Have you ever wondered what stands between your acceptance letter and actually stepping onto your dream campus abroad?
For many students and their families, it’s not the grades or paperwork — it’s figuring out how to fund the journey. An education loan can bridge that gap, covering everything from tuition fees to living expenses. But here’s the catch: how do you make sure you get the loan amount you need, with a low interest rate and quick approval?
That’s where offering collateral can help. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what it means, why it matters, and how it can make your education loan process a lot smoother. Let’s dive in.
This is one of the most preferred forms of collateral. It can include self-owned residential houses, apartments, or even a plot of land. The bank will evaluate the current market value of the property through a professional valuation. It should be free from legal disputes and ownership must be clearly documented.
Pledging an FD is a popular and convenient option. Since it’s a liquid asset, the process is faster and simpler compared to the property. The bank may ask for a lien to be marked on the FD equal to the loan amount. Interest on the FD continues to accrue as usual.
Some banks accept term or endowment life insurance policies as collateral, provided they meet certain eligibility criteria. The surrender value of the policy is considered during loan evaluation.
If you hold government bonds, NSC (National Savings Certificates), or other approved securities, you can pledge them as collateral. This is another liquid and relatively low-risk option from the bank’s point of view.
In certain cases, banks may also consider commercial property (offices, shops, etc.) as acceptable collateral. However, this typically involves stricter evaluation checks.
Each collateral type has its own set of documentation and verification processes. The bank will assess its market value and then determine the eligible loan amount accordingly.
This largely depends on the loan amount and the lender’s policies. Typically:
The bank will conduct a thorough valuation of the assets you pledge. This usually involves:
Once the evaluation is complete, the bank will “lien mark” the asset — meaning it can’t be sold or transferred until the loan is fully repaid.
Here’s a simple step-by-step outline of how the collateral process works:
Remember — once you repay the full loan, the lien is removed, and your asset ownership is fully restored.
There are some prerequisites for you to understand before pledging an asset. They are: