Bengaluru ; 2025 is a tough year for international students to get into their dream college due to policy changes and rising fees. So, Prodigy Finance is launching the 2026 student loan program early. This early launch means every student who missed their study abroad chance gets a second chance.
The biggest setback for the students was that admissions that had once promised new beginnings suddenly turned into deferrals. Changing visa rules and longer processing times left thousands unsure about their next steps. In the U.S., fixed-term F-1 and J-1 visas caused worries about renewals. Canada capped study permits at 437,000, and backlogs in Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal slowed approvals even further.
On top of all this, tuition fees kept increasing. Many U.S. universities hiked costs by 5–7%, and the UK added £1,500–2,000 for popular courses. Families had to rethink budgets and timelines, wondering how to keep dreams alive. Nearly 40,000 students deferred admissions. Plus, 19,000 fewer student visas were issued in May alone. As Donya Movahed shared, “It felt like my dreams had collapsed.”
At the same time, we saw an overwhelming number of applications from around the world. Prodigy Finance supports students across more than 150 countries, and demand has never been higher. While that’s something we’re proud of, it also showed us how many talented students needed more time, more clarity, and more support to meet eligibility requirements, said Sonal Kapoor, a Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance.
She added, “That’s what pushed us to act early and opened 2026 applications a little earlier because so many students just needed another shot. Some applicants experienced visa delays, others missed their deadlines, and still others couldn’t secure their funding in time. We know how much effort it takes to get this far, the long nights, the planning, the hope. No one should lose that dream because of timing or paperwork. If this gives even a few more students the chance to move forward, it’s worth it.
These loans cover full tuition and living expenses* with no collateral or co-signer required, making those second chances possible. Sonal Kapoor further explains, “We are not just funding students, we are helping them reset futures. Amid rising tuition, visa uncertainty, and currency fluctuations, our USD loans provide stability, so students can focus on what truly matters: learning, growth, and turning acceptance into arrival.”
Students have always looked up to Prodigy Finance as a partner in their dreams, someone who understands the years of preparation, hard work, and sacrifices behind every application. The best part is that students get loans in USD, which makes borrowing and repayment easier and more predictable. For 2026, Prodigy Finance is opening global pathways to top programs in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and the UAE.