CHESLA

What CHESLA does

CHESLA (Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority) is a quasi-public non-profit state authority of the State of Connecticut, established in 1982 and headquartered in Hartford. Its mandate is to provide cost-effective supplemental financing and information resources for higher education to Connecticut students, alumni, and their families. The organization serves individual borrowers (undergraduate and graduate students, alumni refinancers, and Alliance District educators) and Connecticut employers, and operates as a non-profit that reinvests revenue into operations and scholarship funding rather than distributing returns to private shareholders.

CHESLA's product suite is segmented across four lines. In-school lending comprises fixed-rate Undergraduate Student Loans at a guaranteed 6.75% (capped at $125,000 per borrower, not FICO-driven) and the MyCHESLA Grad Loan launched in May 2026 with fixed rates starting at 5.50% (capped at $250,000 per borrower), structured to absorb demand displaced by the elimination of the federal Grad PLUS program. Refinance lending includes Refi CT (4.99% with co-signer, 5.25% without, terms of 5/10/15 years) and the Alliance Refi Program offering a 3% interest rate subsidy to educators in 36 Alliance District schools, yielding effective rates from 0.75% to 2.49%. A B2B Employer Student Loan Repayment Program is offered jointly with the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority. Three need-based scholarship programs (Undergraduate, Opportunity, Certificate) round out the portfolio; $532,500 was awarded to 183 students across 61 Connecticut towns in 2025-2026.

CHESLA's operating model relies on third-party infrastructure rather than proprietary technology build-out. Loan origination is handled by Campus Door through separate online application portals for undergraduate, graduate, refinance, and Alliance District products, while loan servicing is provided by University Accounting Service (UAS) through the UAS Connect platform. Financial advisory services are provided by Hilltop Securities (contract runs to January 11, 2028). Customer acquisition uses a multi-channel approach spanning the chesla.org website (English, Spanish, Portuguese), social media, email newsletters, school outreach presentations, and Counselor Connect events convening high-school counselors. The authority holds a 1-10 employee team and operates as a state-authority, not a venture-backed entity, with no equity funding rounds, subsidiaries, or M&A activity disclosed.

Name

CHESLA

Legal name

Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority

Website

https://chesla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CHESLA is a Connecticut quasi-public non-profit state authority providing fixed-rate supplemental student loans (undergraduate, graduate, refinance), employer benefits, and scholarships to Connecticut students, alumni, educators, and employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Lending / Education Finance

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Administration of Education Programs (923110)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Loan Intermediation & Refinancing (FSAEAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Aid Administration & Packaging (EDALAJAA)

Keywords

• Student loan financing
• Education lending
• Student loan refinancing
• Education scholarships
• Employer student benefits

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Loan Interest Income: CHESLA generates revenue through interest on undergraduate and graduate student loans at fixed rates. Undergraduate loans at 6.75% fixed, graduate loans starting at 5.50% fixed.
2. Refinance Loan Interest Income: Revenue from refinancing existing student loans at competitive fixed rates, ranging from 4.99% with co-signer to 7.74% APR.
3. Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program: Special refinancing program for Alliance District teachers with 3% interest rate subsidy, generating interest income on subsidized loans.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHESLA is a quasi-public state authority providing fixed-rate supplemental student loans, refinance loans, scholarships, and employer student loan repayment programs to Connecticut students, families, alumni, and educators. Its portfolio includes undergraduate and graduate in-school loans, the Refi CT program, the Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program, and multiple scholarship offerings. Loan origination is handled via Campus Door and servicing via University Accounting Service (UAS).

Product overview

CHESLA (Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority) is a quasi-public non-profit state authority providing a comprehensive suite of student financing products. The portfolio consists of in-school loans (Undergraduate Student Loans and MyCHESLA Grad Loan for graduate/professional students), refinance programs (Refi CT for general refinancing and Alliance Refi Program with special educator subsidies), employer benefit programs (Employee Repayment Program), and scholarship programs (Undergraduate, Opportunity, and Certificate Scholarships). CHESLA also provides outreach and financial literacy resources. All loan products feature fixed rates and are serviced through CampusDoor for origination and UAS Connect for servicing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyCHESLA Grad Loan: Graduate loan program offering competitive fixed rates and flexible solutions for advanced education financing, with multiple repayment terms and flexible repayment options designed to support graduate and professional students.

Products and services

• Undergraduate Student Loans Fixed-rate student loans for undergraduate students attending Connecticut nonprofit institutions or eligible out-of-state institutions. Features a guaranteed 6.75% fixed annual rate not FICO-score-driven, with minimum loan of $2,000 and cumulative maximum of $125,000.
• MyCHESLA Grad Loan Graduate and professional student loans with fixed rates as low as 5.50%, featuring multiple repayment options including fully deferred, interest-only, and immediate repayment. Cumulative maximum graduate principal balance of $250,000.
• Refi CT (Refinance Loans) Student loan refinancing program for Connecticut residents and eligible out-of-state residents refinancing CHESLA loans. Fixed rates as low as 4.99% with co-signer, loan amounts from $5,000 to $125,000, and terms of 5, 10, or 15 years. No application fee, origination fee, or prepayment penalty.
• Alliance Refi Program Specialized refinance program for teachers, paraeducators, school counselors, school psychologists, and speech-language pathologists in Connecticut Alliance District schools. Features a 3% interest rate subsidy with rates ranging from 0.75% to 2.49%, maximum loan of $25,000, and 5/10/15-year terms.
• Employee Repayment Program Employer-sponsored student loan repayment benefit program offered jointly with Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA). Allows employers to make tax-free payments up to $5,250 per employee annually, with Connecticut state tax credit eligibility.
• Undergraduate Scholarship Need-based scholarship for Connecticut undergraduate students enrolled at eligible in-state institutions. Awards $1,500 for half-time attendance and $3,000 for full-time attendance, requiring minimum 2.5 GPA and Pell Grant eligibility.
• Opportunity Scholarship Scholarship program for eligible graduate students and DACA students attending Connecticut nonprofit institutions. Awards $1,500 for half-time and $3,000 for full-time recipients, with $100,000 total available for the scholarship drawing. Includes a Financial Literacy Quiz requirement.
• Certificate Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• $532,500 awarded in undergraduate scholarships to 183 students for 2025-2026 academic year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 July 2022Partnership to launch the CHESLA Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont. The program provides a 3% interest rate subsidy on refinance loans for teachers working in Connecticut's 36 Alliance District schools, designed to recruit and retain high-quality educators in high-need schools.
• Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 November 2021Joint Employer Student Loan Repayment Program offering Connecticut and Rhode Island employers flexibility and customization for employee student loan benefits. CHESLA and RISLA collaborated to create a program that helps employers meet recruiting and retention goals while providing customized communication plans for employees.
• Campus DoorcoreTechnology or IntegrationLoan origination partner for CHESLA undergraduate, graduate, refinance, and Alliance District loan applications. Campus Door manages the online application portals and initial loan processing.
• University Accounting Service (UAS)coreTechnology or IntegrationLoan servicing provider for CHESLA refinance and in-school loans. UAS handles account management, payment processing, and customer service for existing borrowers.
• Goodwin UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for CHESLA's Counselor Connect event, an in-person gathering for approximately 50 high school counselors from across Connecticut to receive financial aid resources and support.
• CT Dollars & SenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut's one-stop financial education portal partnered with CHESLA to provide resources for planning, saving, and paying for college. CHESLA directs students and families to this portal for financial literacy and scholarship information.
• Connecticut Association of Professional Financial Aid Administrators (CAPFAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState professional organization for financial aid administrators partnered with CHESLA for outreach and educational resources.
• Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges (CCIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization representing independent colleges in Connecticut, partnered with CHESLA for higher education financing resources.
• Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-sponsored 529 college savings plan partnered with CHESLA for college savings and financing resources.
• Connecticut State Board of Regents for Higher EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState governing board for Connecticut's public higher education system partnered with CHESLA for student financing resources.
• Connecticut Office of Higher EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency for higher education policy partnered with CHESLA for student financial resources and outreach.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CHESLALoans
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV8LUkbWunt7tvMYOay1MTA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cheslaloans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chesla
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheslaloan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHESLA