers several programs for borrowers who are financially struggling. And depending on your financial profile, you might be eligible for a lower interest rate.

It's good to know who's managing your loans, because you work with the loan servicer for several years while paying off your debts. That being said, in past years, Navient has faced multiple lawsuits alleging harmful and deceptive practices, so you may need to take extra steps to make sure that the company is handling your loan correctly.

NaviRefi student loan requirements

If you’ve received an invitation to apply for a NaviRefi loan, you’ll also need to meet other requirements:

• Age. You must be at least the “age of majority” — which is 18 in every state except Nebraska and Alabama, where it’s 19 — to apply for one of these loans.
• Citizenship status. You must be a U.S. citizen or a qualifying noncitizen permanent resident.
• Credit history: Your credit report should be free of recent collection accounts and bankruptcy filings. 
• Educational history: You must have attended a Title IV-eligible school or higher education institution.
• Housing payments. You should be current on your monthly mortgage or rent payments.
• Loan amount. You must refinance at least $5,001 in qualified education loans, or $10,001 if you live in California.
• Location. NaviRefi loans are available to borrowers who live in Washington, D.C., and every state except Nevada and the U.S. territories. In certain states, variable interest rates are not available.
• Strong financial standing. Navient will review your credit history, employment experience and income. You must have a minimum credit score of 650, or 700 if it's been six or more years and you attended but did not graduate from a not-for-profit college.
• Sufficient earnings. You’ll need to earn enough from your employer or another eligible source to make the loan payments.

Who is this loan good for?

A NaviRefi loan is a good option if you already have a loan serviced by Navient, you’ve been invited to apply and your rates are more competitive than what you’d get with other lenders. It also helps if you’ve already graduated and you’re employed, as Navient will partly base your qualification and loan terms on your employment status and income.

If you’re a current Navient customer but haven’t received an invitation to apply for a NaviRefi loan, call the company and ask about eligibility. Or you could explore other options elsewhere. 

Interest rates

NaviRefi loans come with competitive interest rates that can make borrowing cheaper. And as with most lenders, setting up automatic payments with your bank account can help you score a 0.25 percent interest rate discount.

If you qualify for a lower rate than what you have now — and you aren’t increasing the loan term — you could save money in the long run. Your APR will be based on factors such as your credit history and the length of your loan term. Here are the rates you can expect, including the autopay discount:

Fees and penalties

NaviRefi doesn’t charge origination fees, but you may be assessed a late fee.

Repayment terms and grace period

When you refinance with a NaviRefi loan, you’ll need to start making payments a month following disbursement. If you experience financial hardship later on, Navient has several ways to help make your loan payments more affordable:

• Standard repayment gives you a set monthly payment for a specified repayment term. 
• Forbearance allows you to temporarily reduce or suspend payments. There is also a feature that allows you to skip a payment once during a 12-month period after you've made six consecutive on time payments.
• The rate reduction program temporarily reduces your interest rate — and therefore your monthly payment — for increments of six months.
• The term and rate modification gives you the benefits that come with the rate reduction program along with an extended loan term.  

Navient also offers deferment options, which allow you to temporarily postpone payments while you’re:

• Enrolled in school at least half time.
• Receiving training through an internship, residency or fellowship program.
• Serving in the military.

How to apply for a loan with NaviRefi

Applying for a NaviRefi loan no longer requires you to have an invitation with a code. The process is similar to many other loan applications. 

1. Visit the website. Select "Check your rate" and then either enter your invitation code or select that you can't find your code.
2. Follow the instructions. Once you've started the form, fill out all of your details.
3. View loan offers and formally apply. If you’re approved, follow the prompts to complete your application. You’ll need your Social Security number, employer name and total annual income.

Customer service

NaviRefi loans are originated by Earnest Operations LLC and serviced by Navient Solutions LLC. You can contact NaviRefi’s customer service at 866-210-2576, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Despite the A- BBB-rating held by the lender, the volume of poor customer reviews may be cause for concern. Many of the more recent reviews cite account discrepancies and repayment issues along with subpar customer support.

Customer service

NaviRefi loans are originated by Earnest Operations LLC and serviced by Navient Solutions LLC. You can contact NaviRefi’s customer service at 866-210-2576, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Despite the A- BBB-rating held by the lender, the volume of poor customer reviews may be cause for concern. Many of the more recent reviews cite account discrepancies and repayment issues along with subpar customer support.

Methodology

The Bankrate team evaluated over a dozen lenders to select our top picks for the best student loans. To do this, Bankrate considers 14 factors, including loan amounts, fees, repayment terms and options, as well as fixed and variable APR ranges. Then, lenders are rated using our vetting system known as the Bankrate Score, which focuses on three main categories.

• Availability: We looked at minimum and maximum loan amounts, as well as the lender’s eligibility requirements, co-signer option, degrees covered and state availability. Lenders that offered the most flexibility as well as nationwide servicing and that offered financing for a variety of programs ranked higher in this section.
• Affordability: Fixed and variable interest rates, fees, penalties and discounts were measured in this category. Lenders with the lowest rates, fewer fees and multiple discounts got the higher scores.
• Customer experience: Our team looked at the ease of the application process, as well as online account management tools, customer support hours, app availability, repayment options and grace periods offered by the lenders. This allowed us to determine the lenders’ ability to satisfactorily serve customers.

Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.