We're honored to be recognized as the best private student loan for 2021.
Ascent's Undergraduate Student Loans
Ascent helps you cover up to 100% of your cost of attendance and other school-related expenses (up to $200,000*) at over 2,200 colleges nationwide by offering undergraduate loans for students.
*The final amount approved depends on the borrower’s credit history, verifiable cost of attendance, and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information.
Cosigned
Credit-Based Loan
For students with a creditworthy cosigner (For U.S. citizens, DACA & international students)
ELIGIBILITY*:
- Enrolled at least half-time
- Must be a U.S. citizen with an eligible cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- International students and students with a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status may apply with a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
LOAN AMOUNTS:
- $2,001 - $200,000
($200,000 aggregate total)
TERMS*:
- 5, 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years
(No penalty for early repayment)
REPAYMENT OPTIONS*:
- Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
- In School Interest-Only Repayment
- $25 Minimum Payment
Non-Cosigned
Credit-Based Loan
For students that qualify based on income & credit (Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident)
ELIGIBILITY*:
- Enrolled at least half-time
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Must have at least 2 years of credit history and meet credit and income requirements
LOAN AMOUNTS:
- $2,001 - $200,000
($200,000 aggregate total)
TERMS*:
- 5, 7, 10, 12 or 15-Years
(No penalty for early repayment)
REPAYMENT OPTIONS*:
- Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
- In School Interest-Only Repayment
- $25 Minimum Payment
Non-Cosigned
Future Income-Based Loan
For juniors & seniors with a 2.9+ GPA & no credit score**
**NOTE: No score means insufficient credit history to produce a score. If you have a score it must meet a minimum score requirements.
ELIGIBILITY*:
- Enrolled full-time OR graduating within the next 9 months
- Maintain GPA of 2.9+ AND meet your school’s satisfactory academic performance (SAP)
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
LOAN AMOUNTS:
- $2,001 - $200,000
($200,000 aggregate total)
TERMS*:
- 10 or 15-Years
(No penalty for early repayment)
REPAYMENT OPTIONS*:
- Deferred Repayment: Start payments up to 9 months after leaving school
Why choose an Ascent loan?
Ascent provides you and your family more opportunities to apply for private undergraduate student loans with or without a cosigner, and offers these exclusive benefits:
Fixed or variable rates
Start payments up to 9 months after graduation and if you need to make lower payments after graduation, consider our Progressive Repayment option.
Apply for Ascent's Non-Cosigned Future Income-Based Loans (for eligible juniors and seniors) or apply to release your cosigner after 24 consecutive on-time payments and meeting other criteria.
2.00% automatic debit discount for our Non-Cosigned Future Income-Based Loan option (all credit-based loans are eligible for a 0.25% discount). Discount Terms & Conditions
No application, origination, or disbursement fees AND there’s no penalty if you pay off your loan early.
1% Cash Back Reward upon graduation.
Ascent offers additional resources beyond a student loan to help you thrive throughout college and beyond.
We help you every step of the way.
Getting money for college shouldn’t be complicated. From your first application to your final undergraduate student loan payment, Ascent is here to help you every step of the way.
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Complete Your Application
Using your smart phone or computer, you can apply for an Ascent loan in minutes with 4 simple steps - no application fees.
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Check Your Pre-Qualified Rates
After submitting your application, you can check your pre-qualified rates without impacting your credit score.
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Customize Your Loan Terms
Choose between fixed and variable rates and flexible repayment options to customize your loan on your terms.
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Review & Sign
If you are approved and certified, you can review and sign your final loan offer by logging into your dashboard.
When do I need a cosigner?
If you don’t qualify for a loan in your own name or for the full amount needed to cover your expenses, please consider applying with a creditworthy cosigner.
Cosigners have an obligation to make payments should you default. You can apply to release your cosigner* after making the first 24 consecutive, regularly scheduled full principal and interest payments on-time and meeting the other eligibility criteria to qualify for the loan without a cosigner, including meeting the program requirements for a solo student borrower, as well as electing to make payments via Automatic Debit. 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 that are U.S. citizens or have U.S. permanent resident status and is not available to DACA students
How else does Ascent help students and families?
Private undergraduate student loans should expand your possibilities, not limit them. That’s why Ascent offers even more ways for you to earn money throughout the year, even if you don’t have a loan with us.
Over
$60,000
in Shining Stars Scholarships awarded every year.
More than
$12,000
in Community Champions Scholarships awarded every year to students making a social impact.
Up to
$525
for each friend you refer to Ascent.
Tips & tools for financial success
To help you borrow responsibly, we incorporate financial wellness into our student loan application process and give you exclusive access to tips and resources to prepare you for financial success in college and after graduation.
Resources
Student Loans 101 What is Financial Wellness? 4 Student Loan Tips for College Grads More ›What are others saying about Ascent?
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.
Being young I don’t have a strong credit history. Ascent made it possible for me to have my own loan without the help of others – I’m thankful I found them.
Have questions about Ascent’s undergraduate loans?
We have answers.
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 $70,000 in scholarships awarded every year.
Students from all majors at every grade level that are attending an eligible institution can apply for an Ascent loan.
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: $200,000 (aggregate total)
- Maximum for academic year:
- $200,000 for Undergraduate and Graduate Credit-Based Loans
- $20,000 for Undergraduate Non-Cosigned Future Income-Based Loans
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 Future Income-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.
