NerdWallet Best-of-Awards 2026: Student Loans

Your shortcut to the best student loans for you

Our Nerds researched 19 banks, credit unions and online lenders that offer private student loans and student loan refinancing before narrowing down to just one winner per category.

Your shortcut to the best student loans for you

Our Nerds researched 19 banks, credit unions and online lenders that offer private student loans and student loan refinancing before narrowing down to just one winner per category.

Find a top student loan — fast

BEST STUDENT LOAN OVERALL

Ascent Private Student Loan

Check rate

on Ascent's website

Ascent Private Student Loan

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

2.29-17.06%

Variable APR

3.60-16.26%

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose for co-signed option. For non-co-signed future income-based option, Ascent emphasizes future earnings over income or credit score.
Minimum income: $24,000 for the co-signed and non-co-signed credit-based option. Income is not considered for the non-co-signed future income-based option.
Loan amounts: For co-signed option, $1,000 minimum to $200,000 over the lifetime of a borrower. The amount for each loan period cannot exceed the total cost of attendance. For non-co-signed option, $1,000 to $20,000.
Non-co-signed future income-based borrowers must also meet satisfactory academic performance requirements with a 2.9 GPA or higher.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 12 or 15 years for cosigned option or 10 or 15 for non-co-signed option

Fees

Disclaimer: *Ascent Funding, LLC products are made available through Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. 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 7/15/2026 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount (ACH). The ACH discount consists of 0.25% on credit-based college student loans submitted prior to 6/1/2025, a 0.5% discount for on credit-based college student loans submitted on or after 6/1/2025 and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions and conditions apply. Loan features and information advertised are intended for college student loans and are subject to change at any time. For more information, see repayment examples 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. Variable rates may increase after consummation.1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. For details on Ascent borrower benefits, visit AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits. Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform. *Ascent'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 are effective as of 07/15/2026 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount (ACH). The ACH discount consists of 0.25% on credit-based college student loans submitted prior to 6/1/2025, a 0.5% discount for on credit-based college student loans submitted on or after 6/1/2025 and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions, and conditions apply. Loan features and information advertised are intended for college student loans and are subject to change at any time. 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. Variable rates may increase after consummation. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. For details on Ascent borrower benefits, visit AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits. Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform. The following examples for a $10,000 loan show a 48-month in-school period plus 9 months of grace prior to a full repayment term for 60-months (variable rate), with examples of (i) Interest Only payments, (ii) $25 Minimum payments, (iii) Deferred repayment, and (iv) Immediate Repayment options. Interest Only Repayment: 5.85% APR, with 57 payments of $48.75 while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $192.65 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $14,338.61. $25 Minimum Payment: 6.48% APR, with 57 payments of $25.00 while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $233.37 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $15,427.06. Deferred Repayment: 6.67% APR, with no payment while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $269.21 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $16,137.16. Immediate Repayment: 3.60% APR, with 60 payments of $182.37, and a total cost of $10,942.30. The following examples for a $10,000 loan show a 48-month in-school period plus 9 months of grace prior to a full repayment term for 180-months (highest variable rate), with examples of (i) Interest Only payments, (ii) $25 Minimum payments, (iii) Deferred repayment, and (iv) Immediate Repayment options. Interest Only Repayment: 16.26% APR, with 57 payments of $135.42 while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $148.66 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $34,476.99. $25 Minimum Payment: 15.03% APR, with 57 payments of $25.00 while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $256.16 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $47,530.48. Deferred Repayment: 15.23% APR, with no payment while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $290.4 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $51,470.36. Immediate Repayment: 16.01% APR, with 180 payments of $146.93, and a total cost of $26,445.92.

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

Ascent stands out for making private student loans more accessible to borrowers without a co-signer or established credit. It also combines flexible repayment options, no fees and borrower-focused perks like career support and graduation rewards.

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BEST STUDENT LOAN FOR PARENTS 2026

College Ave Parent Student Loan

Check rate

on College Ave's website

College Ave Parent Student Loan

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

2.39-17.99%

Variable APR

3.89-17.99%

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Upper 700s.
Minimum income: $70,000.
Loan amounts: $1,000 up to the cost of attendance.

Available Term Lengths

5 to 15 years, or any year in between

Fees

Disclaimer: College Ave's student loan products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or BTG Pactual Bank, N.A., member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay 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. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)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. Information advertised valid as of 7/01/2026. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

College Ave offers parents more flexibility than competitors with customizable loan terms of 5 to 15 years and multiple repayment options, including interest plus a fixed amount in increments of $20. It also provides loan discharge if the parent borrower dies or becomes permanently disabled.

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BEST STUDENT LOAN FOR FLEXIBLE REPAYMENT OPTIONS 2026

Ascent Private Student Loan

Check rate

on Ascent's website

Ascent Private Student Loan

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

2.29-17.06%

Variable APR

3.60-16.26%

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose for co-signed option. For non-co-signed future income-based option, Ascent emphasizes future earnings over income or credit score.
Minimum income: $24,000 for the co-signed and non-co-signed credit-based option. Income is not considered for the non-co-signed future income-based option.
Loan amounts: For co-signed option, $1,000 minimum to $200,000 over the lifetime of a borrower. The amount for each loan period cannot exceed the total cost of attendance. For non-co-signed option, $1,000 to $20,000.
Non-co-signed future income-based borrowers must also meet satisfactory academic performance requirements with a 2.9 GPA or higher.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 12 or 15 years for cosigned option or 10 or 15 for non-co-signed option

Fees

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

Ascent offers more ways to customize and accelerate repayment than many competitors, including weekly and biweekly autopay options, custom payment amounts and above-average rate discounts. Borrowers also have access to multiple in-school and post-school repayment plans.

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BEST STUDENT LOAN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 2026

SoFi® Undergraduate Student Loan

Check rate

on SoFi®'s website

SoFi® Undergraduate Student Loan

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

2.45-15.99%

Variable APR

4.39-15.99%

Qualifications

Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 700+.
Minimum income: Did not disclose.
Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum.

Available Term Lengths

5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years

Fees

Disclaimer: Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 2.45% APR to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from 4.39% APR to 15.99% APR with a 0.25% autopay discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates are capped at 17.95%. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 7/6/2026 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term and type of repayment option you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer (if applicable) and a variety of other factors. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Check out our eligibility criteria at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/. 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. Autopay Discount: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly payments as outlined in your loan agreement by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. When the autopay interest rate deduction is added or removed, the next time the loan is re-amortized (quarterly for fixed rate loans; monthly for variable rate loans),the principal balance of your loan will be spread over the remaining loan term, and your monthly payment amount will change. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment, grace period, or forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

Unlike most private student lenders, SoFi doesn't require international or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students to have a U.S.-citizen or permanent-resident co-signer. It also stands apart from similar lenders by charging no origination fee and offering lower rates.

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BEST STUDENT LOAN FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS 2026

College Ave Graduate Student Loan

Check rate

on College Ave's website

College Ave Graduate Student Loan

Min. credit score

Mid-600s

Fixed APR

2.39-15.99%

Variable APR

3.89-15.99%

Qualifications

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 cost of attendance.

Available Term Lengths

5, 10, 15 or 20 years

Fees

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

We like the flexibility College Ave gives graduate students in repaying their loans, which can matter over longer program timelines. Borrowers can make full, partial or interest-only payments from the start. They can set up automatic biweekly payments and designate within their account whether overpayments apply to principal first. The standard grace period is 9 months, extendable by 6 months on request, with longer periods available for some specialty programs. Graduate loan options are tailored to specific programs, including a new STEM graduate loan.

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BEST STUDENT LOAN FOR REFINANCING 2026

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Check rate

on Earnest's website

Earnest Student Loan Refinance

Min. credit score

650

Fixed APR

3.74-9.79%

Variable APR

5.68-9.79%

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 Lengths

5 to 20 years

Fees

Disclaimer: Actual rate will vary based on your financial profile. Fixed annual percentage rates (APR) range from 4.19% APR to 10.24% APR (3.94% – 9.99% with .25% auto pay discount). Variable annual percentage rates (APR) range from 6.13% APR to 10.24% APR (5.88% – 9.99% with .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 a month, but there is no limit on the amount that the rate could increase at one time. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, MS, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and requires selection of our shortest term offered and enrollment in our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account. Enrolling in autopay is not required as a condition for approval. Nine-month grace period is not available for borrowers who choose our Principal and Interest Repayment plan while in school. Choosing to refinance to a longer term may lower your monthly payment, but increase the amount of interest you may pay. Choosing to refinance to a shorter term may increase your monthly payment, but lower the amount of interest you may pay. Review your loan documentation for the total cost of your refinanced loan. Please note that you will lose benefits associated with your underlying federal loans, such as federal Income-driven Repayment Plans, Economic Hardship Deferment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or other deferment and forbearance options, if you refinance into a private loan. If you file for bankruptcy, you may still be required to pay back this loan. Earnest clients may skip a payment through a one, one-month forbearance during a 12 month period. Your first request to skip a payment can be made once you’ve made at least 6 months of consecutive on-time full principal and interest payments, and your loan is in good standing. The interest accrued during the skipped month will result in an increase in your remaining minimum payment. The final payoff date on your loan will be extended by the length of the skipped payment periods. Any unpaid accrued interest may capitalize (added to the principal balance) at the end of the forbearance period by adding unpaid accrued interest to the outstanding principal as permitted by law and the terms of the loan agreement. Interest will not be capitalized on loans originated to Michigan residents under the Regulatory Loan Act of 1963. Please be aware that a skipped payment does count toward the forbearance limits. Please note that skipping a payment is not guaranteed and is at Earnest's discretion. Your monthly payment and total loan cost may increase as a result of postponing your payment and extending your term.

WHY OUR NERDS LOVE IT

Earnest lets borrowers customize their refinance loan term and payment amount within a 5- to 20-year range and offers loan amounts up to $550,000, one of the higher maximums among student loan refinance lenders. In addition to refinancing loans for borrowers with a bachelor's degree, Earnest will refinance loans for borrowers with an associate's degree and — in some cases — no degree at all.. It also refinances parent PLUS loans once a student graduates. Earnest makes refinancing easier by pulling a borrower’s existing loans from their credit report and automatically paying off the old loans.

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