7 Best Nursing Student Loans of January 2026
Federal student loans are best for nursing students in undergraduate and graduate school programs.
If you need nursing student loans, exhaust your federal options before turning to private lenders. Federal student loans offer benefits like Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which many nurses may be able to take advantage of post-graduation.
Private loans for nursing students are available, and these can make sense if you’ve maxed out your federal aid. Graduate students with good credit may also want to consider a private nursing student loan if they can qualify for a low interest rate.
Here are our picks for the best student loans for nursing school, as well as information on how to weigh these options.
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.
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.
Best Nursing Student Loans
Lender | NerdWallet editorial rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5.0 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.74-15.99% | 3.89-15.99% | Check Rate on College Ave's website | |
 Sallie Mae Graduate School Loan for Health Professionals Check Rate on Sallie Mae's website | 4.5 /5 | Mid-600's | 2.89-14.99% | 3.87-13.50% | Check Rate on Sallie Mae's website |
 Ascent Graduate and Health Professions Student Loan Compare Rates on Credible’s website | Best for customer support and wide availability 5.0 /5 | Low-Mid 600s | 3.49-15.31% | 4.69-15.40% | Compare Rates on Credible’s website |
5.0 /5 | None | 6.39-7.94% | N/A | Read Review on NerdWallet |
Our pick for
Graduate nursing students with strong finances
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Mid-700s.
- Minimum income: $35,000 per year.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to the total cost of attendance.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- International students can qualify with a co-signer.
- Nine-month grace period is longer than other lenders offer.
- You must be at least halfway through your repayment term before you can request a co-signer release.
- One of the few lenders to provide loans to part-time students.
- Non-U.S. citizens, including DACA students, can apply with a U.S. co-signer.
- You can't see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
Rating and details displayed are for Sallie Mae's private student loan. Sallie Mae offers a Graduate School Loan for Health Professions with a 15-year repayment term and the option to make 12 interest-only payments after your grace period.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Not available.
- Minimum income: Not available.
- Loan amounts: up to $400,000.
- Forbearance of 24 months is longer than many lenders offer.
- Grace period of 9 months is longer than many lenders offer.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- You must be enrolled at least half-time to qualify.
Ascent offers a health professions student loan with a nine-month grace period and 36-month in-school deferment. Borrowers enrolled at least half-time can apply.
Our pick for
All nursing students as a first choice
You may be able to borrow subsidized or unsubsidized federal loans for an undergraduate nursing degree or certificate program. Unsubsidized loans are available for graduate programs.
- No credit check or minimum income is needed to borrow.
- Loan amounts for undergraduates: $5,500 year one, $6,500 year two, $7,500 year three and thereafter, up to a total of $31,000
- Independent students and graduate students have higher loan limits.
- Undergraduate interest rate fixed at 3.73%, while grad students get higher 5.28% rate
- More flexible repayment options for struggling borrowers than other lenders.
- Subsidized loans do not collect interest while in school or during deferment.
- Lower interest rates than many private lenders.
- You pay an origination fee.
Federal student loans are available to nursing students enrolled at least half-time at a degree-granting institution.
Our pick for
Nurses pursuing advanced degrees
Graduate students can take out up to $20,500 annually in unsubsidized loans. You can use graduate PLUS loans to fill any remaining tuition gap.
- Grad PLUS loan borrowers must not have adverse credit history.
- Borrowers with adverse credit history can still receive a grad PLUS loan by enlisting a co-signer without adverse credit history or documenting extenuating circumstances for their credit history.
- Loan amounts: Total cost of attendance minus other financial aid.
- More flexible repayment options for struggling borrowers compared with private lenders.
- All borrowers who attend a school authorized to receive federal aid can qualify.
- May have higher interest rates compared with private lenders.
- You pay an origination fee.
- You can’t see if you’ll qualify without a hard credit check.
Our pick for
Undergraduate nursing students with a qualified co-signer
You may save money with a private nursing school loan if you have a co-signer with good credit.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 670.
- Minimum income: No minimum income.
- Loan amounts: $1,001 or $2,001, based on residency and school location, up to cost of attendance minus other aid received.
- Forbearance of 24 months is longer than many lenders offer.
- No late fees.
- Only offers 2 loan terms.
Our pick for
International nursing students
Many private lenders offer student loans to international students with a U.S. or permanent resident co-signer. Fewer options are available if you don’t have an eligible co-signer.
- MPOWER considers future income potential but does not factor in credit scores.
- Loan amounts: Minimum $2,001. Maximum loan is $100,000, limited to $50,000 per academic period.
- 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.
- Payment required while in school.
- Offers only one repayment term: 10 years.
International nursing students and students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status can borrow from MPOWER without a co-signer.
How to pay for nursing school: Start with grants and scholarships
Nursing students should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), in order to qualify for grants, scholarships, work-study and federal student loans.
Exhaust “gift aid” you don’t have to repay before turning to student loans. For example, undergraduate nursing students with financial need can get a federal Pell Grant of up to $7,395 each year.
Aspiring nurses can also apply for the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program, which is operated by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. The scholarship covers tuition, fees and other educational costs, and comes with an additional monthly stipend. After graduation, you must spend at least two years working at an eligible health care facility with a critical nurse shortage.
If you have to borrow student loans for nursing school, opt for federal loans before considering private options. These loans come with more borrower protections, like repayment plans tied to income. Federal loans also tend to have lower interest rates, and they don’t require a credit check to qualify, like private options.
Types of federal loans for nursing students
Nursing students may have access to multiple federal loan options, depending on the degree they’re getting and which school they attend. Borrow them in this order:
Subsidized direct loans are available for undergraduate nursing students — those pursuing an ADN or BSN, for example — who demonstrate financial need. The amount you can borrow in subsidized student loans is limited, but these loans are a good first choice because the government pays the interest on them while you’re in school.
Nursing School Loans are a health professions student loan offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration to undergraduate and graduate students with financial need. Nursing School Loans are subsidized and have no set borrowing limit. However, these loans aren’t available at every school.
Unsubsidized direct loans are available to all nursing students, though borrowing limits and interest rates differ between undergraduate and graduate programs. Interest begins growing on unsubsidized loans as soon as you take them out, making them a more expensive option than the federal loans listed above.
Graduate PLUS loans are available for graduate nursing programs, such as MSN degrees. Graduate PLUS loans are unsubsidized and have the highest interest rates and fees among all federal loans. But these loans also have the highest borrowing limits: You can take out up to your school’s cost of attendance, minus other aid received.
Note: Federal loan options for graduate nursing students will change starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The graduate PLUS loan program will cease to exist. Instead, graduate students enrolled in a professional nursing degree program may borrow unsubsidized direct loans of up to $50,000 per year, and up to $200,000 overall. For any costs above those thresholds, students may need to turn to private student loans.
If you’re in the middle of a nursing graduate program right now, or if you’ll start your program by June 30, 2026, you can still take out graduate PLUS loans for up to three years, or for the duration of your program — whichever period is shorter.
» KEY CONTEXT: How Trump’s budget bill changes student loans
Private student loans for nursing school
Undergraduate students may need a private loan for nursing school after maxing out federal options. Private loans require good credit and strong income to qualify; most undergraduate students need a co-signer to meet these lending criteria.
If you’re a graduate student, some lenders offer loans specifically for those pursuing healthcare degrees. These may come with lower interest rates or larger borrowing limits than traditional private graduate student loans. Be sure to compare all private student loan options to get the best deal possible.
Student loan forgiveness for nurses
Federal student loans are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This program eliminates your remaining debt after you make 10 years of eligible payments while working for a qualifying nonprofit or government employer.
Some private loans may be eligible for different student loan forgiveness programs for nurses, such as the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program. Some states also help repay student loans for medical professionals, including nurses.
Last updated on January 12, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is a federal Nursing School Loan?
Federal Nursing School Loans are loans whose funding is from the Health Resources and Services Administration. These loans are available at participating schools for students with financial need.
Do nursing student loans qualify for forgiveness?
Yes, nurses who work at a nonprofit organization, or in a state or a health facility with a critical nurse shortage, may qualify for student loan forgiveness programs.
What is the best student loan for nursing school?
Nursing students should use federal loans before turning to private loans to fill in any remaining funding gaps. That's because federal loans offer more flexible repayment options and potential forgiveness.
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 Best Nursing Student Loans of January 2026
- College Ave Graduate Student Loan: Best for Graduate nursing students with strong finances, Fixed APR: 2.74-15.99%
- Sallie Mae Graduate School Loan for Health Professionals: Best for Graduate nursing students with strong finances, Fixed APR: 2.89-14.99%
- Ascent Graduate and Health Professions Student Loan: Best for Graduate nursing students with strong finances, Fixed APR: 3.49-15.31%
- Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan: Best for All nursing students as a first choice, Fixed APR: 6.39-7.94%
- Federal Grad PLUS Loan: Best for Nurses pursuing advanced degrees, Fixed APR: 8.94-8.94%
- ISL Private Student Loan: Best for Undergraduate nursing students with a qualified co-signer, Fixed APR: 3.95-8.01%
- MPOWER Private Student Loan: Best for International nursing students, Fixed APR: 12.99-15.99%