Extra college expenses?
We can help — big or small. Whether it's unexpected surprises like supplies, books, laptops, tuition or more — Ascent loans can help cover up to 100% of school costs.
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.
Check your rate without impacting your credit score.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.
DACA students are eligible to apply as a solo borrower or as a borrower with a qualified cosigner.
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 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 informationFor undergraduate DACA students with a creditworthy cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For undergraduate DACA students without a cosigner who qualify based on credit and minimum income.
(No penalty for early repayment)
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.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For DACA graduate students pursuing their MBA with or without a cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For DACA graduate students pursuing their MD, DO, DVM, VMD, or DPM with or without a cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For DACA graduate students pursuing their DMD or DDS with or without a cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For DACA graduate students pursuing their JD or LLM with or without a cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
For DACA graduate students pursuing their MA, MS, PhD, or other graduate school programs with or without a cosigner.
(No penalty for early repayment)
Check your rate without impacting your credit score.
Get StartedYou’ve already put a lot of work into preparing for school.
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.
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.
After you choose your loan terms, complete any loan application tasks in your Ascent portal.
When your portal tasks are complete, we send your loan for school certification. Once certified, we’ll disburse your loan directly to the school.
See your rates today without impacting your credit score.
Apply NowAscent 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.
Check your rate without impacting your credit score.
Get StartedApplying 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.
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
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
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.
They talked to me and helped me out in the most possible way. They made sure I got the most that I possibly could.
Ascent was great because they were able to answer all of my questions. They made getting to college a lot easier for me.
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 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:
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 Professions, Nursing, Pharmacy, MA, MS, PhD, etc.)
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
Yes. You can apply to release your cosigner after making twelve (12) consecutive, full principal and interest payments on-time or an equivalent prepayment amount while also meeting the other eligibility criteria to qualify including, but not limited to electing to make automatic payments, meeting certain minimum credit and income requirements and completing a cosigner release application. See full eligibility requirements at AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits.
The student borrower must make the request to release a cosigner directly with Launch Servicing or the loan holder. Note: The option to apply to release the cosigner is only available to student borrowers who are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or has a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status.
We can help — big or small. Whether it's unexpected surprises like supplies, books, laptops, tuition or more — Ascent loans can help cover up to 100% of school costs.