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Your Guide to Getting a DACA Student Loan

DACA students can apply for an Ascent loan with or without a cosigner. Check your pre-qualified rates in 4 simple steps - No application fees.

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The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates that over 1.3 million U.S. residents are currently eligible to participate in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). As the cost to pay for college continues to rise, for many DACA-eligible students, going to college may seem out of reach.

One common challenge is that undocumented students, including DACA students, are not eligible for federal student aid. On top of this, many states don’t allow DACA students to claim in-state tuition, and while there are scholarships specific for DACA students, they may be harder to come by.

Fortunately, Ascent offers scholarships and student loans for undergraduate and graduate DACA students.

Who is Eligible for a DACA student loan?

DACA students are eligible to apply as a solo borrower or as a borrower with a qualified cosigner.

  • For DACA status information, you can visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services faqs.
  • To verify your individual resident status, DACA students will need to provide documentation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that indicates DACA status that does not expire within 6-months of the end of the enrollment period for which the loan is being requested
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College costs can add up. We’re ready to help.

Stay focused on your goals – we’ll cover the expenses. From books to bills, Ascent student loans can pay for exactly what you need. Borrow as little as $2,001† up to your full cost of attendance so you can keep moving forward.

Start an Application †The minimum loan amount is $2,001, except for the state of Massachusetts. The minimum loan amount for borrowers with a Massachusetts permanent address is $6,001. Your maximum loan amount will be determined according to Ascent's Ts&Cs and your school's certification of the loan amount.

Ascent’s loans for DACA students

Ascent helps you cover up to 100% of your cost of attendance and other school-related expenses (up to $200,000 for undergraduate loans and $400,000 for graduate loans*) at over 2,200 colleges nationwide by offering DACA student loans for undergraduate and graduate students.

*The final amount approved depends on the borrower’s year in school, credit history, certified cost of attendance by an eligible school, and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information
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Astronauts

Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

For undergraduate DACA students with a creditworthy cosigner.

Variable APR* 4.34% - 14.75%
Fixed APR* 2.89% - 14.41%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Must have an eligible cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment
  • Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 5, 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status
Astronaut

Non-Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

For undergraduate DACA students without a cosigner who qualify based on credit and minimum income.

Variable APR* 8.24% - 13.60%
Fixed APR* 8.29% - 13.76%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Must have a valid social security number
  • Must have at least 2-years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment
  • Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 5, 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status
Astronauts

Non-Cosigned

Outcomes-Based Loan

For full-time undergraduate junior and senior DACA students with a 3.0+ GPA and no cosigner**

**NOTE: To be eligible without a cosigner, you must meet additional eligibility and credit requirements in addition to the eligibility requirements below. A cosigner may be required if you do not meet these requirements.

Variable APR* 12.89% - 14.84%
Fixed APR* 12.98% - 14.93%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled as a junior or senior full-time OR half-time within 9-months of graduation at an eligible school
  • Must maintain GPA of 3.0+ AND meet your school’s Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP)
  • Must have a valid social security number

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 10 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status
MBA

MBA

Student Loans

For DACA graduate students pursuing their MBA with or without a cosigner.

Variable APR* 5.04% - 15.00%
Fixed APR* 3.69% - 14.73%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • May apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • Students who apply without a cosigner must have a valid social security number, at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REWARDS:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
  • In School Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status

EXTENDED IN-SCHOOL PERIOD:

  • Maximum in-school period is 36 months
Medical

Medical School

Student Loans

For DACA graduate students pursuing their MD, DO, DVM, VMD, or DPM with or without a cosigner.

Variable APR* 5.04% - 15.00%
Fixed APR* 3.69% - 14.41%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Students may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • Students who apply without a cosigner must have a valid social security number, at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REWARDS:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 36 months after leaving school
  • In School Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 7, 10, 12, 15 or 20-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 36-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status

EXTENDED IN-SCHOOL PERIOD:

  • Maximum in-school period is 48 months
Dental

Dental School

Student Loans

For DACA graduate students pursuing their DMD or DDS with or without a cosigner.

Variable APR* 5.04% - 15.00%
Fixed APR* 3.69% - 14.41%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Students may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • Students who apply without a cosigner must have a valid social security number, at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REWARDS:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 12 months after leaving school
  • In School Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 7, 10, 12, 15 or 20-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 12-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status

EXTENDED IN-SCHOOL PERIOD:

  • Maximum in-school period is 48 months
Law

Law School

Student Loans

For DACA graduate students pursuing their JD or LLM with or without a cosigner.

Variable APR* 5.04% - 15.00%
Fixed APR* 3.69% - 14.73%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Students may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • Students who apply without a cosigner must have a valid social security number, at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REWARDS:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
  • In School Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status

EXTENDED IN-SCHOOL PERIOD:

  • Maximum in-school period is 36 months
Graduate student

General Graduate

Student Loans

For DACA graduate students pursuing their MA, MS, PhD, or other graduate school programs with or without a cosigner.

Variable APR* 5.04% - 15.00%
Fixed APR* 3.69% - 14.73%

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
  • Students may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • Students who apply without a cosigner must have a valid social security number, at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and minimum income requirements

REWARDS:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS (available while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school and during Grace Period)*:

  • Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
  • In School Interest-Only Repayment
  • $25 Minimum Payment
  • Immediate Repayment*
See repayment examples

TERMS*:

  • 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

GRACE PERIOD:

  • Postpone full principal and interest payments up to 9-months after graduation or leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less than half-time enrollment status

EXTENDED IN-SCHOOL PERIOD:

  • Maximum in-school period is 36 months

Check your rate without impacting your credit score.

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How to get your DACA student loan

You’ve already put a lot of work into preparing for school.

  • Satelite
    Step 1

    Submit your pre-qualification

    We ask you to provide important information such as your name, address, date of birth, the school you’re applying to, and employment information. If you’re applying with a cosigner, they’ll also enter their information.

  • Astronaut
    Step 2

    Customize your loan details

    Once your completed loan application is approved, you’ll be able to view your loan details and select the loan terms that work best for you.

  • Clipboard
    Step 3

    Complete any open loan tasks in your Ascent portal

    After you choose your loan terms, complete any loan application tasks in your Ascent portal.

  • Moneybag
    Step 4

    We pay the school

    When your portal tasks are complete, we send your loan for school certification. Once certified, we’ll disburse your loan directly to the school.

Ready to start your loan application?

See your rates today without impacting your credit score.

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Why choose an Ascent loan?

Ascent provides more opportunities for students and their families to qualify for student loans with a cosigner or student loans without a cosigner, as well as these additional benefits:

Choose between fixed or variable interest rates.

Start payments up to 9 months after graduation (depending on the loan you choose) and if you need to make lower payments after graduation, consider our Progressive Repayment option.

1.00% automatic debit discount for Ascent’s Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loans (new credit-based loans are eligible for a 0.5% discount*). Discount Terms & Conditions

No application, origination, or disbursement fees AND there’s no penalty if you pay off your loan early.

Ascent offers tips and resources that go beyond student loans to help you thrive in school and after graduation.

New 7 and 12-year repayment terms in addition to 5, 10, 15 and 20-year terms (depending on the loan you choose). See repayment examples

Apply for Ascent’s Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan (for eligible juniors and seniors), or apply to release your cosigner after making 12 consecutive, full principal and interest payments on-time or an equivalent amount and meeting other criteria.

Stay up to date with your student loan and make payments using our AscentConnect mobile app. Download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

1% Cash Back Reward upon graduation.

Ascent’s undergraduate borrowers get access to expert coaching and easy-to-use resources to help you complete your degree and launch a rewarding career. Info icon

Borrower Benefits Terms & Conditions

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Have questions about student loans?

We have answers.

Applying for DACA or college shouldn’t put undocumented family members at risk. Colleges typically have privacy policies preventing them from sharing students’ personal information, including immigration statuses, with outside entities. For more information, please contact your school.

Yes, there are loans for DACA students, but they aren’t available through the federal government. DACA student loans can be secured through private lenders like Ascent.

One of the most common loans for DACA students are private student loans.

Private loans for DACA students can be secured from certain banks and private lenders. Not all lenders provide loans for DACA students like Ascent. Our mission is to empower underserved students from all backgrounds to take control of their education, including providing more opportunities to qualify for a loan.

Ascent offers Cosigned and Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Loans to both undergraduate student loans and graduate student loans to DACA students.

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What are others saying about Ascent?

Ascent stands out for its range of payment reduction and postponement options, rare among private lenders. Borrowers can choose a graduated repayment plan, which provides a lower monthly payment to start that increases over time.” Read more

Forbes Advisor Best Private Student Loan 2021

We are recognizing Ascent with our Editor’s Choice™ Award as Top Private Student Loan Provider thanks to the company’s student-focused efforts and innovative loan options. ” Read more

BadCredit.org Editor’s Choice™ Award 2021

The best thing about Ascent is the fact that they make the process easy. I was able to do everything online and the money was sent directly to my school.

Anjellica C. Northern Arizona University

They talked to me and helped me out in the most possible way. They made sure I got the most that I possibly could.

Rnajee M. Mississippi State University

Ascent was great because they were able to answer all of my questions. They made getting to college a lot easier for me.

Grace G. Simmons College

Still have questions about Ascent’s private student loans?

We have answers.

Our customer service team is here to help. You can reach us via phone at 877-216-0876, email us at [email protected], or take a look at our top FAQs for DACA students below.

Ascent is the leading provider of innovative financial products and student support services that enable more students to access education and achieve academic and economic success.

Ascent offers Cosigned Credit-Based and Outcomes-Based student lLoans products for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) undergraduate and graduate students with or without a cosigner:

Not necessarily. Ascent considers several factors including: creditworthiness, school, program, graduation date, major, GPA, cost of attendance, and other factors that allow for undergraduate DACA students to potentially obtain a Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan without a cosigner. Nevertheless, applying with a cosigner may result in a lower interest rate.

Students with DACA status who do not qualify for an outcomes-based student loan or credit-based student loan may also apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.

Your cosigner must:

    • Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident

    • Have a minimum credit score, which is determined on a case-by-case basis

    • Have a minimum gross annual income of $30,000 for the current and previous year

    • Submit satisfactory proof-of-income

The option to apply to release the cosigner is only available to student borrowers who are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident at the time of the request. See full eligibility requirements at AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits.

Yes. You may be eligible for an Ascent student loan as a DACA recipient. Ascent offers cosigned credit-based and outcomes-based loans for DACA undergraduate and graduate students with or without a cosigner.

Yes. Ascent’s scholarship giveaways are open to students who are (i) enrolled in a degree program at least half-time, or technical skills training program (for example, a coding bootcamp) and (ii) legal residents of one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia or DACA student, age 18 or older.

DACA students often pay for college via private student loans. However, applying for scholarships and gaining employment may also help pay for college.

You may apply for private student loans as a DACA student through private lenders, such as Ascent.

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