6 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.
Several lenders will refinance student loans if you haven’t earned a degree, which could reduce your payments or allow you to pay off the loans more quickly.
If you’re making payments on time, have a good credit score and have a stable job, you may be able to refinance your loans at a lower interest rate. Here are our top picks for student loan refinancing if you don't have a degree.
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- 17 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 41 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
- 17 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 41 categories and more than 50 data points across student loan origination and student loan refinance.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Lenders That Will Refinance Student Loans for Borrowers With No Degree
Lender | NerdWallet editorial rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 /5 | 665 | 4.45-9.99% | 5.88-9.99% | Check Rate on Earnest's website | |
Best for faster repayment options and wide availability 5.0 /5 | 670 | 5.95-9.99% | N/A | Read Review on NerdWallet | |
Best for wide availability 5.0 /5 | 680 | 3.99-8.74% | N/A | Compare Rates on Credible’s website |
Our pick for
Borrowers still in school who have a job offer
- 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.
- 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.
- Loans aren't available in Nevada.
Our pick for
Borrowers who want extra forbearance
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Our pick for
Income-based repayment
- 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.
- Income-based repayment plan available, with forgiveness after 25 years.
- Co-signer release available after 24 months.
- Students cannot refinance a parent PLUS loan in their name.
Our pick for
Borrowers who want to chose from multiple repayment terms
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: 756.
- Minimum income: $30,000.
- Loan amounts: $7,500 to $200,000.
- You can refinance without a degree.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- You cannot refinance parent PLUS loans in your name.
Best for students who don’t have a degree and are seeking multiple repayment terms.
Our pick for
Borrowers with a stable income who don’t have a degree
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Did not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $10,000 minimum.
- Must have a degree: No.
- No late fees.
- You can see if you’ll qualify and what rate you’ll get without a hard credit check.
- No formal deferment/forbearance options.
- No co-signer release.
Our pick for
Borrowers who don’t have a degree
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Does not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $10,000 to $75,000.
- Must have a degree: No.
- Interest rate discount for autopay is larger than most lenders offer.
- Borrowers can refinance without a degree.
- 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.
How to refinance student loans without a degree
Some lenders don’t require you to have a degree to refinance your student loans. However, you still need to meet certain qualifications:
Have attended a school that offers federal student aid, known as a Title IV school, even if you didn’t graduate.
Have a credit score in the high 600s or higher, plus a stable financial history and consistent income. Borrowers with higher incomes have an easier time getting approved for refinancing and tend to get the best interest rates.
Have a co-signer who meets these qualifications if you don’t. Consider lenders that offer a co-signer release, which allows your co-signer to be released from your debt after a specified period of on-time payments.
» MORE: How to refinance student loans in 7 steps
Should I refinance my student loans?
Refinancing can save you money by replacing your current debt with a new, lower-rate loan through a private lender. You can refinance both federal and private student loans.
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 your interest by $3,711. Alternatively, you could keep the same payments as before and be debt-free 13 months sooner.
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.
What if I don’t qualify for refinancing?
Federal loans
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, but it could lower payment amounts by extending the repayment term.
» MORE: Pros and cons of consolidating federal student loans
Private loans
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 typically offer hardship forbearance, which temporarily halts payments on loans while interest continues to accrue.
Last updated on January 12, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Can you refinance student loans without a degree?
Yes, some lenders will let you refinance your student loans if you haven’t earned a degree. You’ll need to meet credit and income requirements that your lender sets, or have a co-signer who meets those qualifications.
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.
17
Lenders reviewed
17
Lenders reviewed
We reviewed 17 banks, credit unions, and online lenders — including the top 10 by market share and search volume — plus lenders serving niche and nontraditional borrowers.
41
Features assessed
41
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, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, through our annual survey to lenders.
Star rating categories
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
5.0
Overall score
NerdWallet surveyed and reviewed 17 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 41 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 Lenders That Will Refinance Student Loans for Borrowers With No Degree
- Earnest Student Loan Refinance: Best for Borrowers still in school who have a job offer, Fixed APR: 4.45-9.99%
- Advantage Education Loan Student Loan Refinance: Best for Borrowers who want extra forbearance, Fixed APR: 5.95-9.99%
- RISLA Student Loan Refinance: Best for Income-based repayment, Fixed APR: 3.99-8.74%
- EDvestinU Student Loan Refinance: Best for Borrowers who want to chose from multiple repayment terms, Fixed APR: 7.41-11.03%
- MEFA Student Loan Refinance: Best for Borrowers with a stable income who don’t have a degree, Fixed APR: 6.20-8.99%
- PNC Student Loan Refinance: Best for Borrowers who don’t have a degree, Fixed APR: 6.99-16.39%