Student Loans & Scholarships
Associated Healthcare Credit Union has partnered with Sallie Mae to offer a range of student loans at competitive rates.
Private Student Loans
Enjoy the following benefits with a private student loan through LendKey:
- Lower payments with low interest rates
- Tax deductible interest payments
- Cosigner release option available
- No origination fees or prepayment penalties
- 0.25% interest rate reduction for using ACH automatic payments
Student Loan Refinance Options
Enjoy the following benefits when you refinance your student loans through LendKey and their lending partner, BankMobile:
- Lower payments with low interest rates
- Refinance federal and private student loans for undergraduate and graduate debt
- Simplified finances with one simple monthly payment
- No origination fees or prepayment penalties
- Cosigner release option available
- 0.25% interest rate reduction for using ACH automatic payments
Vist Lendkey to view current rates.
Start Saving Early with a Coverdell ESA
Coverdell ESAs can be used for more than college and universities. They can be used for elementary, secondary, vocational, and special education schools.
A Coverdell ESA can pay for a wide range of educational expenses, including:
- Tuition and Fees: Payments for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution.
- Books and Supplies: Costs for textbooks, notebooks, and other necessary supplies.
- Technology: Expenses for computers, software, and internet access, if used primarily for educational purposes.
- Room and Board: Costs for housing and meal plans, if the student is enrolled at least half-time.
- Special Needs Services: Expenses required for a special needs beneficiary to attend school.
Start saving today for the special children and grandchildren in your life today. They will appreciate you giving them a head start.
- Set aside funds for education
- No setup or annual fee
- Dividends grow tax-free
- Withdrawals are tax-free and penalty-free when used for qualified education expenses1
- Designated beneficiary must be under 18 when contributions are made
- To contribute to an ESA, certain income limits apply2
- Contributions are not tax deductible
- $2,000 maximum annual contribution per child
- The money must be withdrawn by the time he or she turns 303
- The ESA may be transferred without penalty to another member of the family
1 Qualified expenses include tuition and fees, books, supplies, board, etc.
2 Consult your tax advisor to determine your contribution limit.
3 Those earnings are subject to income tax and a 10% penalty.
Scholarships for a Brighter Financial Future
We offer various scholarship programs to support students at different stages of their educational journey. These scholarships are available to our members and their families to help cover tuition, books, and other educational expenses.
2025 Eligibility Guidelines
The scholarships are available to AHCU members who will attend school in the fall of 2025 or current students in an accredited college, university or trade school. If you are currently attending an accredited college, university or trade school, the funds will be available for your 2025 spring tuition.
To be considered for our scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled at an accredited college, university, or trade school.
- Be a member of Associated Healthcare Credit Union.
- Provide a school ID number upon selection, as the scholarship check will be sent directly to the school.
- Submit a photo and a brief biography for display on our website upon winning.
Submissions are reviewed and selected by the credit union. The credit union assesses each application according to the quality, thoughtfulness, creativity, and relevance of their response.
Contest Categories
A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded in each of the categories listed below. Each category requires a specific type of media used to address a certain topic or answer a question.
Essay
- Habits That Shape My Financial Future – What daily habits, values, or influences, have helped you develop financial responsibility? Who or what has inspired your approach to managing money?
Video
- Dream Job & Dream Life - Create a 30-60 second video where you describe your future career aspirations and how financial literacy will help you achieve them.
How to Apply
- Download the application form of your choice and fill it out electronically.
- Email the completed PDF along with any accompanying documentation to marketing@ahcu.org.
Applications must be submitted electronically using the PDF forms provided; we will not accept paper submissions or screenshots of the forms.
Applications will be accepted March 1st, 2025, through April 30th, 2025, 11:59 pm CST.
Questions? Please email marketing@ahcu.org. We are here to help and appreciate your interest!
Interested in Applying but Don’t Have an AHCU Account?
Applying is easy online and it only takes about 10 minutes. There is no “out-of-pocket” money to open an account when you apply for a scholarship because AHCU will deposit the $10 into your new savings account.
*** WHEN YOU OPEN AN ACCOUNT***
On our new account application, underneath the boxes where you type in your name, there is a box that says "Are You Applying For An AHCU Scholarship?". Click on the drop-down arrow and select "Yes". Upon a successful application, we will deposit the first $10 into your Savings Account, making you a member and eligible to apply for the scholarship(s).
