Applying is fast and  easy

Complete your Sallie Mae® student loan application in 3 simple steps:

  1. Tell us the basics
  2. Customize your loan
  3. Sign and accept

Apply now

Choose the private student loan that’s right for you

Undergraduate student loans

For bachelor’s and associate degrees, plus certificates from degree-granting schools.

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Graduate student loans

For graduate degrees and other master’s and doctorate programs.

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Career training student loans

For professional training or certificate courses like culinary, aviation, technical, and more.

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Medical school loan

For medical school expenses as you earn your MD, DO, PM, DVM, or VMD.

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Law school loan

For law school expenses as you earn your JD or LLM.

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MBA loan

For business school expenses as you earn your Master of Business Administration degree.

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Dental school loan

For dental school costs as you earn your Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).

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Veterinary school loan

For expenses as you earn your veterinary degree (DVM/VMD) and complete labs, clinicals, and rotations.

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STEM loan

For expenses as you earn a master’s or doctoral degree in science, technology, engineering, and math or related fields.

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Health professions loan

For expenses as you earn a health professions degree in allied health, nursing, pharmacy, and other graduate-level health programs.

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Nursing school loan

For nursing school expenses as you earn your MSN, DNP, PhD, CRNA, or CNM.

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Teaching & admin loan

For expenses as you earn a graduate education degree and complete student-teaching and licensure requirements.

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Benefits you won’t want to miss

No upfront fees

There’s no fee to process a loan or if you pay it off early.footnote 2

Multiple repayment terms

Your term is based on how much you borrow—so your payments make sense.

Cosigner release option

Undergraduate students were 6.5X more likely to be approved when applying with a cosigner last year.footnote 3

Save money

Get a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction when you enroll in and make monthly payments with autopay.footnote 4

It’s easy to get
started

Follow these steps:

1. Tell us the basics

 

2. Customize your loan 

 

3. Sign and accept

 

Apply for loan

Let’s make sure you’re ready

You’ll need a few things to apply like address, Social Security number (if you have one), and details about your school.

Breaking down your repayment options

Graph showing interest repayment option.

Interest repayment option

How does it work?
You pay your interest every month you’re in school and in grace (the 6 months after leaving school).footnote 5
 
This is a great option if your student wants to save the most.
Freshman students may save 17% on their total loan cost by choosing interest repayment instead of deferred repayment.footnote 6
 
Keep in mind:
You might have higher monthly payments while in school, but the total cost of your loan may be lower.

Graph showing fixed repayment option.

Fixed repayment option

How does it work? 
You pay $25 every monthfootnote 7 while you’re in school and in grace (the 6 months after leaving school).footnote 5

This is a great option if you want to make a dent in payments from the start.
Freshman students may save 7% on their total loan cost by choosing fixed repayment instead of deferred repayment.footnote 8

Keep in mind:
Any interest you don’t pay during school will be added to your principal amount (total borrowed) after grace.

Graph showing deferred repayment option.

Deferred repayment option

How does it work? 
You have no scheduled payments while you’re in school and in grace (the 6 months after leaving school).footnote 5

This is a great option if you want to focus on class and not on making loan payments.

Keep in mind: 
The total cost of your loan may be higher because the interest you don’t pay on your loan while you’re in school and grace will be added to the original amount you borrowed (principal amount).

 

footnote Borrow responsibly
We encourage students and families to start with savings, grants, scholarships, and federal student loans to pay for college. Evaluate all anticipated monthly loan payments, and how much the student expects to earn in the future, before considering a private student loan.

footnote Loans for Undergraduate & Career Training Students are not intended for graduate students and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Student must attend a participating school. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote Graduate School Loan and Graduate School Loan for Health Professions are for graduate students at participating degree-granting schools and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote MBA Loans are for graduate students in an M.B.A. program at participating degree-granting schools and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote Law School Loans are for graduate students in a J.D. or L.L.M. program at participating degree-granting schools and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Graduate Certificate/Continuing Education coursework is not eligible. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote Medical School Loans are for graduate students in an M.D., D.O., D.V.M., V.M.D., or D.P.M. program at participating degree-granting schools and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Graduate Certificate/Continuing Education coursework is not eligible. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote Dental School Loans are for graduate students in a D.D.S. or D.M.D. program at participating degree-granting schools and are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. Graduate Certificate/Continuing Education coursework is not eligible. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend school in the U.S., and apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident). Requested loan amount must be at least $1,000.

footnote 1. Loan application must be submitted to see available rates.

footnote 2. Although we do not charge a penalty or fee if you prepay your loan, any prepayment will be applied as outlined in your promissory note—first to Unpaid Fees and costs, then to Unpaid Interest, and then to Current Principal. 

footnote 3. Based on a comparison of the percentage of undergraduate students approved for a Sallie Mae Undergraduate Loan with a cosigner to the percentage of undergraduate students approved without a cosigner from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

footnote 4. The borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae to receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction benefit. This benefit applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment.

footnote 5. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan with a 4-year in-school period, a 6-month grace, and the longest loan term offered. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent.  Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment.

footnote 6. Savings comparison assumes a freshman student with no other Sallie Mae loans receives a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common variable rate as of January 2025.

footnote 7.  Examples of typical transactions for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, Fixed Repayment Option, two disbursements, a 4-year in-school period, and a 6-month grace: For a borrower with the shortest loan term, it works out to 16.16% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $296.32 and one payment of $41.82, for a total loan cost of $36,578.90. For a borrower with the longest loan term, it works out to 16.38% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 177 payments of $265.54 and one payment of $173.00, for a total loan cost of $48,448.58. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.

footnote 8. Savings comparison assumes a freshman student receives a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common variable rate as of January 2025 and the longest loan term offered.

footnote Graduate School loans loans are made by Sallie Mae Bank. 

footnote Information advertised valid as of 05/07/2026.

footnote SALLIE MAE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. CHECK SALLIEMAE.COM FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE PRODUCT INFORMATION.