8 Best Lenders to Refinance Student Loans With a Co-Signer of September 2021

Key facts

Pros

• Married couples can refinance student loans into a single loan.

• You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Estate is still responsible for the loan if the borrower dies.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 773.

• Loan amounts: $7,500 to $300,000.

• Must have a degree: Yes, at least a bachelor’s degree.

Available Term Lengths

5, 8, 12 or 15 years

Disclaimer

Rates and offers current as of June 1, 2021. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit calculating the interest rate, loan amount, repayment term and the timing of payments. Fixed Rates range from 2.89% APR - 5.08% APR. Fixed Rates will vary based on application terms, level of degree and presence of a co-signer. These rates are subject to additional terms and conditions and rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Such changes will only apply to applications taken after the effective date of change.

Key facts

Pros

• Forbearance of 18 months for 15- and 20-year loan terms is longer than many lenders.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Loans aren't available in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Rhode Island or West Virginia.

• No payment postponement available if borrowers return to school or serve in the military.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 751.

• Loan amounts: $5,000 to $300,000, depending on the higest degree earned.

• Must have a degree: Yes, at least an associate degree.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Disclaimer

See LendKey's full terms and conditions at https://www.lendkey.com/disclaimers

Key facts

Pros

• Forbearance of 18 months is longer than many lenders offer.

• Greater-than-minimum payments allowed via autopay.

Cons

• Available only to existing Navy Federal Credit Union customers

• Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.

• You can’t see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Did not disclose.

• $7,500 minimum to $125,000 for undergraduates, or $175,000 for graduate students.

• Must have a degree: Yes, at least an associate degree.

Available Term Lengths

5, 10 or 15 years

Key facts

Pros

• International students can apply with a co-signer who is a qualified U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

• You can see if you'll qualify and what rate you'll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Below-average customer support compared with other lenders.

• Doesn't allow biweekly payments via auto-pay.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.

• Loan amounts: $5,000 - $225,000.

• Must have a degree: No.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years. 25-year terms available for variable-rate loans

Disclaimer

The lowest rate for each loan type requires automatically withdrawn (“auto debit”) payments. The lowest rate is available only to the most creditworthy applicants. Not all borrowers will receive the lowest rate. The interest rate and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) may be higher depending upon (1) the credit history of the borrower and, if applicable, the cosigner, (2) the repayment option and loan term selected, (3) the loan type selected, and (4) the highest level of education attained. If approved, applicants will be notified of the rate qualified for within the stated range.

Key facts

Pros

• Forbearance of 24 months is longer than many lenders offer.

• You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Loans aren’t available in Mississippi and Nevada.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.

• Loan amounts: $5,000 to $500,000.

• Must have a degree: Yes, at least a bachelor's degree.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Disclaimer

Offered terms are subject to change and state law restriction. Loans are offered by CommonBond Lending, LLC (NMLS # 1175900), NMLS Consumer Access. If you are approved for a loan, the interest rate offered will depend on your credit profile, your application, the loan term selected and will be within the ranges of rates shown. All Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed assume borrowers enroll in auto pay and account for the 0.25% reduction in interest rate. All variable rates are based on a 1-month LIBOR assumption of 0.16% effective Sep 1, 2020 and may increase after consummation.

Key facts

Pros

• You can refinance without a degree.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• You cannot refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.

• Maximum loan amount is lower than most lenders offer.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 756.

• Minimum income: $30,000.

• Loan amounts: $7,500 to $200,000.

Available Term Lengths

5, 10, 15 or 20 years

Disclaimer

APR, projected monthly payments, and total cost of loan examples are based on a $10,000 loan disbursed in one disbursement with either 5–year, 10–year, 15–year or 20–year repayment. APR’s provided include a 0.25 percent interest rate reduction for authorizing our loan servicer to automatically deduct your payments each month from your bank account. The interest rate reduction for authorizing our servicer to automatically deduct monthly payments from a savings or checking account will not reduce the monthly payment, but will reduce the monthly finance charge, resulting in a lower total cost of loan. Variable APR rates may increase or decrease depending on fluctuations in the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) index. Monthly interest rate accrual is based on the published One–Month London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") as of the last business day of the previous month plus your applicable margin.

Key facts

Pros

• You can refinance without a degree.

• Forbearance of 24 months is twice as long as most lenders.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Loans aren’t available in Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington or Washington, DC.

• You cannot postpone repayment if you re-enroll in school.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.

• Minimum income: Does not disclose.

• Loan amounts: Minimum $7,500. Maximum depends on creditworthiness and debt-to-income ratio.

Available Term Lengths

10, 15 or 20 years

Key facts

Pros

• You can refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.

• Refinancing available for medical and dental residents.

• You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.

Cons

• Payment postponement isn’t available if borrowers return to school.

Qualifications

• Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.

• Loan amounts: $5,000 up to your total outstanding loan balance.

• Must have a degree: At least an associate degree for select professions. Borrowers in their last year of undergrad can refinance. For parent PLUS loans, the child does not need to have graduated to refinance.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Disclaimer

FIXED APR Fixed rate options consist of a range from 3.00% per year to 5.00% per year for a 5-year term, 3.60% per year to 5.30% per year for a 7-year term, 4.10% per year to 5.60% per year for a 10-year term, 4.50% per year to 5.65% per year for a 15-year term, or 4.60% per year to 6.20% per year for a 20-year term, with no origination fees. The fixed interest rate will apply until the loan is paid in full (whether before or after default, and whether before or after the scheduled maturity date of the loan). The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 3.75% per year to 5.80% per year for a 5-year term would be from $183.04 to $192.40. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.14% per year to 6.25% per year for a 7-year term would be from $142.00 to $147.29. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.24% per year to 6.65% per year for a 10-year term would be from $107.24 to $114.31. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.30% per year to 7.05% per year for a 15-year term would be from $80.65 to $90.16. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.61% per year to 7.27% per year for a 20-year term would be from $69.41 to $79.16. However, if the borrower chooses to make monthly payments automatically by electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank account, the fixed rate will decrease by 0.25%, and will increase back up to the regular fixed interest rate described in the preceding paragraph if the borrower stops making (or we stop accepting) monthly payments automatically by EFT from the designated borrower’s bank account. VARIABLE APR Variable rate options consist of a range from 1.99% per year to 6.05% per year for a 5-year term, 3.75% per year to 6.10% per year for a 7-year term, 4.00% per year to 6.15% per year for a 10-year term, 4.25% per year to 6.40% per year for a 15-year term, or 4.50% per year to 6.65% per year for a 20-year term, with no origination fees. APR is subject to increase after consummation. The variable interest rate will change on the first day of every month (“Change Date”) if the Current Index changes. The variable interest rates are based on a Current Index, which is the 1-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) (currency in US dollars), as published on The Wall Street Journal’s website. The variable interest rates and Annual Percentage Rate (APR) will increase or decrease when the 1-month LIBOR index changes. The variable interest rates are calculated by adding a margin ranging from 0.98% to 3.80% for the 5-year term loan, 2.35% to 3.85% for the 7-year term loan, 2.40% to 3.90% for the 10-year term loan, 2.65% to 4.15% for the 15-year term loan, and 2.90% to 4.40% for the 20-year term loan, respectively, to the 1-month LIBOR index published on the 25th day of each month immediately preceding each “Change Date,” as defined above, rounded to two decimal places, with no origination fees. If the 25th day of the month is not a business day or is a US federal holiday, the reference date will be the most recent date preceding the 25th day of the month that is a business day. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 3.49% per year to 6.31% per year for a 5-year term would be from $181.87 to $194.77. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.86% per year to 6.36% per year for a 7-year term would be from $140.68 to $147.82. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 4.91% per year to 6.41% per year for a 10-year term would be from $105.63 to $113.09. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.16% per year to 6.66% per year for a 15-year term would be from $79.92 to $87.99. The monthly payment for a sample $10,000 loan at a range of 5.41% per year to 6.91% per year for a 20-year term would be from $68.28 to $76.99. However, if the borrower chooses to make monthly payments automatically by electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank account, the variable rate will decrease by 0.25%, and will increase back up to the regular variable interest rate described in the preceding paragraph if the borrower stops making (or we stop accepting) monthly payments automatically by EFT from the designated borrower’s bank account.