International Student Loans of July 2026
International students going to school in the U.S. have fewer student loan options than most U.S. borrowers. Unless you’re an eligible noncitizen who can qualify for federal student loans, you may need to borrow from a private lender.
Below are private lenders that make student loans to international and DACA students. Some require a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer, and some do not. We also cover how some eligible noncitizens may be able to qualify for federal student loans.
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- 19 student loans lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
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Why trust NerdWallet
- 19 student loans lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 10+ years of combined experience covering higher education and consumer lending.
- Objective, comprehensive star-rating system assessing 40 categories and more than 50 data points across student loan origination and student loan refinance.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
International Student Loans
Lender | NerdWallet editorial rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.39-17.49% | 3.75-16.95% | Check Rate on Sallie Mae's website | |
5.0 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.39-17.99% | 3.89-17.99% | Check Rate on College Ave's website | |
3.5 /5 | None | 10.89-18.62% | N/A | Read Review on NerdWallet | |
5.0 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.45-15.99% | 4.39-15.99% | Check Rate on SoFi®'s website | |
5.0 /5 | Low-Mid 600s | 2.29-17.31% | 3.60-16.51% | Check Rate on Ascent's website |
Our pick for
international student loans with co-signer
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: Does not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to 100% of school-certified costs with no aggregate loan limit.
- Has loans for educational needs that aren’t always covered by other lenders.
- Offers a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Provides immediate loan decisions in most cases.
- Offers pre-qualification with a soft credit check.
- No application, origination or prepayment fees.
- Does not offer bi-weekly payments via autopay.
- Immediate principal and interest payment while in school isn’t an option.
- A six-month grace period for undergraduate loans is shorter than some other lenders.
Sallie Mae requires non-U.S. citizens to have a creditworthy co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Upper 700s.
- Minimum income: $35,000 for a borrower with no co-signer. No minimum for a borrower with a co-signer. No minimum for co-signers.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to the cost of attendance.
- Has more repayment options than many other lenders.
- Offers automatic bi-weekly and greater-than-minimum payments.
- Has a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Allows borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
- No application, origination or prepayment fees.
- Charges a late payment fee, whereas some competitors do not.
- Doesn’t allow co-signer release until a borrower is at least halfway through their repayment term.
College Ave requires international students to have a valid U.S. Social Security number, and all non-U.S. citizens are required to have an eligible co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Our pick for
international student loans without co-signer
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Not available. MPOWER does not require a credit score.
- Minimum income: Not available. MPOWER does not require a minimum income.
- Loan amounts: Minimum is $2,001. Maximum is $100,000, limited to $50,000 per academic period.
- Offers non-co-signed student loans for international and DACA students.
- Has a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Provides pre-approval within 30 minutes of application submission.
- Borrowers can request forbearance up to 24 months, which is longer than many lenders offer.
- Charges an origination fee of 5% to 8.5% for international students.
- Requires interest-only payments while the student is in school.
- Has only one loan term.
MPOWER does not require a co-signer for international or DACA students.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 700+.
- Minimum income: Did not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- Multiple in-school repayment options available, including interest-only and flat-fee, and deferred for undergrad and grad students.
- Does not offer bi-weekly payments via autopay.
SoFi does not require a permanent resident or U.S. citizen co-signer for international or DACA borrowers. Borrowers must have a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, a physical U.S. address and current immigration documentation.
Our pick for
DACA student loans without co-signer
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: No minimum for borrowers with a co-signer. Co-signer minimum is $30,000 annually. Borrowers without a co-signer and at least two years of credit history must earn at least $30,000 and meet debt-to-income (DTI) requirements.
- Loan amounts: $2,001-$200,000 aggregate.
- Provides options for students with and without a co-signer.
- Offers a 0.50-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Allows borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
- No application, origination, prepayment or late fees.
- Borrowers receive access to AscentUP, a platform to help students build school and career-ready skills.
- Loans not available to students enrolled less than half-time.
- No co-signer release for international students.
Ascent requires international students to have a creditworthy co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. DACA students are not required to have a co-signer.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: The median credit score for approved borrowers was 750 in 2025.
- Minimum income: No minimum income required.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 to $400,000.
- Borrowers who return to Earnest for a new private student loan can be eligible for a 0.25% rate reduction.
- 0.25% rate reduction for borrowers who sign up for automatic payments.
- No late fees.
- Option to skip one payment every 12 months for eligible borrowers.
- Every borrower gets a 9 month grace period.
- Does not offer renewable or multi-year approval options.
- Must be enrolled half-time or more.
Earnest requires international students to have a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer. DACA students aren't required to have a co-signer.
Our pick for
DACA student loans with a co-signer
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Not disclosed.
- Minimum income: No minimum income, but borrowers must show at least $1 in income.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 to $300,000 for undergraduate or $350,000 for graduate loans.
- No late fees.
- Prospective borrowers can see what interest rate they can get without a hard credit check.
- A 2% reduction in principal once students graduate (upon borrower request).
- A .05% rate reduction for every six months of consecutive on-time principal and interest payments (up to 0.25%).
- Wide variety of loan repayment options, allowing flexibility for borrowers.
- A rate discount of 0.25% when borrowers pay via monthly electronic payments.
- Extra payments are not automatically applied to the principal.
- No dedicated advisor or banker for borrowers.
- Does not offer rehabilitation programs for defaulted borrowers.
Custom Choice requires international and DACA students to have a U.S. citizen or resident co-signer.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Not disclosed.
- Minimum income: No minimum, but borrowers must demonstrate a positive income.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum up to the school’s total certified cost of attendance (minus other aid) with a limit of $300,000 for undergraduate programs, $350,000 for most graduate programs and $500,000 for specialty programs such as medical and dental.
- A 2% reduction on your principal balance when you provide proof of graduation (up to the borrower to request this).
- No fees — including late fees, application fees, debit card payment fees or forbearance fees.
- Grace periods of up to 12 months.
- Four repayment options.
- Loans available for graduate programs and graduate certificate programs.
- For every six months of on-time payments, the borrower’s rate can go down by 0.05% — for a total of up to 0.25%.
- Extra payments are not applied to the principal first.
Abe requires international and DACA students to have a U.S. citizen or resident co-signer.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Not disclosed.
- Minimum income: No minimum, but borrowers must demonstrate positive income.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum to $300,000 for undergraduates and $350,000 for graduates.
- Offers a rate reduction for automatic payments and a rate reduction of 0.05% for every six months of on-time principal and interest payments (up to 0.25%).
- When the borrower provides proof of graduation they are eligible for a 2% balance reduction.
- If a borrower pauses loan payments for all available 12 months of forbearance, they may be able to earn additional 3-month forbearance periods for up to another 12 months total.
- Variety of post-graduation payment options to fit borrower needs.
- 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 year loan terms.
- Offers academic deferment or forbearance for borrowers returning to school, and financial hardship forbearance.
- No late payment fees.
- Borrowers are not assigned a dedicated advisor or banker.
- Does not offer a rehabilitation program for defaulted borrowers.
- Does not automatically apply extra payments to the principal balance.
Union Federal requires international and DACA students to have a U.S. citizen or resident co-signer.
Private loans for international students attending college in the U.S.
Some banks, credit unions and online lenders offer private student loans for international students, but most require you to have a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Your co-signer will likely need good credit (a credit score in the mid-600s or higher) for approval and to get the lowest rates.
You may be able to find a private lender that doesn't require a co-signer at all, but you'll likely pay higher interest rates as a result.
How to find a co-signer for international student loans
Since many international students do not have a credit history in the U.S., they're likely to need a qualified co-signer.
Co-signers typically must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, with proof of consistent income, good credit and the ability to pay back the loan if the borrower cannot.
International students commonly have a family member permanently residing in the U.S. co-sign their student loans. However, co-signers can be people outside your family as well, like professors, mentors or religious leaders. A co-signer should be someone you know well and trust. As a co-signer, this person shares legal responsibility for repayment of your student loan.
How to get an international student loan without a co-signer
If you're unable to find a co-signer for a private loan, look for lenders like MPOWER that use non-credit-related factors — like your program of study, academic performance and future career prospects — when evaluating potential borrowers. International student loans without a co-signer may carry higher interest rates than loans with co-signers. Be sure to review the terms and conditions before choosing a loan.
Are international students eligible for federal loans?
International students do not have access to federal student loans. If you're an eligible noncitizen who meets any of the criteria below, you can receive federal student aid including loans.
U.S. nationals, including natives of American Samoa or Swains Island.
Individuals who have a “green card" as a U.S. permanent resident.
Those who have an Arrival-Departure Record from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services showing the following statuses: refugee; asylum granted; Cuban-Haitian Entrant; Conditional Entrant issued before April 1, 1980; or parolee.
Those who hold a T-nonimmigrant status, or those whose parents do.
Those who are “battered immigrant-qualified aliens,” or children of someone designated as such.
Citizens of Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau. These individuals are only eligible for some types of federal aid, including Pell Grants and work-study.
Certain Native American students born in Canada (formerly known as Jay Treaty students).
Do international students fill out FAFSA?
Most states and colleges use information collected on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to assess aid eligibility. Even if you do not meet the eligible noncitizen criteria for federal aid, you can still complete the FAFSA to apply for state or school aid.
To access the FAFSA, you will need a Social Security number to create a StudentAid.gov account. Note that a parent or spouse does not need a Social Security number to complete their portion of the applicant’s FAFSA. A parent or spouse’s citizenship status will also not impact the student’s ability to complete the FAFSA.
» MORE: How to fill out the FAFSA if your parents are undocumented
Can DACA students get loans or financial aid?
Students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not typically eligible for federal student loans. However, undocumented DACA students may be able to receive other types of student financial aid from their state or college, such as scholarships or in-state tuition discounts. State policies on this vary and have been changing quickly — some states have recently ended in-state tuition access for undocumented students following legal challenges — so check a state's current policy using the Higher Ed Immigration's Portal to the States before assuming eligibility either way.
DACA students should consult their school’s financial aid office about financial aid options and the application process.
Certain private lenders also offer student loans to DACA students. Some require a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer, and some do not.
Are there scholarships for international students?
Whether you’re an eligible noncitizen for federal student loans, an undocumented student or an international student seeking private loans, there are other financial aid options to explore before borrowing money.
Start by researching funding opportunities from your country’s embassy or governmental educational office to see if there are applicable scholarships. You can also use the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop scholarship search engine to identify scholarships, fellowships, grants and financial aid awards. This website also enables you to research career and job prospects for your chosen field of study.
Check with the college you’ll be attending to see if they offer financial aid to international students, and consider finding an advising center to help navigate the financial aid process. The U.S. State Department’s Education USA program, for example, advises international students on topics like how to finance college in the U.S., the student visa process and standardized testing requirements.
» MORE: Personal loans for non-U.S. citizens
How to shop for an international student loan
Compare loan features. Compare private international loan offers to get the lowest interest rate you qualify for. Note whether the lender will postpone payments if you have trouble paying them — and for how long. Find out if there are origination or late fees, and how easily you can reach the lender by phone, email or live chat if you encounter a billing or customer service issue.
Opt for a fixed interest rate. Given the choice, a fixed interest rate that won't increase over time is a safer bet than a variable interest rate.
Keep an eye on the bottom line. Use a student loan calculator to see what kind of payment you’ll face after borrowing for multiple years.
Last updated on July 9, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Can international students get student loans?
International students are not typically eligible for federal student loans from the U.S. government. However, they may qualify for private student loans, especially if they have a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Can DACA recipients get financial aid for college?
DACA recipients are generally ineligible for federal student loans or grants, but they may qualify for financial aid from their state, college or private organizations. They may also qualify for student loans from private lenders.
As an international student, can I refinance my student loan?
It’s more challenging for visa holders to refinance student loans, but you can take steps to make it possible. If you remain in the U.S., focus on building your own credit profile over time. You’ll generally need solid income, a credit score in the mid-600s or higher and a history of on-time debt payments. You may also be able to refinance if you have a co-signer who fits these qualifications.
Look for private lenders who offer student loan refinancing. Our student loan refinance calculator can help you compare your current loan with refinancing offers.
How we chose the best student loans
Our team of student loan experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.
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Lenders reviewed
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Lenders reviewed
We reviewed 20 banks, credit unions and online lenders — including the top by market share and search volume — plus lenders serving niche and nontraditional borrowers.
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Each lender is evaluated across weighted categories, covering dozens of features related to flexibility, affordability, availability, transparency and customer experience.
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Data points analyzed
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Our team tracks and reassesses more than 60 data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
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5.0
Overall score
NerdWallet reviewed 20 banks, credit unions and online lenders offering student loans and student loan refinancing. We included the top lenders by market share and online search volume, as well as lenders that serve specialty or nontraditional markets. Some lenders are NerdWallet partners, but this did not influence our selection of the winner.
Within weighted categories, we consider dozens of features and more than 60 data points for each financial institution. Depending on the category, these may include the availability of bi-weekly payments through autopay, minimum credit score and income requirement disclosures, availability to a wide range of 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.
NerdWallet's International Student Loans of July 2026
- Sallie Mae: Best for international student loans with co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.39-17.49%
- College Ave: Best for international student loans with co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.39-17.99%
- MPOWER: Best for international student loans without co-signer, Fixed APR: 10.89-18.62%
- SoFi®: Best for international student loans without co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.45-15.99%
- Ascent: Best for DACA student loans without co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.29-17.31%
- Monogram: Best for DACA student loans with a co-signer, Fixed APR: 3.35-17.17%
- Earnest: Best for DACA student loans without co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.29-16.24%
- Abe: Best for DACA student loans with a co-signer, Fixed APR: 2.39-16.58%
- Union Federal: Best for DACA student loans with a co-signer, Fixed APR: 3.35-16.36%