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Can You Refinance Student Loans?
You can refinance student loans by meeting a lender’s financial and educational criteria.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Ryan Lane Assigning Editor | Small business, student loans
Ryan Lane is an editor on NerdWallet’s small-business team. He joined NerdWallet in 2019 as a student loans writer, serving as an authority on that topic after spending more than a decade at student loan guarantor American Student Assistance. In that role, Ryan co-authored the Student Loan Ranger blog in partnership with U.S. News & World Report, as well as wrote and edited content about education financing and financial literacy for multiple online properties, e-courses and more. Ryan also previously oversaw the production of life science journals as a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan is located in Rochester, New York.
Des Toups Lead Assigning Editor | Student loans, repaying college debt, paying for college
Des Toups was a lead assigning editor who supported the student loans and auto loans teams. He had decades of experience in personal finance journalism, exploring everything from car insurance to bankruptcy to couponing to side hustles.
You can refinance student loans if you meet a lender’s eligibility criteria. Requirements vary by lender, but you or a co-signer will typically need the following to qualify:
Eligible student loans.
A credit score in at least the high 600s.
Enough income to afford all your debts.
A degree from a qualifying college.
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Many lenders will prequalify you for student loan refinancing via a soft credit check. This won’t affect your credit score and will let you know if you can refinance student loans before you officially apply.
You can refinance both federal and private student loans — even if you’ve previously consolidated or refinanced them. There’s no limit on the number of times you can refinance.
Not all lenders will refinance federal PLUS loans, but the majority do. Fewer let you transfer a parent PLUS loan into the child’s name. If that’s your goal, check that the lender allows it before you apply.
You can’t transfer private loans to the federal government; you can only refinance with a private lender. That means you’ll lose access to programs like income-driven repayment and loan forgiveness by refinancing federal student loans. Consider whether you’ll need these options before refinancing.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.20% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.14% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% 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 per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.
650
5.89-
9.74%
Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.20% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.14% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% 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 per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 3.54% APR to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from
5.54% 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 11/20/24 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. The
SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments 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. The benefit
lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) UNDERGRAD LOANS: This repayment example is based on typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Partial Payment option with a 10-year repayment
term, a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in a single disbursement, a 0.25% autopay discount, and a fixed rate between 8.26% – 13.23% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”)
(with autopay). It also assumes the borrower remains in school for 4 years and has a 6-month grace period (together, the deferment period) before the loan term begins. It works out to 54 monthly payments of $25 during the deferment period, followed by 120 monthly payments ranging from $158.13 – $244.80 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments ranging from $20,325.32 – $30,726.15. This repayment example assumes that the borrower is signed up for autopay and that all payments are made on time, with no pre-payments. Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for new and repeat borrowers that apply for and are approved for a SoFi Private Student Loan. To receive the offer, you must: (1) complete a loan application with SoFi between 11/11/24 12:01AM PT to 01/30/25 11:59PM PT; and (2) meet SoFi’s underwriting criteria. Once conditions are met and the loan has been disbursed, the interest rate shown in the Final Disclosure Statement will include an additional 0.25% rate discount. Offer cannot be combined with any other rate discounts, with the exception of the 0.25% AutoPay rate discount. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate the Rate Discount Program to unenrolled participants at any time with or without notice. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit is suspended during periods of non-payment through ACH, deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.
650
5.54-
15.99%
Interest Rates: Eligibility and Important Details. Fixed rates range from 3.54% APR to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount. Variable rates range from
5.54% 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 11/20/24 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. The
SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments 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. The benefit
lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) UNDERGRAD LOANS: This repayment example is based on typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Partial Payment option with a 10-year repayment
term, a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in a single disbursement, a 0.25% autopay discount, and a fixed rate between 8.26% – 13.23% Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”)
(with autopay). It also assumes the borrower remains in school for 4 years and has a 6-month grace period (together, the deferment period) before the loan term begins. It works out to 54 monthly payments of $25 during the deferment period, followed by 120 monthly payments ranging from $158.13 – $244.80 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments ranging from $20,325.32 – $30,726.15. This repayment example assumes that the borrower is signed up for autopay and that all payments are made on time, with no pre-payments. Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for new and repeat borrowers that apply for and are approved for a SoFi Private Student Loan. To receive the offer, you must: (1) complete a loan application with SoFi between 11/11/24 12:01AM PT to 01/30/25 11:59PM PT; and (2) meet SoFi’s underwriting criteria. Once conditions are met and the loan has been disbursed, the interest rate shown in the Final Disclosure Statement will include an additional 0.25% rate discount. Offer cannot be combined with any other rate discounts, with the exception of the 0.25% AutoPay rate discount. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate the Rate Discount Program to unenrolled participants at any time with or without notice. The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit is suspended during periods of non-payment through ACH, deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
4.89-
9.04%
See LendKey's full terms and conditions at https://www.lendkey.com/disclaimers
680
5.54-
9.12%
See LendKey's full terms and conditions at https://www.lendkey.com/disclaimers
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
4.88-
8.44%
Subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. https://www.elfi.com/terms/
680
4.86-
8.49%
Subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. https://www.elfi.com/terms/
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Splash Financial, Inc. (NMLS # 1630038) reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. The information you provide is an inquiry to determine whether Splash’s lending partners can make you a loan offer, but does not guarantee you will receive any loan offers. Terms and conditions apply. Products may not be available in all states. These rates are subject to change at any time. If you do not use the specific link included on this website, offers on the Splash website may include other offers from lending partners that may have a higher rate. Fixed Rate options range from 5.94% APR - 8.95% APR (without autopay). Variable rate options range from 7.60% APR (with autopay) to 7.85% APR (without autopay). Variable APRs and amounts subject to increase or decrease. Lowest rates are reserved for the highest qualified borrowers and may require an autopay discount of 0.25%. Some of the rates are based on the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) index and some are 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). Fixed loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 7.50% for a 10-year term would be $118.70. Variable loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 7.85% for a 5-year term would be $202.05.
650
7.60-
7.85%
Splash Financial, Inc. (NMLS # 1630038) reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. The information you provide is an inquiry to determine whether Splash’s lending partners can make you a loan offer, but does not guarantee you will receive any loan offers. Terms and conditions apply. Products may not be available in all states. These rates are subject to change at any time. If you do not use the specific link included on this website, offers on the Splash website may include other offers from lending partners that may have a higher rate. Fixed Rate options range from 5.94% APR - 8.95% APR (without autopay). Variable rate options range from 7.60% APR (with autopay) to 7.85% APR (without autopay). Variable APRs and amounts subject to increase or decrease. Lowest rates are reserved for the highest qualified borrowers and may require an autopay discount of 0.25%. Some of the rates are based on the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) index and some are 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). Fixed loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 7.50% for a 10-year term would be $118.70. Variable loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 7.85% for a 5-year term would be $202.05.
Whether you’re refinancing federal student loans, private student loans or a mix of both, lenders are looking for borrowers who have:
Good credit. You typically need a credit score that’s in at least the high 600s. Many lenders cater to borrowers who have scores in the 700s or higher. If you have bad credit, you may still be able to refinance with a co-signer who meets the lender's criteria.
A history of on-time loan payments. Lenders will likely dig into your credit report to find evidence that you’ve paid your debts regularly in the past.
Lenders will have other eligibility criteria as well. For example, most won’t approve non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents without a co-signer. Prodigy Finance is a notable exception, offering refinancing to international working graduates in the United States.
Can you refinance student loans while still in school?
Most lenders won’t let you refinance student loans while you’re still in school. If a lender does allow this, you may need to be close to graduation to qualify and will likely have to start repayment immediately.
Typically, you must have already finished or left college to refinance your loans. And some lenders require you to have graduated with at least a bachelor’s degree. Most refinance lenders also won’t accept applicants who didn’t attend a school authorized to receive federal aid dollars.
For most people, refinancing after finishing school makes sense: It gives you some time to land a job and build the credit and payment record needed to qualify for the best possible rate.
If you have great credit and quickly find a job after graduation that more than covers your bills, it can make sense to refinance as soon as possible. The earlier you get a lower rate, the more you stand to save.
