$10,000 Personal Loans

Get the boost you need with a modest personal loan that goes the distance by comparing your options here with Savvy.

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, updated on October 4th, 2023       

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The features and benefits of a $10,000 personal loan

Compare rates and saves

You can lock in an affordable rate for your personal loan by comparing your options from a wide range of leading Australian lenders.

Choose your loan term

Part of the flexibility that personal loans bring is allowing you to choose the term over which you make repayments, from as short as one year up to five to seven.

Pay on your own schedule

You also get to decide whether to make contributions on a monthly, fortnightly or weekly basis, which you can structure around your income requirements.

Free early repayments

You’ll have the freedom to pay out your loan ahead of schedule if you wish to, giving you the ability to save a significant amount of money overall.

Unsecured financing

There’s no requirement for you to put up a valuable asset of yours to serve as collateral for your loan, making it a more freely accessible product for those without suitable security.

Use your funds however you wish

Part of the beauty of personal loans is that you can distribute your funds in any way you like, ranging from simply helping with household bills to planning your next getaway.

Types of personal loan

Why compare personal loans through Savvy?

Ways to maximise your personal loan approval chances

Frequently asked $10,000 loan questions

Can paying off my loan help improve my credit score?

Yes – each time you make a loan repayment on time (or early), it'll be marked as positive credit behaviour on your file. Over time, the more you make timely payments and avoid any defaults, the higher your credit score will climb. This will also have the added effect of showing potential future lenders that you have the discipline to repay a loan debt without any issues and can be trusted to do so, which can possibly help you secure lower interest rates.

Will I need to make a deposit?

No – there are no deposits necessary when it comes to personal loans. You’ll be able to access financing up to 100% of the value of whatever you’re looking to purchase. However, using your loan as a supplementary source of funds to support your savings is a great way to save money overall.

How do I work out the cost of my loan?

You can use our personal loan calculator to determine the cost of your loan month to month and as a whole. This enables you to calculate repayments for $10,000 loans based on different interest rates and loan terms. If you don’t know what your rate and fees are, you can simply calculate an estimate based on an average cost of each. Simply add 2% to the minimum advertised interest rate, $350 to your $10,000 principal (to represent the establishment fee) and $3 or $4 to your monthly repayments.

Can Centrelink benefits count towards my overall income on a loan?

Yes – our flexible lenders are able to work with borrowers who derive part (or all) of their income through Centrelink benefits. More permanent, stable payments are required here, such as aged, disability and carer’s pensions all counted amongst the eligible income sources you can list. JobSeeker (on its own), Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY aren’t eligible in the same way, as they can more easily end with a change to your study or employment status.

Which documents will I need to apply?

While each lender is different when it comes to the specific documentation requirements for personal loans, you can expect to submit the following:

  • Your last two payslips (your lender may also ask for your employment contract and 90 days of bank statements)
  • Centrelink income statements (if applicable)
  • Photo ID such as your driver’s licence and passport
  • Online banking details
  • Information on any current assets and liabilities

More about $10,000 personal loans explained

How long will it take for my $10,000 loan application to be approved?

While many personal loans can be approved within just two hours and funded in 24, the reality is that there are a variety of factors which can impact the time it takes to process your loan application. Some of these are in your hands as the applicant, while others are down to the processing power of your lender. On top of having a strong borrowing profile, the variables which can impact the speed of your application include:

  • Your loan’s affordability: whether your lender deems the loan you’ve applied for to be clearly affordable for you based on your financial situation can have a bearing on how long it takes to approve. If they can see it’s within your capabilities as a borrower, you’re more likely to be approved straight away, rather than having them take more time to assess further documentation or counteroffer with a lesser amount.
  • Whether you have your documents handy: a common reason for delays in the personal loan application process is applicants not having the correct documentation. This may be due to mistakenly submitting an older payslip or simply not providing copies of everything they need. Without all of your documents, your application can’t be formally assessed, with email or phone correspondence further dragging out the process. Double-check your lender’s required documents before you start the process to avoid this happening.
  • The time of day and week you apply: although it may not seem significant, applying earlier in the day can make a difference to your application. By submitting your forms in the morning, you can often move closer to the front of the queue and have your chances of processing taking place over multiple days reduced. The same applies to the point of the week: a Friday afternoon application may drag out over a weekend, but Monday applications are far less likely to.

How can I increase my borrowing power?

There are several ways you can go about increasing your borrowing power when applying for a loan of $10,000, which are important to consider if you’re a lower income-earner who may struggle to support its repayments. It’s important to review these before entering the application process, as some or all of these can help you get approved for the size of loan you need. Fortunately, to gain an idea of what you might be able to borrow, you can also make use of our borrowing power calculator. Some of the factors which can impact your overall borrowing power are:

Work on maximising your credit rating

In the same way as increasing your chances of overall approval, your credit score will also factor into your lender’s calculations when it comes to determining how much you’ll be able to borrow. Because it indicates your level of reliability over the past few years when it comes to paying off other loans and bills, a higher score will lead to a lender being more confident in your ability to manage and repay a larger amount. If you’ve repaid a similar loan previously, such as car or personal finance, that will go a long way towards enabling you to borrow the amount you need.

Maintain stable employment and income

Perhaps most important to lenders is your ability to consistently support your loan’s repayments across the entirety of your term, so they’ll want to be certain of your job and income stability. Any clear risk of losing your job or having your hours reduced will reduce your borrowing power (and chances of approval) significantly, as lenders won’t want to take a major risk in lending to you. Showing that your employment is safe (such as a few years in the same job) and income is consistent will help you get approved for a $10,000 loan, particularly if you’re full-time or part-time.

Reduce your expenses

Running over your finances with a fine-tooth comb will help you see where your money is going each week or month. Doing this can help you cut down on any unnecessary expenditure which could otherwise hamper your ability to borrow larger sums of money. For instance, if you have a gym subscription you don’t really use or are spending $300 a month on new clothes alone, reducing both of these can free up more funds in your disposable income to dedicate to the payment of a $10,000 loan over the period you’re most comfortable with.

Build your savings where possible

If you’re in a position to, increasing the amount you have available in your savings can also positively affect your chances of approval for a larger sum. This is because lenders like to see savings as a potential back up in the event your existing income stream dries up. This gives you something to fall back on in the time between your old job and your new one. This is also because routinely saving your money rather than spending it all shows a similar level of discipline which is required for paying off a personal loan.

Compare loans with lower fees and interest

Finally, comparing your options thoroughly can potentially help you save hundreds of dollars. Lenders will run borrowing power calculations based not only on the principal amount you’re asking for but also the interest and fees which are included in each repayment. If they determine you can only borrow $10,000, for instance, the actual loan you’re approved for may end up being closer to $7,000 or $8,000 when interest and fees are taken into consideration. When comparing loans with Savvy, look for offers with the most competitive rates and lowest fees, particularly in terms of the establishment (up to $595) and ongoing charges (up to $10 per month).

What type of personal loan is best for me?

In most cases, when applying for a $10,000 loan, your best option will be to choose a standard unsecured personal loan. These are the most widely accessible finance type, with a more vast range of lenders offering them compared to secured finance. More borrowers can qualify for unsecured finance also, as secured loans come with stricter criteria surrounding the value, age and condition of the asset you put up as collateral (typically your car). It may be the only choice between the two regardless of this, though, as some lenders enforce a minimum of $15,000 to $20,000 on their secured loans.

The other main option for a borrower is a personal line of credit. These act as a more flexible alternative to the standard personal loan in that you can withdraw funds when you need them up to a set limit. These arrangements have no set end date, potentially staying open as long as they’re viable, and only charge you interest on the amount you withdraw. However, interest is typically higher on these loans and fees can be charged even if you don’t use them in a given month. A personal overdraft on your bank account is effectively the same, enabling you to withdraw beyond a balance of $0, except it comes without any mandatory repayments.

Ultimately, though, the right personal loan for you will depend entirely on your individual circumstances and how you wish to obtain and repay your funds. You can compare an array of options all in one place with Savvy to help you get off on the right foot today.

Helpful personal loan guides

Still looking for the right personal loan?

Personal loans come in all shapes and sizes, so read more about the ways you can use them, as well as how they might work for you.