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Private student loans made easy
TuitionHero has you covered with simple explanations and comparisons to help you make confident financial decisions.
Compare top lenders
Since 2019, we've helped over 500,000
students make informed decisions about financing their college education.
Who is eligible for private student loans?
How much can you take out in private student loans?
How long does it take for private student loans to be disbursed?
College Ave
On lenders secure website
VARIABLE APR
5.49% - 16.99%¹
FIXED APR
4.41% - 16.99%¹
Sallie Mae
On lenders secure website
VARIABLE APR
6.37% - 16.70%¹
FIXED APR
4.50% - 15.49%¹
Earnest
On lenders secure website
VARIABLE APR
5.39% - 16.20%
FIXED APR
4.42% - 15.90%
Federal student loans
Private student loans
TuitionHero tip
Do’s
Tuition and fees
Housing and utilities
Meals and groceries
A personal computer
Transportation to and from school
Study abroad program
School supplies
Don’ts
Vacation travel
Clothes
Entertainment
Alcohol
Investing
Business expenses
A down payment on a home
- 1
Enter your school name
First, we'll ask for your school to help improve the accuracy of your loan rates. It's okay to guess with your top pick if you don’t know yet.
- 2
Compare personalized rates from top lenders
Next, we’ll display an organized table with rates and terms from several top lenders. Our table makes it incredibly easy to compare and decide on the best loan for your specific needs.
- 3
Finalize & lock in a great rate
Once you've found a loan you like, we'll help connect you with your chosen lender to complete the application process.
Illustrative purposes, actual results may vary. Prequalified rates are not a firm offer of credit.
I recently used TuitionHero and it was really helpful. It made it easy for me to compare different loans and find the best one for me. Their site was easy to use and had lots of useful information.
Stefanie Tenorio
San Jose State University
TuitionHero is a game changer! I was able to easily see all my options in one place and just pick the one that worked best. Their site is user-friendly and has a lot of helpful info.
Lissette Rodriguez
San Diego State University
I had a great experience using TuitionHero to help me get a low rate on a private student loan. I could compare lots of lenders all on the same site, which was super convenient.
Sofia Alves
Arizona State University
Our top pick
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
- Grace period
- Immediate repayment
- Fixed repayment
- In-school deferment
- No application fees
- No prepayment penalties
- No origination fees
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
- Grace period
- Immediate repayment
- Fixed repayment
- In-school deferment
- No application fees
- No prepayment penalties
- No origination fees
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
- Grace period
- Immediate repayment
- Fixed repayment
- In-school deferment
- No application fees
- No prepayment penalties
- No origination fees
Sallie Mae
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.70%¹
4.50% - 15.49%¹
Sallie Mae
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.70%¹
4.50% - 15.49%¹
Sallie Mae
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.70%¹
4.50% - 15.49%¹
Earnest
Disclosures
5.39% - 16.20%
4.42% - 15.90%
Earnest
Disclosures
5.39% - 16.20%
4.42% - 15.90%
Earnest
Disclosures
5.39% - 16.20%
4.42% - 15.90%
SoFi
Disclosures
5.99% - 13.97%
4.49% - 13.80%
SoFi
Disclosures
5.99% - 13.97%
4.49% - 13.80%
SoFi
Disclosures
5.99% - 13.97%
4.49% - 13.80%
Discover
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.62%*
4.49% – 14.99%*
Discover
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.62%*
4.49% – 14.99%*
Discover
Disclosures
6.37% - 16.62%*
4.49% – 14.99%*
Ascent
Disclosures
6.03% - 15.94%
4.48% - 15.66%
Ascent
Disclosures
6.03% - 15.94%
4.48% - 15.66%
Ascent
Disclosures
6.03% - 15.94%
4.48% - 15.66%
College Finance
Disclosures
5.99% - 15.99%*
5.99% - 15.99%*
College Finance
Disclosures
5.99% - 15.99%*
5.99% - 15.99%*
College Finance
Disclosures
5.99% - 15.99%*
5.99% - 15.99%*
Today’s most popular
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
College Ave
Disclosures
5.49% - 16.99%¹
4.41% - 16.99%¹
Eligibility requirements
Private loan lenders typically consider a variety of factors before deciding to make you a loan offer, including your income, credit score, and citizenship status. If you don't meet the minimum loan eligibility requirements, you may need a creditworthy cosigner to increase your chances of approval.
Cosigner release
Speaking of your cosigner, they'll be on the hook to repay your private student loan if you fall behind on repayments. However, lenders typically provide loan terms for cosigner release if you've kept up with your payments for long enough (the exact time period varies lender-by-lender).
Repayment options
You'll want to take into consideration any grace periods, deferment options, or forbearance options your chosen lender may offer in case you experience financial hardships or fall behind on your repayment.
Interest rates
Naturally, the interest rate of the loan is going to be a major factor in your decision-making process, and you’ll come across the terms “fixed interest rates” and “variable interest rates.” Fixed rates remain constant over the life of your loan, while variable rates can increase or decrease with the market. In either case, the lower the interest rate you can secure, the less you'll have to pay back over the life of the loan.
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TuitionHero simplifies your student loan decision, with multiple top loans side-by-side.
Compare rates from multiple lenders
Won’t affect credit score
Always fast, always free
