Applying for a Personal Loan? Here’s What You Need to Do First

A personal loan is a type of credit you borrow from a lender to finance a big purchase such as a car, boat, wedding, home renovation or holiday. When life throws you a curveball, you may be able to lean on a personal loan to help you pay some unexpected medical bills or take care of some debts that have gotten a little out of control.

We hate to be vague, but it depends. To obtain a personal loan in Australia, you generally need to be a permanent resident over the age of 18. You'll need a steady income to be able to service the loan, and you'll need to have a halfway decent credit score to be seen as an acceptable risk to a lender. 

If you feel more comfortable talking to a human, applying at your local bank branch may be a good option for you. However, it's super easy to apply for a personal loan online these days. It usually only takes a few minutes to get an estimate, perhaps half an hour to apply and a few days for a decision to come back – all from the comfort of your home.

But just because it's quick and easy to apply for a personal loan doesn't mean you shouldn't take the time to consider whether it's right for you. Have a good think – we'll be here when you're ready.

Depending on the lender, there are certain documents you need to provide throughout the application process. It's a good idea to have these handy before you get started. If you're applying online, you'll need to make digital copies, so having access to a scanner will speed things up.

Documents you may need to apply for a personal loan:

– Form of ID: Australian Driver's Licence, passport or photo ID card

– Recent payslips or some other proof of income

– Employment details: generally, you'll need to provide your employment details over the past 3-5 years

– Bank statements: proof of incomings and outgoings as well as proof of savings

You may also need the following:

– List of your assets: including cars, house, notable possessions

– List of your debts: information regarding any existing loans, credit cards or outstanding BNPL balances

– List of your living expenses: a general outline of your regular expenses, including rent or mortgage, groceries, utilities, transport costs, bills, schools fees, etc.

Congrats! That means you're a good egg in the eyes of the lender. Once you get the tick of approval, you'll be sent some forms to complete (these are usually electronic). From there, it generally takes a few days for the funds to hit your account.

Once you know what your regular repayments will be, it's a good idea to sit down and look over your budget. Do you need to set up an auto-transfer to ensure you have sufficient funds in your nominated account each time a repayment comes around? Are there any other direct debits you need to coordinate? It helps to be on top of it to avoid missed and late payment fees.

That's a bummer! There could be a number of reasons why your application was denied. Australia's responsible lending obligations hold financial institutions to pretty high standards when it comes to handing out credit. At Wisr, we do some pretty serious investigative work to determine whether or not a loan is suitable for you. If we believe taking out a loan will put you in a worse financial position, leaving you unable to meet your existing obligations, we can't in good conscience grant you a loan. If you want to learn more about Wisr's lending policy, check out our guide to Playing By Responsible Lending Rules.

It can be a tough choice to make. There are loads of considerations when it comes to comparing personal loans. You need to consider which features are most important to you. 

Interest rate: Are you simply looking for the lowest interest rate? Pay special attention to the comparison rate when making your choice. We've put together a handy guide for harnessing the power of comparison rates – check it out. 

Fees: You'd be surprised how quickly ongoing fees add up over the life of your loan. Make sure you're aware of all upfront and ongoing costs of holding that loan. Take note of any late or early repayment fees too.

Loan terms: If flexibility is important to you, making sure you have the ability to customise your loan terms may be a winning attribute. At Wisr, we offer 3, 5 and 7-year loan terms. We also give you the choice of paying weekly, fortnightly or monthly. For instance, things can get pretty confusing if you get paid monthly but need to make repayments fortnightly. It's nice to have the option to choose a frequency that works for you.

Additional repayments: In our opinion, lenders shouldn't charge you for paying off your debt early. They should celebrate it! At Wisr, we encourage you to make additional repayments where you can. We even built an app to help you do just that. Find out more about the Wisr Round Up App. 

Eligibility: This is an important one. Some lenders have pretty tight rules around who they will lend money to. For instance, some lenders won't offer loans to applicants who are self-employed. Others won't lend to pensioners. The best course of action is to contact your proposed lender and ask for information about their specific lending criteria. 

How do I choose a lender?

Taking out a personal loan is a pretty big decision. You're not just buying a product – you're essentially entering into a long-term relationship. It's important to take the time to make sure you're a good match. For this reason, you may step back and assess the lender from a holistic perspective. Do they share your values? Do they lend responsibly? Are they giving back to the community? 

At Wisr, designing a loan that meets your unique needs is what we're all about. As Australia's first purpose-led FinTech, it's our mission to bring financial wellness to all Australians. We offer a free credit checking service so you can stay on top of your scores, an app that allows you to round up your purchases to pay off a debt or save for something special, and a range of resources, articles and guides to help you make smarter money decisions.