Stilt Personal Loan Review

If you are a foreign national living in the United States, you probably experienced the extra hoops that you have to jump through to borrow money from a traditional lender.

Few U.S. financial institutions lend money to expats who have an insufficient credit history, and if they do, foreign citizens often have to make a bigger down payment than U.S. citizens. With first-hand experiences of difficulties of borrowing money in the U.S., Rohit Mittal and Priyank Singh, two Columbia University graduates from India, founded Stilt in 2015, hoping to end the borrowing hassle for fellow expats.

 

When making lending decisions, Stilt takes a holistic view of the borrower’s life. Its data models analyze the borrower’s merit by examining nontraditional factors, such as his/her employment potential and financial behavior based on the information provided.

Ultimately, what Stilt looks for in an applicant is the potential for responsible financial behavior. Expats who have high GPAs, high employment potential, solid work experience and show patterns of responsible financial activities may have a greater likelihood to get loan approval and secure a low interest rate — even if they are new to the country and have zero credit.

Borrowing Stilt funds while in college

If you are an international student, you are not eligible for federal student loans in the U.S. But at Stilt, you can apply for a new student loan of up to $5,000. Granted, $5,000 may not cover your full tuition or living expenses while you are in school, but it may help borrowers cover some of the usual start-up costs, such as room and board and food expenses.

College students can borrow as much as $25,000 if they can show proof of an accepted full-time job offer, and they plan to graduate within six months.

Apart from the loan application process, Stilt’s website offers a wealth of advice on issues near and dear to international students and foreign workers, ranging from basic personal finance to the ins and outs on visa requirements. For many newcomers, Silt’s blog and community board could be your one-stop shop to learn to navigate life in the U.S.

Applying for a personal loan from Stilt

The application process is all online. To apply, you will need to enter your requested loan type and amount, the purpose of the loan and your preferred repayment plans.

You can choose a purpose from the 11 options listed in the application, ranging from paying a security deposit on an apartment and living expenses to covering tuition fees and insurance.

While you don’t need a Social Security Number to apply for a Silt loan, you will be asked to fill in the information on the application page. Enter 111-11-1111 if you don’t have one. For those who do have a credit history, their SSN will be included to the file, which may help the borrower get a lower interest rate.

In your profile page, you will be asked to upload your immigration paperwork, financial information and additional documents that could support your case as a trustworthy borrower. If applicable, the things you need to keep handy when you apply for a loan are your: Passport profile page, visa page, U.S. bank account information, I-20, transcripts, resume, job offer letter, four U.S. references and your permanent address in your home country.

Stilt promises to send you a decision in less than one business day.

You will have 6 to 24 months to pay back your loan, but you can also choose to borrow money for a shorter term — 12 months or 18 months.

Who’s the best fit for an Stilt personal loan

The ideal borrowers are foreign nationals who need some financial help to settle down in the U.S. Borrowers don’t need a credit history, a Social Security number, proof of employment or a state ID to be eligible to apply for a loan from Stilt. If they get a loan, it will help them establish credit in their host country. U.S. citizens who have a thin credit file may also consider applying for a Stilt loan if they don’t meet other lenders’ strict underwriting standards.

Expats who’ve lived in the U.S. for a longer time, though, may have obtained a SSN and built some credit. Those borrowers may be able to choose a personal loan from a wider pool of lenders offering lower interest rates, bigger loan amounts or better terms.

Alternative personal loan options

There are not a whole lot of other online personal loan lenders to choose from for noncitizens. We found a few for you to consider.