Who can apply?
Upstart publishes a short list of minimum requirements; the model does the rest of the evaluation:
✔️ Be at least 18 years old (19 in Alabama and Nebraska)
✔️ Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living in the United States
✔️ Have a Social Security Number, a verifiable email and a personal U.S. bank account
✔️ Have a source of income (a job, a job offer starting within six months, or regular income)
✔️ Have no bankruptcies or public records in the recent period and no more than a few recent hard inquiries
What are the rates and fees?
Upstart does not have a single price; each offer combines a rate, a term and a fee. The published boundaries at the time of our review:
✔️ APR: from about 7.8% to 35.99%, fixed for the life of the loan
✔️ Origination fee: 0% to 12% of the amount, deducted at disbursement
✔️ Late fee: 5% of the unpaid amount or $15, whichever is greater
✔️ Returned payment fee: $15
✔️ Prepayment penalty: none
The lower APRs go to applicants with strong credit and income; borrowers with fair credit should expect an offer in the upper part of the range.
What documents and information do you need?
✔️ Name, date of birth, address and Social Security Number
✔️ Highest level of education, school and area of study
✔️ Employer, job title, start date and annual income
✔️ Bank account details (routing and account number) for verification and funding
✔️ Proof of income if requested: recent pay stubs, tax returns or bank statements
A piece of advice for you!
Treat the rate check as a free quote. It shows the APR, term, monthly payment and the exact amount that would reach your account after the fee. Nothing is reported to the bureaus until you accept.
Compare the net amount, not the headline amount. If you need $9,000 in hand and the offer has a 9% fee, you must borrow about $9,900; make sure the resulting payment still fits your budget.
Set up autopay from the account where your paycheck lands. A single 30-day late payment on an installment loan drops a score sharply and the late fee only adds to the cost.
If you are consolidating cards, close the loop: once the loan pays them off, keep the cards at zero. Consolidation only works when the old balances do not come back.
Check your rate now on Upstart’s official website!
On the official page, enter the amount and purpose, answer the profile questions and see your offers within minutes. Accept one, verify your identity and income, sign electronically and the money is usually in your account the next business day. Tap the button to begin.
