More self-pay students. More control over cash flow.

The challenge

A self-pay option NTI could stand behind.

National Trade Institute trains electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers online from Irving, Texas. For years, nearly every NTI student was funded through the WIOA grant program. As grant funding became less predictable, NTI needed another way to help students enroll.

Traditional private lenders approved one or two students per class. Many applicants didn't have a cosigner. And the school often had to give up a meaningful share of tuition to get those few students funded.

The solution

A financing program with the school in control.

NTI launched a school-run financing program on Fortify. The school sets repayment terms and certifies each student. Students who meet Fortify's basic eligibility and verification requirements have a financing path, with no cosigner required.

Fortify handles origination, servicing, and compliance support. NTI can focus on helping students start their training while keeping a clear view of its payment-plan portfolio.

Build a portfolio, or sell. NTI decides.

Every contract gives NTI a choice. The school can keep it and collect payments over the life of the contract. Or, once a contract is eligible, it can accept a purchase offer through Fortify and get cash up front. If NTI isn't ready to sell, it keeps collecting and can revisit later.

NTI does both. It has sold 50 contracts for cash up front while holding 144 contracts for ongoing monthly payments. Contracts the school keeps can return more than the original amount financed when students repay as agreed.

Looking ahead

More ways to say yes to self-pay students.

With 194 signed contracts and a growing portfolio, NTI has a self-pay program it can build on. It can continue collecting monthly payments or consider purchase offers when cash matters more than long-term income.

The school keeps the choice: which students to certify, which terms to offer, and which eligible contracts to sell.