A loan that fits your needs
We offer multiple repayment plans*, so you can choose what works best for you! Pre-qualify in minutes to compare your options and preview your payments.
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Monthly Payment After Graduation
$0
Principal + interest
Payment Breakdown
Loan amount
$0
Total interest
$0
Total amount paid
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About Your Repayment Plan
Understanding Your Estimate
While these numbers are only estimates, we hope they help you plan with confidence. You can adjust multiple factors like interest rate and repayment term to see how your monthly payment and total loan cost might change.
If you have questions or want to talk through your options, just reach out—our team is happy to help!
Key Terms to Know
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Principal: The original amount you borrowed, not including interest. This is the base amount on which interest is calculated.
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Interest: The cost of borrowing money, calculated as a percentage of your principal. This is what you pay to the lender in addition to repaying the principal.
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Fixed rate: A fixed rate loan means your monthly payments will always be the same amount, from the start of your loan until it's paid off. This stays true no matter what happens in the economy, so you'll always know what your payment will be each month.
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Variable rate: A variable rate loan means your monthly payments can go up or down over time. The amount you pay depends on changes in the economy—like interest rates set by banks. If rates go up, your payments might increase; if rates go down, your payments could decrease.
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Repayment Term: A repayment term is the total number of years you have to pay back your loan, such as 5, 10, or 15 years. With Ascent, you can always pay off your loan sooner if you want, and there's no penalty for early repayment.
No Surprises
You can preview your rate and repayment options without affecting your credit. We keep things simple with clear terms and no hidden fees3.
Extra Support
Get your questions answered and meet your goals with access to friendly, expert help on academic, career, and finance essentials. We're invested in your journey to success!
Community Benefits
Celebrate graduation with a cash reward2, get a discount when you sign up for autopay, earn money when you refer friends, and enter for a chance to win monthly scholarships.
168,000+ people have used Ascent to pay for school
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82%
of credit-based college loan borrowers increased their credit score4
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1.2 million+
minutes of financial wellness education accessed
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$355,000+
scholarships awarded by Ascent since 2020
Ready to take the next step?
Check your rates in under 3 minutes without impacting your credit score.
Check My RateNo two lenders are alike,
but one always has your back
Just ask our borrowers.
Possibly the easiest process I have ever gone through in order to secure a loan.
Everyone was so helpful and nice to work with! Being a first generation college student picking a loan was scary and nerve wracking! but they made it so easy!
I've had such a struggle finding a loan and Ascent made it so simple. Not only was the process a weight lifted off my shoulders, but also ensured that I understood more about loans in general.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have answers.
Don't worry – our pre-qualification process uses a soft-inquiry tool that won't affect your credit. If you pre-qualify for an Ascent loan, you'll see your exact rates and repayment options with no impact on your credit. We'll only continue to a hard credit check once you accept and agree to move forward with a loan option.
Your pre-qualified rate and final rate after hard credit check may differ depending on changes to your credit score in the interim. Please note that a hard credit check may impact your credit score, and typically will stay on your credit report for about 2 years.
Interest rates are based on different criteria depending on the type of loan you're applying for:
- Cosigned Credit-Based Loans: When applying with a cosigner, we consider both the student's credit score and the credit score of your cosigner. Both credit scores, as well as your chosen repayment plan and loan term, are used to determine your interest rate, and your cosigner must meet minimum income requirements to be eligible.
- Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Loans: For this loan option, only the student's credit score is considered, along with their chosen repayment plan and loan term. The student must have a two-year credit history and a minimum credit score as well as meet minimum income and debt-to-income requirements to be eligible.
- Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan (eligible undergraduate juniors and seniors only): If a student has no credit score, their rates are created based on their chosen repayment plan. If a student meets the minimum credit score, with or without two years of credit history, their score may be used to calculate your interest rate.
For more information, please visit our Repayment Examples.
The minimum required credit score varies based on the loan product, credit history, and whether you're applying with a cosigner. Our credit requirements vary for each loan product. Our pre-qualification tool can help you determine which product could be best for you based on your unique circumstances.
Your school will set the date for your disbursement during the certification process. We'll send the funds to your school on the closest available date to their request.
Ascent offers private student loans to help undergraduate and graduate students pay for college.
- Undergraduate students have the option to apply for a Cosigned Credit-Based Loan, Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Loan or Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan (for eligible juniors and seniors – see eligibility requirements.)
- Graduate students have the option to apply for a Cosigned Credit-Based Loan or Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Loan. Ascent created customized repayment terms for:
- Business School (MBA)
- Dental School (DMD, DDS)
- Law School (JD, LLM)
- Medical School (MD, DO, DVM, VMD, DPM)
- General Graduate School (Health Professionals, Nursing, Pharmacy, MA, MS, PhD), etc.)
- Parents, grandparents, guardians, or sponsors have the option to apply for a Parent Student Loan – see eligibility requirements.
This student loan calculator is here to help you explore your options and learn more about how loans work. The numbers you see are just estimates based on what you enter—they're not financial advice, a loan offer, or a guarantee of actual terms. Real loan details like interest rates, monthly payments, and repayment schedules can vary depending on your lender, your credit, and the law. If you're looking at federal student loans, keep in mind that programs like income-driven repayment plans, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and other benefits aren't included in these estimates. For official info on federal loans, check out studentaid.gov. Use this tool as a starting point, not the final word. For personalized guidance or official loan terms, talk to your lender or a qualified financial advisor.
Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions and conditions apply. See Terms and Conditions at AscentFunding.com/Rates and AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Loan features and information advertised are intended for Ascent college student loans and are subject to change at any time.
*Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed above are effective as of 01/12/2026 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount of 0.25% on credit-based college student loans submitted prior to 06/01/2025, a 0.5% discount on credit-based college student loans submitted on or after 06/01/2025, and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based college student loans when you enroll in automatic payments. Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions and conditions apply. Loan features and information advertised are intended for college student loans and are subject to change at any time. For more information, see repayment examples or review the Ascent Student Loans Terms and Conditions. The final amount approved depends on the borrower's credit history, verifiable cost of attendance as certified by an eligible school and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information. Lowest interest rates require full principal and interest (Immediate) payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
**Over 168,000 borrowers took out an Ascent loan for college or career training tuition or expenses between January 2018 and August 2025.
2Ascent's 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward is for eligible college students only and subject to terms and conditions. Eligible students must request the graduation reward from Ascent. Learn more at AscentFunding.com/CashBack. 1% Cash Back Reward amount dependent upon total loan amount for Ascent college loan borrowers; approximately $365 average reward amount based upon eligible borrowers who received Cash Back Rewards in 2023. Aggregate cash back limit of $500.
3Only Ascent college loans are eligible for no fees. Ascent career training loans are subject to a one-time origination fee of 5.0% of the loan amount. All Ascent loans are eligible for no application, disbursement, late, NSF or early payment fees.
4Impact to score may vary. For some, scores may not improve. Results will depend on many factors, including on-time payment history, the status of non-Ascent accounts, and other financial history.
