Sorry to bring back such an old thread, but I thought it would be more useful for future readers that find this page on Google than to open a new one to ask a related questions... Well, I'm going to start classes this fall, but I'm still confused about the timing for the private loan application. Do I need to be enrolled first to apply for a private loan (in this case, pay first with credit card then get reinbursed), or is it possible to apply for the loan before registration starts? Has anyone had any experience with private lenders?