11 International Student Loans for 2024

MPOWER Private Student Loan

Best for part-time students and those who want to make payments during school.

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4.0

Best for international students and students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status.

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International Student Loans

Lender	NerdWallet Rating	Min. credit score	Fixed APR	Variable APR	Learn more
MPOWER Private Student Loan Check rate on MPOWER's website on MPOWER's website	4.0 /5 Best for International student loans without co-signer	None	13.74-15.01%	N/A	Check rate on MPOWER's website on MPOWER's website
Ascent Credit-based Student Loan Check rate on Ascent's website on Ascent's website	5.0 /5 Best for DACA student loans without co-signer	Low-Mid 600s	4.29-15.76%	6.24-15.85%	Check rate on Ascent's website on Ascent's website
Stride Funding Income Share Agreement Check rate on Stride's website on Stride's website	4.5 /5 Best for DACA student loans without co-signer	None	N/A	N/A	Check rate on Stride's website on Stride's website
Earnest International Graduate Loan Check rate on Earnest's website on Earnest's website	4.5 /5 Best for Graduate DACA student loans without co-signer	680	N/A	9.99-16.51%	Check rate on Earnest's website on Earnest's website
Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan Check rate on Sallie Mae's website on Sallie Mae's website	4.5 /5 Best for International student loans with co-signer	Mid-600's	4.50-15.49%	6.37-16.70%	Check rate on Sallie Mae's website on Sallie Mae's website

Our pick for

International student loans without co-signer

on MPOWER's website

MPOWER Private Student Loan

4.0

Min. credit score

None

Fixed APR

13.74-15.01%

Variable APR

N/A

Key facts

Best for international students and students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status.

Pros

Offers a hard-to-find option: non-co-signed student loans for international and DACA students.
Borrowers are assigned a dedicated student loan advisor.
Borrowers can request forbearance of up to 24 months, which is longer than many lenders offer.

Cons

Payment required while in school and during the grace period.
Offers only one repayment term: 10 years.

Qualifications

MPOWER considers future income potential but does not factor in credit scores.
Loan amounts: Minimum $2,001. Maximum loan is $100,000, limited to $25,000 per academic period.

Available Term Lengths10 years

DisclaimerNote: Our loan does not support Canadian citizens studying in Canada. Canadian Permanent Residents and U.S. citizens are considered “international” when studying in Canada. International students, U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and DACA recipients in the U.S. or Canada. ‘International’ means you are a non-U.S. citizen or U.S. non-permanent resident studying at a university in the U.S., or you are a non-Canadian citizen or Canadian non-permanent resident studying at a university in Canada. ‘DACA’ means the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Program initiated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2012. In order to qualify as a DACA Student, you must have applied for, and been granted, DACA status by USCIS. As a graduate student, you can borrow with a fixed interest rate of 12.99% (13.98% APR¹). This is the maximum rate and will not increase. However, MPOWER offers borrowers a way to qualify for a discount; a 0.25% rate discount is possible by making your loan payments through automatic withdrawal from your bank account. If you qualify for this discount, your rate will be 12.74% (13.72% APR²). ¹[International graduate student with regular interest rate] The APR is calculated using the following assumptions: A loan is approved in the amount of US$10,000 with a 5% origination fee of US$500. The student will start making payments 45 days after loan disbursement. Payments will be interest only until graduation, plus an additional 6-month grace period. The remaining months of repayment are calculated using a 120-month amortization schedule. All payments are made on-time, a forbearance is never utilized, and there is no pre-payment of any principal. At an APR of 13.98%, the monthly payment amount is US$113.66 for the first 30 months. For the next 120 months, the monthly payment amount is about $156.71. ²[International graduate student with discounted interest rate] The APRs with discounts are calculated using the following assumptions: A loan is approved in the amount of $10,000 with a 5% origination fee of US$500. The student will start making payments 45 days after loan disbursement. The borrower signs up for automatic debit immediately after the loan is disbursed and remains on it for the life of the loan, which reduces the rate by 0.25%. At an APR of 13.72%, the monthly payment is US$111.47 for the first 30 months. For the last 120 payments, the monthly amount is US$155.17. Undergraduate Students in the U.S. or Canada As an undergraduate student, you can borrow with a fixed interest rate of 13.99% (15.01% APR³). This is the maximum rate and will never increase. However, MPOWER offers borrowers a way to qualify for a discount; a 0.25% rate discount is possible by making your loan payments through automatic withdrawal from your bank account. If you qualify for this discount, your rate will be 13.74% (14.75% APR⁴). ³[International undergraduate student with regular interest rate] The APR is calculated using the following assumptions: A loan is approved in the amount of $10,000 with a 5% origination fee of $500. The student will start making payments 45 days after loan disbursement. Payments will be interest only until graduation plus an additional 6-month grace period. The remaining months of repayment are calculated using a 120-month amortization schedule. All payments are made on-time, a forbearance is never utilized, and there is no pre-payment of any principal. At an APR of 15.01%, the monthly payment amount is $122.41 for the first 30 months. For the next 120 months, the monthly payment amount is $162.97. ⁴[International undergraduate student with discounted interest rate] The APRs with discounts are calculated using the following assumptions: A loan is approved in the amount of US$10,000 with a 5% origination fee of US$500. The student will start making payments 45 days after loan disbursement. The borrower signs up for automatic debit immediately after the loan is disbursed and remains on it for the life of the loan, which reduces the rate by 0.25%. A forbearance is never utilized and there is no prepayment of any principal. At an APR of 14.75%, the monthly payment is US$120.22 for the first 30 payments. For the last 120 payments, the monthly amount is US$161.39.

Our pick for

DACA student loans without co-signer

on Ascent's website

Ascent Credit-based Student Loan

5.0

Min. credit score

Low-Mid 600s

Fixed APR

4.29-15.76%

Variable APR

6.24-15.85%

Key facts

Requirements: All borrowers, including international students, must have a qualified 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 years

DisclaimerAscent’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; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: Ascent Services Terms of Use - Ascent Funding . Rates are effective as of 5/1/2024 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: Affordable Rates & Repayment Examples (APR) | Ascent Funding . 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest rates require interest-only 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 repayment examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins.

on Stride's website

Stride Funding Income Share Agreement

4.5

Min. credit score

None

Fixed APR

N/A

Variable APR

N/A

Key factsBest for health care and STEM students who’ll pay less than with a private student loan.

Pros

Payments aren’t due if you’re unemployed, or if your income drops below $30,000 to $40,000 per year.
Lending decisions are not based on your credit score.
Available for some non-degree granting schools, like certificate and bootcamp programs.

Cons

There’s no discount for paying off your agreement early like some lenders offer.
Funding may not be available based on your school.
Not available in Colorado or West Virginia.

Qualifications

Eligibility is based on factors like academic program and projected salary, not credit score.
Loan amounts: $3,000 to $25,000 annually; $50,000 lifetime maximum.
Payment cap: Two times the amount borrowed.
Income share percentages: Typically 6% to 9%; lifetime max is 20%.

Available Term Lengths5 years, but can extend to up to 10 years.

Our pick for

Graduate DACA student loans without co-signer

on Earnest's website

Earnest International Graduate Loan

4.5

Min. credit score

680

Fixed APR

N/A

Variable APR

9.99-16.51%

Key factsAn option for international graduate school students who want flexible repayment.

Pros

Option to skip one payment every 12 months.
No late fees.
Nine-month grace period is longer than most lenders offer.

Cons

Limited to international graduate students from Canada, India, Mexico or South Korea.
Loans aren't available in Nevada.

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 758.
Minimum income: $35,000.
Loan amounts: $1,000 up to your total cost of attendance.

Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 12 or 15 years

DisclaimerEarnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC, or FinWise Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Finwise Bank, 756 East Winchester, Suite 100, Murray, UT 84107 Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 535 Mission St., Suite 1663 San Francisco, CA 94105, NMLS #1204917, with support From Navient Solutions, LLC (NMLS #212430). One American Bank, FinWise Bank, and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America. © 2024 Earnest LLC. All rights reserved.

Our pick for

International student loans with co-signer

The lenders below accept applications for eligible noncitizens who have a U.S. co-signer.

on Sallie Mae's website

Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan

4.5

Min. credit score

Mid-600's

Fixed APR

4.50-15.49%

Variable APR

6.37-16.70%

Key facts

Requirements: Non-U.S. citizens must have a creditworthy co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

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 years

DisclaimerLowest rates shown include the auto debit. 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 2/26/2024. 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 may be subjected 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.

on College Ave's website

College Ave Private Student Loan

5.0

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

4.07-16.49%

Variable APR

5.59-16.85%

Key factsBest for students who want to make payments while they're still in school.

Pros

You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
More flexible repayment options than other lenders.
Six-month grace period extension is available.

Cons

You must be at least halfway through your repayment term before you can request a co-signer release.

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Mid-700s.
Minimum income: $35,000 per year.
Loan amounts: $1,000 up to cost of attendance.

Available Term Lengths5, 8, 10 or 15 years

DisclaimerCollege Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC.. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. Rates shown are for the College Ave Undergraduate Loan product and include autopay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Deferred Repayment Option with a 10-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 8.35% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 120 monthly payments of $179.18 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $21,501.54. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 3/7/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on the creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of full principal and interest payments with the shortest available loan term.

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Brazos Private Student Loan

4.0

Min. credit score

680

Fixed APR

2.77-6.96%

Variable APR

5.00-9.44%

Key factsBest for Texas residents and students of Texan colleges with strong financials or a qualified co-signer.

Pros

May offer lower rates for graduate students than what are available through the federal government.
Applies extra payments to the loan principal by default.
Offers five loan terms, which is more than most lenders.

Cons

Not available to borrowers enrolled in two year programs at community colleges.
Biweekly payments via autopay is not available.

Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Our pick for

DACA student loans with a co-signer

on Monogram's website

Custom Choice Loan

5.0

Min. credit score

600

Fixed APR

4.43-14.04%

Variable APR

5.39-15.57%

Key factsCustom Choice student loans are best for upperclassmen who are confident they can take advantage of the 2% Grad Reward and returning borrowers who want to take advantage of a pre-filled application and income verification waiver.

Pros

You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
No late fees.
Principal reduction of 2% if you graduate.
Stands out for features that enable faster loan repayment.

Cons

Doesn't apply extra payments to the principal balance by default.
Forbearance program is less generous than others.

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 700 for a non-cosigned loan and 733 for co-signed loans.
Minimum income: No minimum, but borrowers must demonstrate positive income.
Loan amounts: $1,000 up to $99,999.

Available Term Lengths7, 10 or 15 years

Our pick for

International student loans with a residency card

The lenders below accept applications for eligible noncitizens who have a residency card.

Read review

Advantage Education Private Student Loan

4.5

Min. credit score

Does not disclose

Fixed APR

2.84-7.74%

Variable APR

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

on SoFi's website

SoFi Undergraduate Student Loan

4.5

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

4.44-14.70%

Variable APR

5.99-14.70%

Key factsBest for flexible repayment options and no fees.

Pros

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.

Cons

Does not offer bi-weekly payments via autopay.

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 700+.
Minimum income: No minimum.
Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum.

Available Term Lengths5, 7, 10 or 15 years

DisclaimerUNDERGRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 4.44% to 14.70% annual percentage rate ("APR") (with autopay), variable rates from 5.99% to 14.70% APR (with autopay). GRADUATE LOANS: Fixed rates from 4.99% to 13.60% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 5.99% to 14.10% APR (with autopay). PARENT LOANS: Fixed rates from 6.50% to 14.83% APR (with autopay), variable rates from 6.32% to 14.83% APR (with autopay). For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. Interest rates for variable rate loans are capped at 13.95%, unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law. Lowest rates are reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved for a loan, the interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, the repayment option you select, the term and amount of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Information current as of 3/1/2024.