Underwriting
The lender's process of evaluating credit, income, identity, and risk before approving and pricing a loan.
Full definition
Underwriting is the process by which a lender evaluates a loan application's credit, income, employment, identity, and risk profile before deciding whether to lend, at what rate, and on what terms. Modern online underwriting uses automated decisioning powered by credit-bureau data, bank-transaction data, and proprietary risk models, often returning a decision in minutes.
- Written by
- Get Advance Loan Editorial Team
- Reviewed by
- Compliance Review
- Published
- January 15, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 22, 2026
- Pre-qualificationA preliminary check that estimates the loan terms you might qualify for, based on a soft credit inquiry that does not affect your score.
- Pre-approvalA stronger lending check than pre-qualification, often involving a hard credit inquiry and a conditional commitment from the lender.
- Co-signerA second person who agrees to repay your loan if you don't. A strong-credit co-signer can help you qualify or lower your APR.
- Co-applicantA second borrower who shares both the obligation to repay and access to the funds. Different from a co-signer.
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