Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) is a non-profit quasi-state authority that has been providing lower-cost higher education financing solutions since 1981 and free college planning services since 1998. Also provided by RISLA is RIScholarships.org, a free online scholarship search tool to help match students with local scholarships. Additionally, RISLA also offers the Knowledge for College Scholarship, which awards 50 students $2,000 each to help pay for college expenses. For students trying to reduce their interest rates on existing student loans, RISLA also offers low-cost student loan refinancing options. RISLA is with you every step of your college journey, walking you through the college planning process, educating families on obtaining financial aid, and providing tools and resources that help families make informed and responsible borrowing choices to help pay for education.
Written by the business, not verified by us.
Is RISLA legit?
RISLA (www.risla.com) has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 200 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Public & Local Services and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 98% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 50% of negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss User experience, Customer service. Last updated 2026-09-06.
What reviewers say
AI generated
Reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Consumers often praise the friendly and attentive staff, noting how wonderfully knowledgeable and professional team members are when guiding them through financial aid applications. People consistently note the remarkably fast loan processing times, clear updates, and overall smooth experience from beginning to end. Many customers emphasize that speaking directly with helpful representatives makes complex financial processes surprisingly manageable and stress-free.
However, some people mentioned that managing paperwork can sometimes involve frustrating back-and-forth messaging or cumbersome file uploads. A few reviewers also noted that follow-up responses could occasionally feel a bit slow or require extra email exchanges.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.
Such a good experience I've refi'd with them twice
I refinanced some of my student loans with RISLA a few years ago when interest rates were quite low. It was very simple to do, and they've truly been a no fuss loan provider. I haven't had any trouble with the organization or their loan portal (unlike my federal loan servicer). It's so easy to have my loans with them that I recently refinanced the rest of my student loans with them as well. The process was again super simple, and they kept in contact throughout so I knew what was happening and what to expect next. I highly recommend them!
The online file upload function was cumbersome to say the least; took several attmpts to upload all the required documentation and signatures. Besides that, the staff was patient, helpful and professional.
Reply from RISLA2026-05-08
Hello Russell, thank you for providing your feedback on your recent experience refinancing your student loans with RISLA. We are glad to hear that our customer service team assisted in getting your documents and signatures through our process. We appreciate your patience and your choosing to work with RISLA.
Customer service was very helpful with any questions regarding the process. The ease of stress regarding my refinancing of my loans from my previous servicer was elevated when I could pick up the phone and ask as many questions as I needed to. Thank you for all of those involved with my process from start to finish!
Courtney is just AMAZING! She was so knowledgeable and helped "de-stress" the overwhelming next steps of how to pay for college. Such smart advice for our family with one off to University with another "on deck".
I went with my son here to open house and thankfully we did because for me as someone who didn’t go to college I didn’t understand anything and they made it so much easier and lessened my anxiety when it came to the finance part
We had good communication through the loan company and us. We were refinancing my son's college loan and they were very helpful and guided us through the whole process. Joseph Morrisey was great.
Stacey caught issues that we weren’t aware of to make sure we are getting the most money for college. She was clear, concise, and broke it down so both me and my son understood next steps. I am so grateful!
Cortney has helped me over the past 2–3 years with FAFSA applications for both of my children in college. She is incredibly knowledgeable, easy to work with, and makes what can feel like a complicated process both manageable and pleasant. I’m truly grateful for her support.
I moved to RI from out of state & have had to prep my FAFSA myself before. It was a NIGHTMARE!! RISLA made it SO EASY! The people were so nice & making an appointment was also super easy! Highly recommend!
Highly recommend The Colleg Plannkng Center to anyone! They complete the FAFSA for you on 10-15 minutes at no cost, it can be done in person or over the phone. They offer numerous other services as well. The staff are all super helpful and nice
Scrum Alliance
Cuemath
ThinkLouder
Scrum.org
Kovo
Insurify
YogaRenew
University Of Metaphysics