Best Student Loans for Vet School of August 2026
Typically, veterinary school students should opt for federal student loan benefits and protections over private loans.
Veterinarian students who take out student loans owe an average of $212,499 upon graduating, according to 2025 data from the American Veterinary Medical Association.
In most cases, choosing federal student loans for vet school, rather than private loans, provides lower interest rates and more borrower protections. Opt for low-cost federal health professions student loans first, if you can qualify, then turn to unsubsidized direct loans.
Here are our picks for the best student loans for vet school, plus what you should know about each before borrowing.
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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 Student Loans for Vet School
Lender | NerdWallet editorial rating | Min. credit score | Fixed APR | Variable APR | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5.0 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.39-15.99% | 3.89-15.99% | Check Rate on College Ave's website | |
4.5 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.09-14.97% | 3.62-14.33% | Check Rate on Sallie Mae's website | |
5.0 /5 | Low-Mid 600s | 2.69-17.01% | 3.64-16.55% | Read Review on NerdWallet | |
4.5 /5 | Mid-600s | 2.19-14.05% | 4.74-14.55% | Check Rate on Earnest's website | |
4.0 /5 | 660 | 3.49-11.44% | 5.99-11.69% | Check Rate on ELFI's website | |
5.0 /5 | Mid-600 | 2.18-16.58% | 3.38-16.38% | Check Rate on Abe's website | |
5.0 /5 | Does not disclose | 2.45-14.83% | 4.39-15.86% | Check Rate on SoFi®'s website | |
4.0 /5 | Low 600s | 17.40-23.07% | 17.07-21.94% | Check Rate on GradBridge's website |
- 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 the cost of attendance minus any federal aid. The aggregate limit (total federal and private student loan debt) for medical school loans is $500,000.
- Four repayment options, including full principal and interest.
- Grace period is 36 months with option for six-month extension.
- Offers up to 48 months of deferment following the grace period.
- Has a medical residency and relocation loan.
- Offers a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Allows borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
- Charges a late payment fee, whereas some competitors do not.
- Doesn’t allow co-signer release until a borrower is at least halfway through their repayment term.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: Does not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to 100% of school-certified costs with no aggregate loan limit.
- Grace period is 48 months for medical school loans.
- Offers up to 48 months of deferment following the grace period.
- Has a medical residency and relocation loan.
- Provides loans to medical students enrolled less than half time.
- Offers pre-qualification with a soft credit check.
- Offers a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Immediate principal and interest payment while in school isn’t an option.
- The inability to make full payments while in school will increase the total interest cost.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: No minimum for borrowers with a co-signer. Co-signer minimum is $30,000 annually. Borrowers without a co-signer and at least two years of credit history must earn at least $30,000 and meet debt-to-income (DTI) requirements.
- Loan amounts: $2,001 up to $400,000 aggregate.
- Four repayment options, including full principal and interest.
- Grace period is 36 months for medical school loans.
- Offers up to 48 months of deferment following the grace period.
- Offers a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Allows borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
- Progressive Repayment plan is an option upon exiting grace period.
- Must be enrolled at least half time.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: 750.
- Minimum income: No minimum income required.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 to $400,000. Hawaii resident minimum is $1,501.
- Four repayment options, including full principal and interest.
- Offers returning borrowers a 0.25-percentage-point rate reduction.
- Offers an additional 0.25-percentage-point rate reduction with automatic payments.
- Provides up to 48 months of deferment during residency and fellowship.
- Has an option to skip one payment every 12 months for eligible borrowers.
- 9-month grace period is shorter than other providers of medical school loans.
- Does not offer renewable or multi-year approval options.
- Must be enrolled half time or more.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: None if enrolled in eligible program and credit criteria are met.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to cost of attendance.
- Offers up to 96 months of residency deferment.
- Provides multi-year approval to streamline borrowing for long degree programs.
- Has an automated deferment process for medical, dental and podiatry students.
- Allows borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
- Some borrowers may receive a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Is a new product with a limited track record.
- The maximum repayment term is shorter than some competitors’ medical school loans.
- Charges a late payment fee, whereas some competitors do not.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Not disclosed.
- Minimum income: No minimum, but borrowers must demonstrate a positive income.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 minimum up to the school’s total certified cost of attendance (minus other aid) with a limit of $300,000 for undergraduate programs, $350,000 for most graduate programs and $500,000 for specialty programs such as medical and dental.
- A 2% reduction on your principal balance when you provide proof of graduation (up to the borrower to request this).
- No fees — including late fees, application fees, debit card payment fees or forbearance fees.
- Grace periods of up to 12 months.
- Four repayment options.
- Loans available for graduate programs and graduate certificate programs.
- For every six months of on-time payments, the borrower’s rate can go down by 0.05% — for a total of up to 0.25%.
- Extra payments are not applied to the principal first.
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: No minimum income required.
- Loan amounts: $1,000 up to the cost of attendance.
- Graduate health professions students with no income or co-signer can use future income to apply.
- Some borrowers can qualify for multi-year approval with no annual application or hard credit check.
- Offers a 0.25-percentage-point rate discount with automatic payments.
- Borrowers earn points by using other SoFi products that can be redeemed to pay down student loans.
- Does not offer bi-weekly payments via autopay.
- Does not disclose minimum credit score requirements.
Our pick for
second-chance loans
- Typical credit score of approved borrowers or co-signers: Does not disclose.
- Minimum income: Does not disclose.
- Loan amounts: $5,000 to $60,000.
- Borrowers are eligible for a 0.25% interest rate discount when they sign up for automatic payments.
- Offers academic deferment for borrowers who return to school.
- Up to 24 consecutive months of hardship forbearance.
- Allows co-signers. Co-signer release only requires a soft credit check.
- GradBridge charges a 5% origination fee and a late fee of 5% or $5 (whichever is less).
- Only offers three term lengths: 5, 10 and 15 years.
- Does not have in-house customer service representatives.
Types of student loans for vet school
You may be able to pay for vet school with these types of student loans:
Federal health professions student loans
Vet students may be able to take out Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL) and Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS). These loans are funded by the federal government, but not the Department of Education (ED). That means they have some key differences — both good and bad — from federal direct loans:
Lower costs. HPSL and LDS have fixed interest rates of 5% and no origination fees. Unsubsidized loans have fees of roughly 1% of the total loan amount. Health professions loans also don’t accrue interest while you’re in school.
Longer grace periods. Federal health professions student loans don’t enter repayment until 12 months after you graduate — that’s twice as long as federal loans.
Limited availability and funding. HPSL and LDS are available only to students with financial need or from disadvantaged backgrounds at participating vet schools. The amount you’ll receive is up to your school’s discretion and available funding.
Fewer repayment options. Your school will determine your repayment term for these loans. Because HPSL and LDS don’t come from the Department of Education, they aren’t eligible for programs such as income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. You can consolidate HPSL and LDS into the federal student loan program to access these benefits. This is different from private loans, which can’t be transferred to the federal program.
You can apply for HPSL and LDS by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. You may need to include your parents’ financial information on this form to qualify.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
As part of federal student loan changes in 2026, grad PLUS loans were eliminated for new borrowers. Vet school students still have access to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans with increased annual borrowing limits. Veterinary Medicine or D.V.M. degrees meet ED's new professional classification, meaning vet students can borrow up to $50,000 a year and up to $200,000 lifetime for their program. A new overall lifetime cap across all federal loans is $257,500, which includes any federal undergraduate borrowing. You can apply for federal student loans by completing the FAFSA.
Private student loans for vet school
You may be able to get a private loan for vet school with a lower interest rate and smaller fees than federal loans have, depending on your or a co-signer’s credit score and financial history.
Many private lenders offer specific student loans for health professionals, including those studying for a D.V.M., as well as loans available to all graduate students. You can use either to pay for veterinary school, so compare all your options to get the best deal possible.
Some states offer forgivable private loans, but you typically must commit to working in a shortage area to qualify. For example, Missouri provides up to $30,000 in loans per academic year to 12 eligible students who attend the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation, the program forgives $30,000 each year a graduate practices large animal veterinary medicine in an area of need within the state.
Which student loan for vet school is right for you?
Most likely, federal student loans will be your best bet for vet school. When paying off vet school loans, many vets may need the income-driven repayment plans that only federal student loans offer.
If you’ll borrow less — perhaps much less — than your projected starting salary, you may pay less by qualifying for a lower interest rate with a private student loan. But federal loan protections better minimize your risk. If you don’t need those protections once you’re practicing, refinancing vet school loans with a private lender could lower your interest rate and save you money.
Last updated on August 3, 2026
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NerdWallet reviewed 20 banks, credit unions and online lenders offering student loans and student loan refinancing. We included the top lenders by market share and 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.
Within weighted categories, we consider dozens of features and more than 60 data points for each financial institution. Depending on the category, these may include the availability of bi-weekly 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 Student Loans for Vet School of August 2026
- College Ave
- Sallie Mae
- Ascent
- Earnest
- ELFI
- Abe
- SoFi®
- GradBridge: Best for second-chance loans, Fixed APR: 17.40-23.07%