Our mission is simple: to lower the cost of financing a higher education.

The Total Higher Education (T.H.E.) Loan Programs are a product of NorthStar, a nonprofit lender based in St. Paul, Minnesota. As the 13th largest FFELP lender in the U.S., NorthStar has originated and continues to hold more than $5 billion in student loans for borrowers across the country.

As a nonprofit, we leverage financing from the capital markets and maintain an extremely efficient business operation — without compromising high-quality service for our borrowers and administrators.

Benefits for Our Borrowers

Outstanding Customer Service and Borrower Education.

Leading the Way with Zero Fees

We were one of the first national lenders to offer zero-fee loans. The industry followed suit, resulting in millions of dollars in savings for students.

T.H.E. Repayment Bonus: We Have Given Back to Borrowers, Not Shareholders

Rather than paying stockholders huge profits, we returned our profits to our borrowers. One of the primary ways we did this was the T.H.E. Repayment Bonus, a monthly credit that offered savings as great as a 1.3% effective interest rate reduction throughout repayment. (see terms and conditions)

Because our bonus was designed for real people in the real world, more than 95% of our borrowers earned it every month, compared to the industry average of less than 10%, according to FinAid.org.

BEFORE 10/1/07

Customer Service

Our customer service experts are highly qualified to guide student-borrowers through the student loan process and make sure that administration is easy for financial aid officers.

• An immediate response from a real person, not an automated system
• One-call resolution to inquiries
• Experience that averages more than 12 years in the industry
• Intelligent support from entrance throughout repayment
• An average call abandonment rate of less than 1%

Education and Outreach for Students and Families

• Entrance, exit, budgeting and debt management counseling presentations, delivered by our dedicated corporate presenters
• Suite of borrower education brochures, including Blue Skies: A Quick Guide to Smart Borrowing
• Personal, proactive outreach through phone calls, e-mails and postcards to help borrowers understand their options for repayment, postponement and consolidation
• The Ramen Report, our lender-neutral blog that gives students real-world tips on managing debt, sticking to a budget and making sound decisions about their education financing
• Electronic Loan Counselor, an online wizard that guides borrowers to a smart repayment strategy, based on their unique portfolio and personal goals
• Quarterly student loan interest statements during in-school period, keeping borrowers informed of their loans and interest accrual