Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release of January 2026
To get a student loan co-signer release, you must have at least one year of on-time payments and meet the lender's additional requirements on your own.
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 student loan 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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- 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.
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.
Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release
Lender | NerdWallet editorial rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 /5 | Mid-600's | 2.89-17.49% | 3.87-16.50% | Check Rate from Sallie Mae | |
Best for customer support and wide availability 5.0 /5 | Low-Mid 600s | 2.69-15.31% | 3.99-15.40% | Compare Rates on Credible’s website | |
4.5 /5 | Does not disclose | 5.29-8.04% | N/A | Read Review on NerdWallet | |
Best for faster repayment options 5.0 /5 | 600 | 2.85-15.61% | 3.66-16.06% | Compare Rates on Credible’s website |
Our pick for
Release after 12 months of payments
- 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.
- 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.
- You can't see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- 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.
- 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.
- Students enrolled less than half-time are not eligible.
- Co-signer release not available to international students.
- 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.
- Forbearance of 24 months is twice as long as most lenders.
- Loans are available if you’re enrolled less than half time.
- Fewer repayment terms than other lenders offer.
- Borrowers are not able to defer loans if they return to school after their grace period ends.
- 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.
- Not available in WV.
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.
Last updated on January 12, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Should I refinance instead of applying for student loan co‑signer release?
If you can refinance your student loan to a lower interest rate than you're currently paying, it could save you money and make it the better option. When you refinance, you get a new loan which can be without a co-signer, but you must be able to qualify independently. Also, refinancing can be an alternative when your current lender doesn't offer a co‑signer release option or the requirements are too strict.
Will my original student loan terms change after releasing a co‑signer?
No. The original loan terms remain the same after releasing a co‑signer. You still owe the same balance and interest rate, and your repayment schedule doesn't change. The only change is that you are now solely responsible for the loan. Any updates to terms (like a different repayment period or interest rate) would require refinancing the loan.
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.
19
Lenders reviewed
19
Lenders reviewed
We reviewed 19 banks, credit unions, and online lenders — including the top 10 by market share and search volume — plus lenders serving niche and nontraditional borrowers.
40
Features assessed
40
Features assessed
Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories, covering dozens of features related to affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.
50+
Data points analyzed
50+
Data points analyzed
Our team tracks and reassesses more than 50 data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
Star rating categories
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
5.0
Overall score
NerdWallet reviewed 19 banks, credit unions and online lenders offering student loans and student loan refinancing. We included 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. Some lenders are NerdWallet partners, but this did not influence our selection of the winner.
We consider 40 features and more than 50 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 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 Student Loans With Fastest Co-Signer Release of January 2026
- Sallie Mae Undergraduate Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments, Fixed APR: 2.89-17.49%
- Ascent Credit-based Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments, Fixed APR: 2.69-15.31%
- Advantage Education Private Student Loan: Best for Release after 12 months of payments, Fixed APR: 5.29-8.04%
- Abe: Best for Release after 12 months of payments, Fixed APR: 2.85-15.61%