Best Education Loan for Studying Overseas 2024

To help you finance the cost of studying internationally, our researchers analysed every study loan available to Singaporeans planning to study overseas. When comparing these loans, we recommend that you consider the total interest cost, payment structure and various promotions in order to obtain the most affordable student loan.

Cost Comparison of Education Loans

The graph below provides a cost comparison of international education loans. The graph displays the total cost of each loan, which includes all interest payments and processing fees. For the purposes of comparison, we assume that a S$25,000 loan is taken out for 6 years and that monthly payments are made on-time.

Total Cost of a 6 Year, S$25,000 Education Loan for International Studies

Cheapest Student Loan for International Studies: OCBC FRANK Education Loan

Consider this if you require an education loan for studying overseas
  • Early Repayment Fee
    • 1% of loan prepaid
    • Late Payment Fee
      • S$50
      • Age
        • 17 & Above
        OCBC FRANK Education Loan
        Processing Fee2.5%
        Interest Rate4.50%
        Tenure1-8 Years
        Min PrincipalS$1,000
        Max PrincipalS$150,000 or 10x monthly income of guarantor
        Annual Income Requirement of GuarantorS$24,000

        OCBC's FRANK Education Loan is one of the best and most affordable education loans for international studies, here's why.

        OCBC's FRANK Education Loan, which is also a great option for students that study locally, is the cheapest education loan for students that study overseas. The bank charges the lowest interest rate in the market at 4.5% and a reasonable processing fee of 2.5%. OCBC's study loan is also particularly attractive to students going overseas as it allows borrowers to obtain sizeable loans of up to S$150,000 or 10 times their (or their guarantor's) monthly income.

        Read Our Full Review

        Best Student Loan Promotion for Overseas Study: Maybank Education Loan

        Consider this if you require a large education loan for international studies
        • Early Repayment Fee
          • 1% of loan prepaid
          • Late Payment Fee
            • 3% min $30
            • Age
              • 18 & Above
              Maybank Education Loan
              Processing Fee2%
              Interest Rate4.45%
              Tenure1-8 Years
              Min PrincipalUnknown
              Max PrincipalS$200,000 or 8x monthly income of guarantor
              Annual Income Requirement of GuarantorS$30,000
              Promotional rates listed, available until April 30, 2020

              Maybank Education Loan has one of the best student loans promotions for international studies, here's why.

              Maybank's current education loan promotion makes it a great option for all students. With interest rates of 4.45% p.a. and a processing fee of 2%, it is the best promotion available. It's also a great option for borrowers that require very large loans as it allows students to borrow the largest loans of up to $200,000 or 8 times their guarantor's monthly income. This allows individuals that earn more than S$225,000 to obtain larger loans through Maybank compared to OCBC, which allows borrowers to obtain loans of S$150,000 or 10 times their monthly income.

              Read Our Full Review

              Best Interest-Only Student Loan: OCBC FRANK Education Loan - Graduated

              Consider this if you prefer the cheapest possible interest servicing education loan
              • Early Repayment Fee
                • 1% of loan prepaid
                • Late Payment Fee
                  • S$50
                  • Age
                    • 17 & Above
                    Loan of S$25,000 over 6 YearsOCBC FRANK - StandardOCBC FRANK - GraduatedOCBC FRANK - Graduated Plus
                    Monthly instalment During SchoolS$397S$94S$94
                    Monthly instalment After SchoolS$397S$1,091S$2,134
                    Total costS$4,198S$6,314S$6,864

                    OCBC's FRANK Education Loan is one of the best interest-only education loans, here's why.

                    OCBC's FRANK Education Loan is the cheapest interest-only education loan. It offers the lowest interest rate of 4.5% and a reasonable processing fee of 2.5%. Additionally, it extends the interest-only period to up to 4 years. OCBC calls this repayment program Graduated. OCBC FRANK Education Loan also comes with a Graduated Plus program that extends the interest-only period to 5 years. Besides the method of repayment, other terms are identical to the standard payment option we mentioned above. Below is a demonstration of how monthly payments and total cost differ for standard option and interest-only option.

                    Read Our Full Review

                    Honorable Mention: RHB Education Loan

                    RHB Education Loan - Deferred (Local)
                    RHB Education Loan - Deferred (Local)
                    Consider this if you are unable to obtain one of the other top education loans
                    • Early Repayment Fee
                      • 1% of loan prepaid
                      • Late Payment Fee
                        • 10.7% on overdue amount
                        • Age
                          • 21 - 62 (at loan maturity)
                          RHB Education Loan
                          Processing Fee2%
                          Interest Rate4.88%
                          Tenure1-8 Years
                          Min PrincipalS$5,000
                          Max Principal4x monthly income, 6x monthly income or S$120,000 if annual income is greater than S$120,000 or net assets exceed S$2M
                          Annual Income Requirement of GuarantorS$30,000

                          RHB Overseas Education Loan is one of the best and most affordable education loans for deferred repayment interest rates, here's why.

                          While OCBC and Maybank stand out as the best options for students seeking loans to study overseas, RHB is another good option for students that require loans to finance their education. In fact, RHB offers the same low interest rates and processing fee as Maybank for standard and interest-only loans. However, there are a few reasons that Maybank's loans are preferable to RHB's. First, Maybank offers large loans than RHB. It also offers loans to students with guarantors that earn at least S$24,000 annually, which is less than RHB's income requirement of S$30,000. With this said, RHB may be suitable backup option for borrowers that are unable to obtain loans from OCBC or Maybank.

                          Read Our Full Review

                          Our Picks For the Best Education Loans for International Studies

                          There are two general categories of education loans: standard payment and deferred payment. Education loans with standard payment structures require students to make equal payments throughout the duration of the loan. On the other hand, interest-first (or interest-only) study loans allow students to make smaller payments while they are in school. With that said, interest-only loans are typically more expensive over the entire tenure of the loan.

                          Our Picks for the Best Standard Repayment Study Loans

                          Standard repayment education loans are a good option for students that have enough funds to begin making loan payments while they are still in school. This is because these loans tend to be cheaper over the long-run, compared to deferred-interest or interest-first loans. The table below highlights the most affordable education loans with standard repayment structures.

                          Education Loans - Standard PaymentProcessing FeeInterest Rate During SchoolInterest Rate After SchoolMonthly Instalment During SchoolMonthly Instalment After SchoolTotal cost
                          CIMB Education Loan2%5.39%5.39%S$407S$407S$4,816
                          OCBC FRANK Education Loan2.5%4.50%4.50%S$397S$397S$4,198
                          POSB Further Study Assist3%5.88%5.88%S$413S$413S$5,479
                          Maybank Education Loan - Overseas Studies2%4.45%4.45%S$396S$396S$3,532
                          RHB Education Loan - Overseas2%4.88%4.88%S$401S$401S$4,389
                          Assuming 6-year loan of S$25,000

                          Best Interest-Only Education Loan for Studying Overseas

                          While some students will be able to begin paying off their loans while they study, many will not be able to handle the financial burden until after they complete their studies. For students that would prefer to make smaller repayments during school, there are "interest-only" loans that allow them to only pay interest until they've completed their studies. However, this does require borrowers to pay more over the lifetime of their loans. Below are the best options for interest-first loans for international study. The table below assumes a loan of S$25,000 over a 6 year tenure with 4-year interest-only period.

                          Education Loans - Interest ServicingProcessing FeeInterest Rate During SchoolInterest Rate After SchoolMonthly Instalment During SchoolMonthly Instalment After SchoolTotal cost
                          CIMB Education Loan - Interest Servicing Repayment2%5.99%5.39%S$125S$1,101S$7,918
                          OCBC FRANK Education Loan - Graduated2.5%4.50%4.50%S$94S$1,091S$6,314
                          OCBC FRANK Education Loan - Graduated Plus2.5%4.50%4.50%S$94S$2,134S$6,864
                          RHB Education Loan - Graduated2%4.88%4.88%S$102S$1,094S$6,644
                          RHB Education Loan - Deferred2%4.88%4.88%S$0S$1,324S$7,278

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                          Stephen Lee

                          Stephen Lee is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion, specializing in insurance. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the University of Washington, and his prior work experience include risk management and underwriting for professional liability and specialty insurance at Victor Insurance. Additionally, Stephen is a former US Peace Corps Volunteer in Myanmar (serving between 2018-2020), where he continues to provide business development consulting services to HR companies in Asia Pacific.