Plan ahead with your estimated rate

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Find out in minutes if you prequalify for a student loan with no credit impact.

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Ready to apply?

Prequalifying is a smart move. Here’s why:

Plan for college costs

Prequalifying can help you plan ahead and figure out how to pay for school.

See your estimated rate

It can give you a sense of what you may prequalify for, helping you find the best deal for you.

Check with zero pressure

Seeing your estimated rate won’t impact your credit score, and there’s no commitment.

Competitive undergraduate rate options

Decide whether fixed or variable rates are best for you.

Fixed rates

Fixed means your interest never changes.

2.89%

to 17.49% APRfootnote 1

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Ready to apply?
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Only the most creditworthy applicants who choose the interest repayment option may receive the lowest rate.
Variable rates

Variable rates go up or down as the market changes.

4.12%

to 16.75% APRfootnote 1

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Ready to apply?
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Only the most creditworthy applicants who choose the interest repayment option may receive the lowest rate.

How a cosigner can help you prequalify

A cosigner may help you prequalify for a student loan with their good credit history backing you. They may also help you get approved for a student loan and get a lower interest rate.


Last year, undergrad students were 5X more likely to get approved for a Sallie Mae loan with a cosigner.footnote 2 You can also prequalify more than once with different cosigners to see how your rate may change.

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See what your rate could be in minutes

1. Tell us some basics

2. See your prequalified rate

3. Apply for a student loan

 

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FAQs

Have other questions? We’re here to help.
1-877-279-7172

What is prequalification?

Prequalification helps you see if you may get approved for a student loan and what interest rate you might be able to get. Answer a few questions and request how much you want to borrow, and we’ll let you know if you prequalify and what rate we can offer you. If you do prequalify, remember it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be approved or that you’ll receive your prequalified rate when you apply for a student loan.

Why should I see my rate before applying for a student loan?

Prequalification is a quick way to see what rate you may get and if you may qualify for a student loan. It can be helpful if you want to find out which lender would potentially give you the best rate, without harming your credit.

Will this impact my credit score?

No! Prequalifying for a Sallie Mae student loan will not impact your credit score. Prequalification will do a soft credit check rather than a hard credit check. A soft credit check is often done for prequalification requests for things like credit cards and mortgages. You’re getting information about your credit without impacting your credit score.

What is a cosigner and how can one help me prequalify?

A cosigner is a creditworthy adult you trust who agrees to share the responsibility of paying back your student loan. Their good credit history may help you prequalify and may also improve your chances to get approved for a student loan at a lower interest rate. While prequalification and full applications involve different steps, lenders often look for similar signs of creditworthiness in both. That’s why it may be helpful to know that last year, undergraduate students were 5X more likely to be approved for a Sallie Mae loan with a cosigner.footnote 2 Applying with a cosigner is also completely normal, too. Last year, 27% of Smart Option Student Loan® applications were cosigned by an individual other than a parent.footnote 3

Am I eligible if attending school online or less than half-time?

Yes! You can prequalify for a Sallie Mae student loan whether you’re attending school full-time, half-time, less than half-time, or online.

How do you decide if I prequalify for a student loan?

We’ll determine if you’re prequalified for a certain loan rate based on your credit score, income, and other general financial information. 

What do I need to submit to prequalify?

All you need to do is share some basic information about your background (address, citizenship status, etc.), the total annual income of you and your cosigner (if you have one), some information about your school program, and how much money you think you’ll need for one year of school. We’ll take care of the rest.

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 [variable (student-loans/prequalified-rates) not found]

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 1. 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 2. Based on a comparison of the percentage of students who were approved with a cosigner to the percentage of students who were approved without a cosigner from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

footnote 3. Based on a rolling 12-month period from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

footnote SALLIE MAE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

footnote Information advertised valid as of 11/25/2025.

footnote Sallie Mae loans are made by Sallie Mae Bank. 

 We share links to outside websites to help you find useful and relevant information. Once you leave salliemae.com, any information you provide will be covered under the third-parties’ terms of use and privacy policy.

© 2025 Sallie Mae Bank. All rights reserved. Sallie Mae, the Sallie Mae logo, and other Sallie Mae names and logos are service marks or registered service marks of Sallie Mae Bank. All other names and logos used are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Sallie Mae Bank, are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.