Ways to reduce student loan costs

To help you lower the total cost of your student loans, consider taking advantage of these three options:

1. Prepay your loans

Consider paying off your student loans as early as you can to save money. You can elect, during the application process, to make required monthly payments while you are in school and during your grace period. When you choose to start making payments while in school or when you pay a little more toward your principal balance while in repayment, you accrue less interest and reduce the total cost of your loan. And with no prepayment penalties, paying a little extra when you can is a great strategy.

2. Pay on time, all the time

Paying on time helps you maintain a solid credit rating and keeps you clear of late fees if your lender charges them.

To help ensure your student loan payment is paid on time and to help you avoid any fees applied by your bank, make sure you have sufficient funds in your bank account.

3. Enroll in automatic payments

Remember to enroll in automatic payments to lower your risk of missing a payment. Many lenders also offer an interest rate reduction—commonly 0.25% but it varies—when you sign up. This discount can help you reduce the total cost of your loan.