Earn $100 for switching to Ascent!
It’s that easy.

We want to show you why we’re named the best private student loan of 2021. Give Ascent a try and get a $100 VISA® gift card when you switch from your previous private lender.*

Switch Today
Check your rate without impacting your credit score.

Why switch to Ascent?

Ascent offers award-winning loans for college with rates starting at 4.17% APR.** Find your best student loan option in minutes – NO application fees. The first 1,000 students who apply for and receive an Ascent college loan will enjoy a $100 VISA gift card.*

		CollegeAve	SallieMae	Discover
Named Best Private Student Loan for 2021
Fixed or Variable Rates
Number of Loan Terms	5	4	3	1
Ways to Repay Your Loan	3	4	3	4
First Payment After Graduation	9 months	6 months	6 months	6 months
Outcomes-Based Loans without a Cosigner
1% Cash Back Reward***
Progressive (or Graduated) Repayment
Financial Wellness in the Application
Automatic Payment Discounts	Up to 1.00%**	.25%	.25%	.25%
Application Fees	None	None	None	None
Time to Pre-qualify	3 minutes	3 minutes	15 minutes	15 minutes

© 2021 Forbes Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. See Forbes Advisor Awards.
©2017-2021 and TM, NerdWallet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comparisons based on information obtained on lenders’ websites as of July 2, 2021.

*To qualify for this offer, you must currently have an existing student loan from another private lender and complete and submit an application directly at AscentFunding.com/Switch for an Ascent college loan between 9:00am PST 07/16/2021 and 11:59pm PST 09/30/2021 and subsequently be approved, accept the Ascent loan offer, and have your Ascent loan disbursed. Ascent reserves the right to require that you submit documentation as proof of an existing private student loan, including, but not limited to, a current account statement. If deemed eligible based upon these and other requirements, your $100 VISA gift card will be sent within 30 days of your Ascent college loan being disbursed to the email address provided on the qualifying Ascent application. See offer details.
**Ascent offers an Automatic Payment Discount of 0.25% for credit-based loans and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. For more information, see repayment examples or review the Ascent Student Loans Terms and Conditions.
*** 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions, click here for details

Here’s how it works

4 simple steps –
NO application fees.

Apply for an Ascent Loan.
Accept your loan terms.
Your loan is disbursed (funded).
Enjoy a $100 VISA gift card

What are the other benefits of an Ascent loan?

Affordable

Affordable rates and auto-pay discounts.

Repay on your terms

Choose to start making payments now or after leaving school AND no penalty if you choose to pay off your loan early.

Fast & easy

Complete your loan application in minutes and check your pre-qualified rates without impacting your credit score

Free resources & apps

Ascent offers additional resources to help you thrive in school and beyond.

Build credit in your own name

Apply for a loan on your own. If you don’t
pre-qualify, you can add a cosigner.

Get Started

Check your rate without impacting your credit score.

They offer non co-signed loan

Ascent made it possible for me to have my own loan without the help of others. I was able to take my education into my own hands.

Nikara M.
Western Washington University

The people are amazing

Every time I called, everyone was nice and gave me the information I need in a quick and timely manner.

Ericka D.
Setan Hall University

The process was easy and simple

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

Switching to Ascent FAQs

When will I receive my $100 VISA gift card?

If eligible, your $100 VISA gift card will be sent within 30 days of your Ascent college loan being disbursed.

How will I receive my $100 VISA gift card?

Your $100 VISA gift card will be emailed to the eligible student borrower email address provided on the qualifying Ascent application. NOTE: This offer is only available to qualified student borrowers; cosigners are not eligible.

Who do I contact if I am having trouble with my $100 VISA gift card?

Our 100% U.S.-based customer service team is here to help! Call us toll-free at 877-216-0876 or email us at [email protected]

I believe I was eligible, but I never received my $100 VISA gift card?

Our 100% U.S.-based customer service team is here to help! Call us toll-free at 877-216-0876 or email us at [email protected]

How do I know if I qualify?

Students who are at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status may apply. For additional information regarding eligibility for an Ascent college loan including citizenship requirements, please see Ascent’s FAQs. Within 30 days of your Ascent loan disbursement, your eligibility for the $100 VISA gift card may be confirmed. We reserve the right to verify that you have an existing private student loan with one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months of your qualifying Ascent application submission date: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo.

Can I qualify for this offer if I am under the age of 18?

No, students must be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status to apply.

Do I qualify if I only have a federal loan from completing the FAFSA?

No, students with only loans from the federal government do not qualify for this offer. Student borrowers must have an existing private student loan from one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months to be eligible for the $100 VISA gift card: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo.

Can I qualify if I don’t have an existing loan with another private student loan lender?

No, student borrowers must have an existing private student loan from one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months to be eligible for the $100 VISA gift card: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo.

Do you pay off my loan or do I need a new one?

No, Ascent does not refinance previously originated loans or other private/federal loans.

Do I have to refinance my loan? What if I already graduated?

No, Ascent does not refinance previously originated loans or other private/federal loans. Ascent’s college loans may be used to cover educational related expenses as certified by an eligible school for a loan period not to exceed one full academic year. Ascent’s college loans must be certified by the school within 180-days from the end of the loan period for which the loan proceeds are to be used. At the time of request, the student must be enrolled or registered for enrollment at (or graduated from) the same institution listed on the application. The student must have been enrolled during the prior enrollment period for which the loan is requested and must not have withdrawn with no intention of re-enrolling, as verified by the school.

Are cosigners eligible for the $100 bonus?

At this time, this $100 VISA gift card is paid to student borrowers only. From the very beginning, we try to put money in the hands of those who need it most – the students.

Do I need to have an undergraduate loan to get $100?

No, this offer is available for Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate private student loans. This offer is not available for Ascent Career training loans.

Can I participate if I take out a career training loan?

No, this offer is not available for students who take out a career training loan with Ascent. This offer is available for students who take out an Ascent undergraduate or graduate private student loan.

What if I have a loan with Ascent already?

If you already have an Ascent loan, thanks for coming back to us! You can still qualify for Ascent’s “switch” offer if you have an existing private student loan from one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo.

If I have more than one loan from different companies, can I receive it twice?

No, each eligible student borrower may only receive one $100 VISA gift card. If you meet the eligibility requirements and have an existing private student loan from one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months you are eligible for the $100 VISA gift card: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo.

Can this be combined with the refer a friend bonus?

No, this offer cannot be combined with other Ascent offers or incentives.

Do I need a co-signer?

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 are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status may apply without a cosigner. Students that are not a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or have DACA status may apply for an Ascent loan with a creditworthy cosigner that is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, but they are not eligible for this offer.

Is there a minimum/maximum loan amount to qualify?

The minimum loan amount for an Ascent private student loan for college is $2,001. The maximum loan amount is $200,000 (aggregate total). Maximum for academic year:

$200,000 for Undergraduate and Graduate Credit-Based Loans
$20,000 for Undergraduate Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loans

TERMS & CONDITIONS

To qualify for this offer, you must complete and submit an application directly at AscentFunding.com/Switch for an Ascent college loan between 9:00am PST 07/16/2021 and 11:59pm PST 09/30/2021 and subsequently be approved, accept the Ascent loan offer, and have your Ascent loan disbursed. Offer may only be redeemed by the eligible participant; such eligibility determined by Ascent in its sole discretion. The qualifying student must be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status. Within 30 days of your Ascent loan disbursement, your eligibility for the $100 VISA ® gift card may be confirmed. We reserve the right to verify that you have an existing private student loan with one (or more) of the following lenders within the past 24 months of your qualifying Ascent application submission date: Citizens Bank, CommonBond, College Ave Student Loans, Discover Bank, Earnest, LendKey, PNC Bank, Sallie Mae, SoFi, SunTrust, and/or Wells Fargo. Additional terms and conditions may apply, depending on other terms offered or chosen. For most people, federal student loans are a better deal than private student loans, so you’ll want to take advantage of federal options first. Students should consider grants, federal student loans, and other sources of funding before taking out a private student loan.

Your $100 VISA gift card will be sent within 30 days of your Ascent college loan being disbursed to the email address provided on the qualifying Ascent application. NOTE: This offer is only available to qualified student borrowers, cosigners are not eligible.

College Loans (Ascent Funding, LLC):

Ascent Funding, LLC products are made available through Bank of Lake Mills, Member FDIC.

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Earn $100 for switching to Ascent!It’s that easy.