4 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 additional requirements on your own.
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Most college students have a limited credit history, so they apply for student loans with a co-signer to increase their odds of approval and more favorable loan terms. But you may not want the co-signer on the hook for the full term of the loan.
A co-signer release relieves your parent, relative or whoever co-signed your loan of their legal obligation to make payments if you cannot — but only once you prove you’re capable of making payments on your own.
But a co-signer release is not the only way to remove a co-signer. If you can qualify for a lower interest rate, student loan refinancing can remove your co-signer and save you money. To qualify for a refinance, you'll need good credit, sufficient income and a track record of on-time payments.
If you can’t get a better interest rate by refinancing student loans, these are our picks for lenders that offer co-signer release.
» MORE: Can you refinance student loans?
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- 35+ student loans lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
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Why trust NerdWallet
- 35+ student loans lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 10+ years of combined experience covering higher education and student loans.
- Objective, comprehensive star-rating system assessing 43 categories and 40+ data points across student loan origination and student loan refinance.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
Lender | NerdWallet Rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan GO TO LENDER SITE on Sallie Mae's website COMPARE RATES on Credible’s website | 4.5 /5 | Mid-600's | 3.49-15.99% | 4.54-14.71% | GO TO LENDER SITE on Sallie Mae's website COMPARE RATES on Credible’s website |
5.0 /5 | Low-Mid 600s | 3.44-13.96% | 4.95-14.26% | COMPARE RATES on Credible’s website | |
4.5 /5 | Does not disclose | 5.29-8.04% | N/A | ||
5.0 /5 | 600 | 3.39-15.00% | 4.13-15.36% |
Our pick for
Release after 12 months of payments
Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan
Mid-600's
3.49-15.99%
4.54-14.71%
- Key factsBest for part-time students and those who want to make payments during school.Pros
- One of the few lenders to provide loans to part-time students.
- Non-U.S. citizens, including DACA students, who live in the U.S. and attend school in the U.S. can apply with a qualified co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Cons- 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 or co-signers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: Did not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to 100% of the school-certified expenses.
Available Term Lengths10 to 15 yearsDisclaimerLowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 4/25/2025. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Ascent Credit-based Student Loan
Low-Mid 600s
3.44-13.96%
4.95-14.26%
- Key factsBest for students with a creditworthy co-signer.Pros
- Among the best for payment flexibility.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- Stands out for features that enable faster loan repayment.
Cons- Students enrolled less than half-time are not eligible.
- Co-signer release not available to international students.
Qualifications- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Did not disclose.
- Minimum income: $0 for primary borrower. $24,000 for current and previous year for co-signer.
- Loan amounts: $2,001 to $200,000 per year with an aggregate loan limit of $200,000.
Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 12 or 15 yearsDisclaimerAscent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations, terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent's Terms and Conditions please visit: AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed above are effective as of 5/1/2025 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount of 0.25% for credit-based college student loans and 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. The Full P&I (Immediate) Repayment option is only available for college loans (except for outcomes-based loans) originated on or after June 3, 2024. For more information, see repayment examples ( visit https://www.ascentfunding.com/annual-percentage-rate-apr-sample/) or review the Ascent Student Loans Terms and Conditions. The final amount approved depends on the borrower’s credit history, verifiable cost of attendance as certified by an eligible school, and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information. Lowest interest rates require full principal and interest (Immediate) payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. For details on Ascent borrower benefits, visit AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits. The AscentUP platform is only available to eligible Ascent borrowers and subject to terms and conditions.
Advantage Education Private Student Loan
Does not disclose
5.29-8.04%
N/A
- Key factsBest for nontraditional or part-time students.Pros
- Forbearance of 24 months is twice as long as most lenders.
- Loans are available if you’re enrolled less than half time.
Cons- Fewer repayment terms than other lenders offer.
- Borrowers are not able to defer loans if they return to school after their grace period ends.
Qualifications- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: Does not disclose.
- Loan amounts: Minimum $1,000. Maximum depends on creditworthiness and debt-to-income ratio.
Available Term Lengths10 years
- Key factsBest for borrowers looking for a loan with flexible repayment plans and a long grace period.Pros
- Best for borrowers looking for a loan with flexible repayment plans and a long grace period.
- Students enrolled less than half-time are eligible, a feature not offered by many other lenders.
- Offers a .05% rate reduction for every six months of consecutive payments, up to 0.25%.
- Provides In-School Default Protection for borrowers making interest or partial interest payments while enrolled.
Cons- Not available in CT, ME, NE, TX or WV.
Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years.
How to get 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 typically 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 RISLA and Navy Federal Credit Union — offer co-signer release. But other refinance lenders, such as SoFi and Earnest, don’t.
STUDENT LOAN RATINGS METHODOLOGY
Our survey of more than 19 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 May 6, 2025
NerdWallet's Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
- Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
- Ascent Credit-based Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
- Advantage Education Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
- Abe: Best for Release after 12 months of payments
