9 Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
To get a co-signer release you must have at least one year of on-time payments and meet the lender's requirements on your own.
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A co-signer release lets your parent, relative or friend off the hook for your student loan once you prove you’re capable of making payments on your own.
Most college students have limited credit history, so private student loans typically require that a co-signer share legal liability for the debt. About 87% of new undergraduate private student loans in 2020-21 were co-signed, according to the higher education data firm MeasureOne.
If you have the opportunity to release your co-signer or be removed from a student loan you co-signed, seize it. There are two ways to remove a student loan co-signer:
Co-signer release.
Student loan refinancing.
If you qualify for a lower interest rate, student loan refinancing is generally the better option — it’ll remove your co-signer and save you money. You can refinance student loans in your own name if you have good credit, sufficient income and a track record of on-time payments.
If you can’t get a better interest rate through student loan refinancing, or you want to avoid the hassle of comparing interest rates and switching lenders, pursue a co-signer release.
» MORE: Can you refinance student loans?
A co-signer release lets your parent, relative or friend off the hook for your student loan once you prove you’re capable of making payments on your own.
Most college students have limited credit history, so private student loans typically require that a co-signer share legal liability for the debt. About 87% of new undergraduate private student loans in 2020-21 were co-signed, according to the higher education data firm MeasureOne.
If you have the opportunity to release your co-signer or be removed from a student loan you co-signed, seize it. There are two ways to remove a student loan co-signer:
Co-signer release.
Student loan refinancing.
If you qualify for a lower interest rate, student loan refinancing is generally the better option — it’ll remove your co-signer and save you money. You can refinance student loans in your own name if you have good credit, sufficient income and a track record of on-time payments.
If you can’t get a better interest rate through student loan refinancing, or you want to avoid the hassle of comparing interest rates and switching lenders, pursue a co-signer release.
» MORE: Can you refinance student loans?
Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
Lender | NerdWallet rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Sallie Mae Private Student Loan Check rate on Sallie Mae's website | Best for Release after 12 months of payments | Mid- | 4.50- | 5.00- | Check rate on Sallie Mae's website |
Ascent Credit-based Student Loan Check rate on Ascent's website | Best for Release after 12 months of payments | Varies | 4.62- | 5.31- | Check rate on Ascent's website |
![]() SoFi Private Student Loan Check rate on SoFi's website | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | Mid- | 4.49- | 4.62- | Check rate on SoFi's website |
LendKey Private Student Loan Check rate on LendKey's website | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | 660 | 4.89- | 5.21- | Check rate on LendKey's website |
![]() Navy Federal Private Student Loan | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | Does not disclose | 4.63- | 7.15- | Read review |
![]() RISLA Private Student Loan | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | 680 | 4.99- | N/A | Read review |
![]() Advantage Education Private Student Loan | Best for Release after 12 month of payments | Does not disclose | 2.84- | N/A | Read review |
Nelnet Bank Private Student Loan | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | 680 | 4.49- | 4.52- | Read review |
![]() ISL Private Student Loan | Best for Release after 24 months of payments | 670 | 3.85- | 4.44- | Read review |
Our pick for
Release after 12 months of payments

on Sallie Mae's website
Sallie Mae Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
Mid-Fixed APR
4.50-Variable APR
5.00-on Sallie Mae's website
on Ascent's website
Ascent Credit-based Student Loan
Min. credit score
VariesFixed APR
4.62-Variable APR
5.31-on Ascent's website
Our pick for
Release after 24 months of payments

on SoFi's website
SoFi Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
Mid-Fixed APR
4.49-Variable APR
4.62-on SoFi's website
on LendKey's website
LendKey Private Student Loan
Min. credit score
660Fixed APR
4.89-Variable APR
5.21-on LendKey's website
Navy Federal Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
Does not discloseFixed APR
4.63-Variable APR
7.15-RISLA Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
680Fixed APR
4.99-Variable APR
N/ANelnet Bank Private Student Loan
Min. credit score
680Fixed APR
4.49-Variable APR
4.52-ISL Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
670Fixed APR
3.85-Variable APR
4.44-Our pick for
Release after 12 month of payments
Advantage Education Private Student Loan

Min. credit score
Does not discloseFixed APR
2.84-Variable APR
N/AWhat you need for a student loan co-signer release
Almost all private student loans have a co-signer release option. Each lender has slightly different requirements; check with yours to make sure you know all the fine print. Generally, you must:
1. Make at least 12 on-time payments
Depending on the lender, you must make 12, 24, 36 or 48 on-time payments before applying for a co-signer release. Often, those payments must be consecutive and without periods of forbearance. If you made fixed or interest-only payments during school, those may not count.
2. Meet the income and credit requirements
When you take out a student loan with a co-signer, you qualify based on their credit history and financial profile. To remove the co-signer, you must meet those requirements on your own.
You'll need good credit — a FICO score in the high 600s, at least — and enough income to afford your debt payments and other expenses. Most lenders also require that you graduate first and have U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.
3. Submit a co-signer release application
Some lenders and servicers, including Sallie Mae, have co-signer release applications available online. Otherwise, contact your lender or servicer to request one.
You may need to disclose financial information including your income, housing payment and other debt payments. Your lender may also check your credit report and ask for income verification.
Co-signer release for refinanced student loans
It’s possible to apply for student loan refinancing with a co-signer.
Some student loan refinance lenders — including Laurel Road and PenFed — offer co-signer release. But other refinance lenders, such as SoFi and Earnest, don’t.
STUDENT LOAN RATINGS METHODOLOGY
Our survey of more than 29 banks, credit unions and online lenders offering student loans and student loan refinancing includes the top 10 lenders by market share and top 10 lenders by online search volume, as well as lenders that serve specialty or nontraditional markets.
We consider 40 features and data points for each financial institution. Depending on the category, these include the availability of biweekly payments through autopay, minimum credit score and income requirement disclosures, availability to borrowers in all states, extended grace periods and in-house customer service.
The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.
Read more about our ratings methodologies for student loans and our editorial guidelines.
Last updated on December 21, 2022
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
- Sallie Mae Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
- Ascent Credit-based Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
- SoFi Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments
- LendKey Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments
- Navy Federal Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments
- RISLA Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments
- Advantage Education Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 month of payments
- Nelnet Bank Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments
- ISL Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 24 months of payments