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7 Lenders That Will Refinance Student Loans for Borrowers With No Degree

If you have student loans but never received a degree, you still have options to refinance.

Last updated on May 13, 2025
Cecilia Clark
Written by 
Assistant Assigning Editor
Karen Gaudette Brewer
Edited by 
Head of Content, Core Personal Finance
Fact Checked
Cecilia Clark
Written by 
Assistant Assigning Editor
Karen Gaudette Brewer
Edited by 
Head of Content, Core Personal Finance
Fact Checked

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Lenders That Will Refinance Student Loans for Borrowers With No Degree

Lender
NerdWallet Rating
Min. credit score
Fixed APR
Variable APR
Learn more
Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

See Offers
on Earnest's website
on Earnest's website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
5.0
/5
Best for Borrowers still in school who have a job offer

650

4.45-10.49%

5.88-10.49%

See Offers
on Earnest's website
on Earnest's website
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

5.0
/5
Best for Borrowers who want extra forbearance

670

5.95-9.99%

N/A

RISLA Student Loan Refinance

RISLA Student Loan Refinance

See Offers
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
5.0
/5
Best for Income-based repayment

680

6.34-8.29%

N/A

See Offers
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website

Our pick for

Borrowers still in school who have a job offer

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

650

Fixed APR

4.45-10.49%

Variable APR

5.88-10.49%

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who want to customize their repayment schedule to pay off debt fast.
    Pros
    • Customizable payments and loan terms.
    • Option to skip one payment every 12 months.
    • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
    Cons
    • Loans aren't available in Nevada.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 760.
    • Loan amounts: $5,000 to $500,000.
    • Must have a degree: No, but must be within six months of graduation and have income or a job.
    Available Term Lengths5 to 20 years
    DisclaimerActual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.70% APR to 10.74% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.13% APR to 10.74% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. 

Our pick for

Borrowers who want extra forbearance

Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

670

Fixed APR

5.95-9.99%

Variable APR

N/A

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who didn’t graduate.
    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, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Jersey, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island, Washington, Washington D.C.
    • 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 Lengths10, 15 or 20 years

Our pick for

Income-based repayment

RISLA Student Loan Refinance
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
RISLA Student Loan Refinance

RISLA Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

680

Fixed APR

6.34-8.29%

Variable APR

N/A

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who want payment flexibility should they run into financial trouble.
    Pros
    • Income-based repayment plan available, with forgiveness after 25 years.
    • Co-signer release available after 24 months.
    Cons
    • Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 748.
    • Loan amounts: $7,500 to $250,000, depending on the highest degree earned.
    • Must have a degree: No.
    Available Term Lengths5, 10 or 15 years

Our pick for

Borrowers who want to chose from multiple repayment terms

EDvestinU Student Loan Refinance
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
EDvestinU Student Loan Refinance

EDvestinU Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

700

Fixed APR

7.41-11.03%

Variable APR

7.52-9.27%

  • Key facts

    Best for students who don’t have a degree and are seeking multiple repayment terms.

    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.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 756.
    • Minimum income: $30,000.
    • Loan amounts: $7,500 to $200,000.
    Available Term Lengths5, 10, 15 or 20 years
    DisclaimerAPR, 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.

Our pick for

student loan borrowers who need a refinancing loan and live in Texas

Brazos Student Loan Refinance
COMPARE RATES
on Credible’s website
on Credible’s website
Brazos Student Loan Refinance

Brazos Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

690

Fixed APR

4.05-6.79%

Variable APR

4.35-5.50%

  • Key factsBrazos is best for student loan borrowers who need a refinancing loan and live in Texas.
    Pros
    • Offers more repayment terms than many lenders.
    • Offers greater-than-minimum payments via autopay.
    Cons
    • Only available to borrowers in Texas.
    • Does not offer co-signer release.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 781 for primary borrower or 794 for co-signer (and 690 for primary borrower).
    • Minimum income: $60,000 for co-signer or primary borrower, or $30,000 for primary borrower if applying with a co-signer.
    • Loan amounts: $10,000 up to $150,000 for bachelors degree holders; $250,000 for graduate or professional degree holders.
    Available Term Lengths 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years
    DisclaimerBrazos Refinance Loan fixed rates from 4.05% APR to 6.79% APR (with Auto-Pay Discount). Variable rates from 4.35% APR to 5.50% APR (with Auto-Pay Discount). Interest rates on Brazos loans are capped at 9.90%. Lowest variable rate of 4.34% APR assumes a current Thirty-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) of % plus a 2.03% margin minus the 0.25% Auto-Pay Discount. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. If approved for a Brazos loan, the fixed or variable interest rate offered will depend on your creditworthiness, the term of the loan and other factors, and will be within the ranges of rates listed above. For the Brazos variable rate loan, the Thirty-day Average SOFR index will adjust monthly and the loan payment will be re-amortized and may change monthly. APRs for variable rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. Auto-Pay Discount. The interest rate in effect will be reduced by 0.25% if either the borrower or the cosigner authorizes automated (ACH) payments from any bank account. This ACH interest rate reduction, referred to as the Auto-Pay Discount, applies only when full principal and interest payments are automatically drafted from a bank account. This interest rate reduction will not continue to apply during periods of approved forbearance or deferment. The Auto-Pay Discount will terminate if the automatic bank account payments discontinue or there are any three instances of insufficient funds at any time during the term of the loan. A borrower may requalify upon reauthorization of automatic payments from a valid bank account. 2. Refinancing Federal Loans. While refinancing government loans as well as private loans may help many borrowers, federal loans have certain benefits that can help borrowers who experience financial distress. Private loans typically don’t have the same benefits. Everyone’s situation is different, so think carefully about refinancing your government loans and talk about it with a trusted advisor. 3. Credit Review and Approval. If you choose to apply for a Brazos Student Loan, Brazos Parent Loan, or Brazos Refinance Loan and continue your application past the pre-credit eligibility stage, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit inquiry. Hard credit inquiries (or hard credit pulls) are required for Brazos to be able to issue you a Brazos loan. In addition to requiring your explicit permission, these credit pulls may impact your credit score. The initial credit review is based on review of all the information you and your cosigner (if applicable) provide during the application process and the information obtained from your credit report(s). If you pass the initial credit review, you will need to provide acceptable documentation such as your income verification before the final loan approval. 4. Brazos Education Lending Corporation (Brazos) is a part of a group of several non-affiliated nonprofit companies that are all managed by The Brazos Higher Education Service Corporation, Inc. and are commonly referred to as the Brazos Managed Companies. The first of the Brazos Managed Companies was organized in 1975 in Waco, Texas, as a secondary market for student loans. Since that time, the Brazos Managed Companies have, on a combined basis, served an estimated 2 million student borrowers and have helped fund an estimated $30 billion in student loans.

Our pick for

borrowers with a stable income who don’t have a degree

MEFA Student Loan Refinance

MEFA Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

670

Fixed APR

6.20-8.99%

Variable APR

N/A

  • Key factsBest for borrowers with a stable income who don’t have a degree.
    Pros
    • No late fees.
    • You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
    Cons
    • No formal deferment/forbearance options.
    • No co-signer release.
    Qualifications
    • Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.
    • Loan amounts: $10,000 minimum.
    • Must have a degree: No.
    Available Term Lengths7, 10 or 15 years.

Our pick for

borrowers who don’t have a degree

PNC Student Loan Refinance

PNC Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

Does not disclose

Fixed APR

6.99-16.39%

Variable APR

7.89-17.39%

  • Key factsBest for borrowers who don’t have a degree.
    Pros
    • Interest rate discount for autopay is larger than most lenders offer.
    • Borrowers can refinance without a degree.
    Cons
    • No flexible repayment options for struggling borrowers.
    • 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.
    • Loan amounts: $10,000 to $75,000.
    • Must have a degree: No.
    Available Term Lengths5, 10 or 15 years.

How refinancing can save you money

Refinancing can save you money by replacing your current debt with a new, lower-rate loan through a private lender.

For example, refinancing $30,000 in student debt from an annual percentage rate of 8% to 6% could drop a monthly payment from $364 to $333 and reduce interest paid by $3,711. Or you could keep payments the same as before and be debt-free 13 months sooner.

You can refinance both federal and private student loans.

If you have federal loans, there's a downside to refinancing with a private lender: You forfeit your rights to federal loan repayment options, such as income-driven repayment and public service loan forgiveness.

Qualifying for refinancing

Although some refinancing lenders don’t require you to have a degree, you still need to meet certain qualifications.

You usually have to have attended a school that offers federal student aid, known as a Title IV school, even if you didn’t graduate.

Lenders will assess your credit score, which will have to be in the high 600s or higher. They’ll also want to make sure you have a stable financial history and a healthy income. Borrowers with higher incomes have an easier time getting approved for refinancing and tend to get the best interest rates.

If you don’t meet these qualifications, you’ll need a co-signer who does. Consider lenders that offer a co-signer release, which allows your co-signer to get off the hook for your debt after a certain period of on-time payments.

If you don’t qualify for refinancing

If you can’t qualify for refinancing and are having trouble making payments on federal loans, apply for an income-driven repayment plan. These plans cap payments at a percentage of your income and extend repayment length.

To enroll in an income-driven plan, you may need to first consolidate your federal loans into one new federal direct loan. Consolidation won’t lower your interest rate like refinancing does. However, it could lower payment amounts by extending the repayment term.

If you have private loans that you can’t refinance, contact your lender to see what repayment options are available to struggling borrowers. You may be able to renegotiate the terms of your loan or lower payments for a period of time. Lenders also usually offer hardship forbearance, which halts payments on loans temporarily while interest continues to build.

STUDENT LOAN REFINANCE 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 the top 10 lenders by online search volume, as well as lenders that serve specialty or nontraditional markets.

We consider 41 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.

Last updated on May 13, 2025

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Lenders That Will Refinance Student Loans for Borrowers With No Degree

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