Undergraduate Student Loans

115,000+ people have used Ascent to pay for school^**

4.8 out of 5

9,359 NPS reviews

Private Student Loan Rates

Fixed Rates

3.09% - 15.61% APR^*

Variable Rates

4.31% - 15.22% APR^*

How to apply for your private student loan

School is hard work, but applying for an Ascent loan is fast and easy.

1.
Apply

You provide details like your name, school, and date of birth to see if you pre-qualify without impacting your credit score. If you have a cosigner, they’ll also enter their information.
2.
Preview your options

Once you're pre-qualified, you can view your rate and monthly payment options, and choose the repayment plan that works best for you.
3.
Ascent confirms your eligibility

Ascent confirms your eligibility with a hard credit check, you provide any additional information needed, and your school confirms your enrollment.
4.
We send your tuition

Ascent sends your tuition to your school so you can focus on your education and bright future. When it's time to repay, we help you stay on track.

Get Started

Ascent's Undergraduate Student Loans

Ascent helps you cover up to 100% of your cost of attendance and other school-related expenses (up to $200,000⁴) at over 2,200 colleges nationwide by offering undergraduate loans for students and families.

Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

For students with a creditworthy cosigner

Variable APR^* 4.31% - 14.72%

Fixed APR^* 3.09% - 14.41%

ELIGIBILITY:

Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or have a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status
Must have an eligible cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
International students also may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. - See eligibility 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

Parent

Credit-Based Loan

For parents, grandparents, guardians, and sponsors with a student attending an eligible school

Variable APR^* 5.51% - 15.22%

Fixed APR^* 5.10% - 15.61%

ELIGIBILITY:

Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Must be a parent, grandparent, guardian, or sponsor with an eligible student who is enrolled less than half-time, half-time or full-time at a degree-granting, Title IV, Ascent eligible school
Meet the minimum credit score and income requirements

REPAYMENT OPTIONS

Interest-Only Repayment
Immediate Repayment

See repayment examples

TERMS^*:

5, 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years

(No penalty for early repayment)

Non-Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

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

Variable APR^* 8.21% - 13.57%

Fixed APR^* 8.29% - 13.76%

ELIGIBILITY:

Enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school
Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S.permanent resident or have a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status with 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

Non-Cosigned

Outcomes-Based Loan

For juniors and seniors who meet our credit criteria

Variable APR^* 12.87% - 14.81%

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 be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or have a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status with a valid social security number
Must maintain GPA of 3.0+ AND meet your school’s Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP)

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

⁴The 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. The maximum loan amount is $200,000 for credit-based loans and $20,000 for outcomes-based loans ($200,000 aggregate total for all loans). 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.

Check your rate without impacting your credit score.

See My Rates

We’ve got your (cash) back – and even more benefits to help you succeed

Ascent provides more opportunities for you and your family to apply for private undergraduate student loans with or without a cosigner, and our parent student loans, as well as these exclusive benefits.

Bigger discounts

Get a discount when you sign up for automatic payments^*. Plus, when you enroll, you never have to worry about missing a payment.

Learn More

Cash reward at graduation²

Celebrate your success when you graduate from college by applying for a cash reward from the Ascent team.

Learn More

Options for more

We’re providing access to education to as many people as possible, including DACA and international students.

Learn More

Flexible payment plans

You have the flexibility to choose to start making payments before or after leaving school. We also have protections in place to help you if unexpected life events happen.

Learn More

No fees¹

No application, origination, disbursement, late, or NSF fees and no penalty if you pay off your loan early¹.

Extra help

Get your questions answered and meet your goals with access to friendly, expert help on academic, career, and finance essentials.

Learn More

115,000+ people have trusted Ascent to provide more than just a loan^**

82%

of credit-based college loan borrowers increased their credit score³
1.2 million+

minutes of financial wellness education accessed
$355,000+

scholarships awarded by Ascent since 2020

Resources for college students and families

Ultimate Guide to Paying for College: Free course on college finances
Monthly scholarship opportunities for students and parents
Ascent Blog: Insights and advice for student life and finance

Hear from real borrowers

Possibly the easiest process I have ever gone through in order to secure a loan.

Vincent B.

Everyone was so helpful and nice to work with! Being a first generational College student picking a loan was scary and nerve wracking! but they made it so easy!

Natalie G.

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.

Emily S.

Ready to fund your higher education journey?

Check your rates without impacting your credit score.

Check My Rates Explore Benefits

Have questions about Ascent’s undergraduate loans?

We have answers.

Who is Ascent?

Ascent Funding is an award-winning company, committed to revolutionizing how students pay for higher education at colleges and coding bootcamps. Ascent was named Best Private Student Loan for 2021 by Forbes Advisor, NerdWallet, and Money.com. Ascent empowers students from all economic backgrounds and disciplines (including DACA students). To set students up for success, we incorporate financial wellness into our application process (the ONLY student loan company to require this) and offer exclusive benefits for students like the opportunity to qualify for a loan without a cosigner (for juniors and seniors), 1% cash back, no fees, and over $80,000 in scholarships awarded every year.

Who is eligible to apply for Ascent’s undergraduate loans?

Students from all majors at every grade level that are attending an eligible institution can apply for an Ascent loan.

How much can an undergraduate student borrow in private student loans with Ascent?

The maximum loan amount for Ascent loans is limited to the total cost of attendance for a period not to exceed one full academic year, less any financial aid, as certified by your school. Note: Your maximum loan amount may be less than the amount requested on your application due to school certification or other underwriting factors.

Minimum: $2,001*
Maximum (aggregate total): $200,000 for Undergraduate Loans; $400,000 for Graduate Loans
Maximum for academic year:
- $200,000 for Undergraduate and Graduate Credit-Based Loans
- $20,000 for Undergraduate Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loans

^*The loan minimum amount is $2,001 except for the state of Massachusetts. Minimum loan amount for borrowers with a Massachusetts permanent address is $6,001.

Do I need a cosigner for my undergraduate student loan?

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

Students that have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status or are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident must apply with a creditworthy cosigner that is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.

Check out more FAQs

^*Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed above are effective as of 07/01/2025 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 115,000 borrowers took out an Ascent loan for college or career training tuition or expenses between January 2018 and November 2024.

¹Only Ascent college loans are eligible for no fees. Ascent bootcamp 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.

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.

³See Ascent's 2023 Impact Report for details. Impact 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.

Private undergraduate student loans designed with you in mind

Cover up to 100% of your undergrad financing options in minutes with no fees - ever!

Private Student Loan Rates

3.09% - 15.61% APR*

4.31% - 15.22% APR*

How to apply for your private student loan

Apply

Preview your options

Ascent confirms your eligibility

We send your tuition

Ascent's Undergraduate Student Loans

Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

ELIGIBILITY:

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

TERMS*:

GRACE PERIOD:

Parent

Credit-Based Loan

ELIGIBILITY:

REPAYMENT OPTIONS

TERMS*:

Non-Cosigned

Credit-Based Loan

ELIGIBILITY:

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

TERMS*:

GRACE PERIOD:

Non-Cosigned

Outcomes-Based Loan

ELIGIBILITY:

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

TERMS*:

GRACE PERIOD:

Check your rate without impacting your credit score.

We’ve got your (cash) back – and even more benefits to help you succeed

Bigger discounts

Cash reward at graduation2

Options for more

Flexible payment plans

No fees1

Extra help

115,000+ people have trusted Ascent to provide more than just a loan**

82%

1.2 million+

$355,000+

Resources for college students and families

Hear from real borrowers

Ready to fund your higher education journey?

Have questions about Ascent’s undergraduate loans?

We have answers.

What type of loan are you looking for?

College Loan

Career Training Loan

Don’t Miss Out on Our Best College Loan Rates!

3.09% - 15.61% APR^*

4.31% - 15.22% APR^*

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

TERMS^*:

TERMS^*:

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

TERMS^*:

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

TERMS^*:

Cash reward at graduation²

No fees¹

115,000+ people have trusted Ascent to provide more than just a loan^**