IMPORTANT NOTICE: As of December 18, 2025 at 10 a.m. EST, PNC will no longer be accepting new student or education refinance loan applications, including student loan applications for the academic year 2026/2027. We encourage you to explore alternative loan options to finance your educational goals. Applications in process may click here to resume. Refer to the FAQs below for more information.

PNC Education Refinance Loan (PERL) Application Process[1]

What to Expect with PNC

Eligibility
Requirements
How to Apply
Contact Us
Apply Now

Determine If You Are Eligible

View our PNC Education Refinance Loan (PERL) to determine eligibility.

PNC Education Refinance Loan (PERL)

  • Borrower must be a US citizen, permanent U.S. resident alien (with Green Card), or non-permanent resident alien (with a Visa). The cosigner, if applicable, must be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident alien.
  • Borrower must be at least the age of majority in their state of residence 
  • Borrowers who have not obtained an associate degree or higher must have made 24 consecutive payments on at least one education loan in the last 2 years.
  • Both borrower and cosigner, if applicable, are subject to credit approval. Additional documentation may be required.
  • The borrower on an individual application and the borrower and cosigner on a joint application, if applicable, must demonstrate current and continuous income.

Requirements

Student and cosigner, if any, must:

  • Have satisfactory credit and proof of employment and income history
  • Have been in business for at least two years if self-employed
  • Meet debt-to-income requirements

How to Apply

1

Gather Important Information

Personal information

  • Including Driver's license (or state ID), Social Security number, telephone number, current home address, employment, annual salary, and gross income

Tell us about the school you most recently attended

  • Including school name, address, and the final date of attendance

Tell us about your current loans

  • Including lender’s names, account numbers, outstanding balances, monthly payments and interest rate type (fixed or variable) for each loan. Your most recent monthly billing statement will have all of this information

Review and accept your application’s important terms and conditions

2

Complete Application

  • Enter the loan amount you are requesting
  • Select your rate type: fixed rate or variable rate. A fixed rate will not change over the life of the loan. A variable rate may change based on prime rate or another rate index
3

Review & Finalize Your Application

  • Submit requested documents in a timely fashion so that we can verify income and verify loan balances quickly
  • Sign the Self Certification
  • Sign the Credit Agreement (legal document that includes the terms of the loan between the borrower and lender)
  • Disbursement sent to the lenders you’re refinancing after the documents are signed

PNC encourages customers and prospects with existing federal student loan debt to carefully consider their options before applying for a refinance loan at PNC. We recommend that you review and have a clear understanding of the federal relief available and how it may impact your situation. When you refinance your existing federal student loan debt with PNC, you may waive current or potential future benefits and protections and replace those with the benefits of the PNC Education Refinance Loan.

Certain Federal Benefits Will Be Lost or Not Available: If you refinance your federal loans through this PNC Education Refinance Loan, you will lose or not be able to select other payment plans available to federal student loan borrowers, such as income-contingent repayment or income-based repayment. In addition, federal student loans offer deferment, forbearance and loan forgiveness options that may not be available under a PNC Education Refinance Loan. Please compare your current benefits with this program to ensure any loss of existing benefits is fully understood.

FAQs

As of December 18, 2025 at 10 AM EST, PNC will no longer be accepting new student or education refinance loan applications, including student loan applications for the academic year 2026/2027.

Therefore, you will no longer be able to apply for a PNC Student Loan (Undergraduate, Graduate, Health & Medical Professions, Health Professions Residency, Bar Study) or PNC Education Refinance Loan as of that date.

Application records that were created before 10:00 AM EST on December 18,2025, will still be eligible for submission. As long as an application ID has been created, applicants will have up to 30 days from the start date to complete and submit their application.

You do not need to take any action. For borrowers with a pending loan application, there is no impact on the current process. All pending applications will be considered in accordance with our underwriting, and all pending disbursements will be duly made.

You do not need to take any action. For borrowers with pending loan disbursements, there is no impact on the current process. All pending disbursements will be made as scheduled.

No – your loan servicing provider will not change at this time. Your loans will continue to be serviced by American Education Services (AES) or Aspire.

No. The terms and conditions of your loan(s) will remain the same as stated in your Credit Agreement(s) and Final Disclosure(s).

No. This change is not related to your credit score.

No, this change does not provide you the opportunity or enable you to transfer your current loans to another lender. If you are interested in refinancing any current student loans, you should explore education refinance loan options that may be offered by other financial institutions.

You do not need to take any action. Your loan(s) will still be serviced by AES or Aspire. There is no impact on the current process related to deferment. AES or Aspire will contact you regarding details about repayment when the time comes.

You do not need to take any action. Your loan(s) will still be serviced by AES or Aspire. There is no impact on loan repayment. You should continue to make your loan payments as required.

No. PNC student loans are private student loans. Private student loans do not qualify for federal programs or forgiveness.

For general questions and questions regarding active loan applications, contact PNC at 1-800-762-1001.

  • Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET.

 

For questions related to servicing, contact your current servicer:

  • AES at 1-800-233-0557
    • Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 P.M. ET
  • Aspire at 1-800-243 -7552
    • Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 P.M. CT

Ways to Apply

Apply now to receive a preliminary decision within minutes.[1]

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Call 1-800-762-1001

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1-800-762-1001

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