Career Kickoff Loans (2024)

To continue enjoying all the features of Navy Federal Online, please use a compatible browser. You can confirm your browser capability here.

Start Your Military Career With a Financial Boost

Our Career Kickoff Loans could help youset up your new household, pay for uniforms or cover other expenses.

Loan Features

Who's Eligible?

If you're in your junior or senior year at a U.S. military service academy, you can apply for theCareer Kickoff Loan for Academy.1

These institutions include:

  • U.S. Military Academy
  • U.S. Naval Academy
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
  • U.S. Coast Guard Academy
  • U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Or, if you attend/attended any of the officer-training programs listed below and meet the commissioning requirements, you can apply fortheCareer Kickoff Loan for ROTC/OCS/OTS.2

  • Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) — eligibility starts 12 months before commissioning through 12 months after commissioning.
  • Officer Candidate School (OCS) —applicants must be within 4 months before commissioning or have been commissioned within the last 12 months.
  • Officer Training School (OTS)—applicants must be within 4 monthsbefore commissioning or have been commissioned within the last 12 months.

You can also apply for the Career Kickoff Loan if you're completing your training as a:

  • Navy Select Limited Duty Officer (LDO) — applicants must be within 4 months before commissioning or have been commissioned within the last 12 months.
  • Appointed Warrant Officer (WO-1) — applicants must be within 4 monthsbefore appointment or have been appointed within the last 12 months.

Ways to Use a Career Kickoff Loan

  • Pay for uniforms and other essential items
  • Furnish your living space
  • Consolidate debt and reduce your monthly payments
  • Purchase a car

Applying Is Easy

You can apply for our Career Kickoff Loan in any of the following ways:

  • Over the phone at 1-888-842-6328
  • In person at one of our branches
  • Online via our document portal, as follows:
  1. Fill out an application for either an Academy loanor a ROTC/OCS/OTS loan.
  2. Please also complete aDuty Status Verification if ROTC or have a signed letter from command if at an Academy or OCS/OTS, a LDOor a WO-1.
  3. Upload all files into ourDocument Upload Portalusing Career Kickoff Documents as the file type.

Applying Is Easy

You can apply for our Career Kickoff Loan in any of the following ways:

  • Over the phone at 1-888-842-6328
  • In person at one of our branches
  • Online via our document portal, as follows:
  1. Fill out an application for either an Academy loanor a ROTC/OCS/OTS loan.
  2. Please also complete aDuty Status Verification if ROTC or have a signed letter from command if at an Academy or OCS/OTS, a LDOor a WO-1.
  3. Upload all files into ourDocument Upload Portalusing Career Kickoff Documents as the file type.

Military Life Resources

  • Mortgage Options for Military Members

    Navy Federal can help you explore your financing options so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

    Learn Moreabout Mortgage Options for Military Members

  • 8 Financial Tips for New Recruits

    Joining the military means lots of changes. These tips can help you keep your finances in order.

    Learn Moreabout 8 Financial Tips for New Recruits

  • How Military Service Strengthens Your Financial Fitness

    Serving in the military teaches discipline and instills a strong work ethic, both skills that can be applied to money management.

    Learn Moreabout How Military Service Strengthens Your Financial Fitness

1

Credit subject to approval. Loan available to juniors and seniors enrolled in U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy or U.S. Naval Academy. Maximum loan amount of $32,000 at 1.25% APR; maximum term of 60 months. Repayment may be deferred until 90 days after graduation. Interest accrues from the date the loan is disbursed. Applicant must establish and maintain a Navy Federal checking account with direct deposit of pay within 90 days of the loan date and throughout the term of the loan. If direct deposit is not maintained, or if the member separates from the academy early, the interest rate on the loan will convert to the applicable credit tier’s prevailing personal loan rate. Payments on the loan begin immediately upon early separation from the academy. See loan agreement for additional terms and conditions. Example: The maximum loan amount after a 3-month period deferment would be $32,799. A loan of $32,799 for 60 months at 1.25% APR would have a monthly payment of $564.97.

2

Credit subject to approval. Loan available to Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) members within 12 months before commissioning or up to 12 months after commissioning, and to Officer Candidate School (OCS), Officer Training School (OTS), select Warrant Officer (WO), and select Limited Duty Officer (LDO) members within 4 months before commissioning or within 12 months after commissioning. Maximum loan amount of $25,000 at 2.99% APR; maximum term of 60 months. Repayment may be deferred until 180 days after the applicant commissions, or if the loan originates after commissioning, until 45 days after the loan origination date. Interest accrues from the date the loan is disbursed. Applicant must establish and maintain a Navy Federal checking account with direct deposit of pay within 90 days of the loan date and throughout the term of the loan. If direct deposit is not maintained, the interest rate on the loan will convert to the applicable credit tier’s prevailing personal loan rate. See loan agreement for additional terms and conditions. Example: Recently commissioned member takes out a $25,000 loan for 60 months at 2.99% APR. Loan repayment starts 45 days after loan origination and monthly payment is $449.67.

3

Members enrolled in a military academy can defer loan payments for up to 90 days after graduation. Members enrolled in certain other officer-training programs (Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)/Officer Candidate School (OCS)/Officer Training School (OTS)/select Warrant Officer (WO)/select Limited Duty Officer (LDO)) can defer loan payments for up to 180 days after commissioning or for up to 45 days after the loan origination date if already commissioned when the loan is taken out.

Career Kickoff Loans (2024)

FAQs

What is a career kickoff loan? ›

NFCU's Career Kickoff Loan offers academy cadets and midshipmen (Not for ROTC/OTS graduates) a 60-month loan of up to $32,000 at 1.25% APR. With this loan, you can defer payments until 90 days after your commissioning and it also has a 5 year payback period.

How much is the Navy Federal Career Kickoff loan? ›

The Navy Federal Career Kickoff Loan can be an excellent way to get your finances in order as you start your military career. Military officers of all branches can borrow from $25,000 to $32,000 with a low interest rate between 1.25% and 2.99%.

How much is the career starter loan? ›

The amount of the USAA cadet loan is usually $25,000 to $36,000. The USAA Career Starter loan program is offered to cadets and midshipmen commissioning through Army, Air Force, and Navy/Marines ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) or through OCS/OTS (Officer Candidate or Training School).

Who qualifies for USAA career starter loan? ›

A USAA Career Starter Loan is for cadets and midshipmen at the five Service Academies, ROTC programs, or an officer candidate at OCS/OTS. Military officers within 12 months of their commission date are also eligible for the loan.

How does the kickoff loan work? ›

Signing up for Kikoff gives you access to a $750 line of credit. Monthly payments for our basic plan start at just $5/month. Kikoff reports your monthly payments to the major credit bureaus every month. Payment history makes up 35% of your credit score.

Can I get a loan based off my job? ›

Income-based loans can be a good option if you have some negative marks in your credit history but also have a steady income. You may qualify for a better loan from a lender that prioritizes your income than one that uses your credit score as the primary eligibility criterion.

Do banks do starter loans? ›

Absolutely! Credit starter loans are designed to help teens and young adults get off on the right foot, financially speaking, and can be applied for even with no prior credit history.

How much do you have to make a year to get a personal loan? ›

You need at least $10,500 in annual income to get a personal loan, in most cases. Minimum income requirements vary by lender, ranging from $10,500 to $100,000+, and a lender will request documents such as W-2 forms, bank statements, or pay stubs to verify that you have enough income or assets to afford the loan.

What credit score do I need for a USAA loan? ›

USAA does not publicly disclose many of its borrower requirements, but USAA members with good and excellent credit scores (690 credit score or higher) will likely qualify for the lowest rates. USAA also considers debt-to-income ratio when making an approval decision.

What proof of income do I need for USAA loan? ›

Employment status (if self-employed: bank statements, 1099 forms, income tax returns) Proof of income (pay stubs, W-2 forms) Bank statements.

What is the easiest way to qualify for USAA? ›

USAA: Earned through service, shared for generations. If you've served, or your spouse, a parent or grandparent are members, you may be eligible to join USAA.

What is career kickstart program? ›

Career Kickstart is a new program in development that's designed to accelerate high school students on their paths to in-demand careers.

Can you get a loan if you haven't started your job yet? ›

If you do not have a job, there are ways that you can apply for a loan before starting job. Although you can consider other loan types that do not require employment, you can apply for a paycheck loan by providing a job letter offer, considering non-employed forms of income, or simply waiting until your first paycheck.

What is job kickoff? ›

A job kickoff is an essential step in the structured hiring process. During this time the recruiter and the hiring manager align on the goals of hiring process and collaborate to define the scorecard and interview plan for the job.

What credit score do you need for a Navy Federal personal loan? ›

Navy Federal says its loans are available to borrowers across the credit spectrum, including borrowers with bad credit or thin credit histories, and there's no minimum credit score requirement. You must be a member of Navy Federal to apply. Here's what you need for your application: Desired loan amount and term.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5865

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.