Choose the right student loan for where you're headed—undergraduate, career training, or graduate school 

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Undergraduate student loans

Variable rates:
1.87% APR1 – 11.97% APR1
Fixed rates: 
3.75% APR1 – 12.85% APR1

Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount.

For college students earning a bachelor's or associate's degree, or a certificate at a degree-granting school.

Get 4 months of free Chegg study help2

Apply now
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Career training student loans

Variable rates: 
1.87% APR3 – 12.48% APR3

Fixed rates: 
3.75% APR3 – 13.29% APR3

Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount.

For students taking professional training or certificate courses (culinary, aviation, technical, etc.).

Apply now
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Graduate student loans

Rates vary by loan

For graduate students seeking loans for medical, dental, health professions, MBA, Law, and master’s/doctorate degree expenses

Apply now

See all private student loans

Why choose student loans from Sallie Mae?

Whether you’re looking for a school loan to help pay for your undergraduate or specialized graduate degree, or a parent helping your student pay for college, our student loans for students are designed to help you meet your financial and educational needs.

Our student loan customers benefit from

  • Applying for a student loan only once to get the money needed for the entire school year
  • Student loans that feature 100% coverage for all school-certified expenses like tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, travel, and even a laptop4
  • Multi-Year Advantage: Returning undergraduate and graduate school loan customers with cosigners have over a 90% approval rate,5 faster student loan applications, and the convenience of managing all private loans with one lender.
  • No origination fee
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Multiple repayment options on loans for students
  • 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount when enrolled in and making monthly payments by auto debit6
  • Free access to FICO® Scores, updated quarterly online7
  • 100% U.S.-based customer service teams

Attending school less than half time? You can still apply for a student loan

Whether you’re a full time, half-time, or less than half-time student, you can use school loans to pay for all your school-certified expenses at degree-granting institution.4 Taking winter or summer classes? Studying abroad? Taking continuing education or professional certification courses? We have student loans that can help you pay for classes taken online, on campus, or anywhere.

Federal student loans vs private student loans

When it comes to paying for college, first look for money you won’t have to pay back, like scholarships and grants. Then explore federal student loans. Finally, consider a responsible private student loan to cover the rest (your "gap").

Apply for a student loan

Differences between Sallie Mae private student loans and federal loans8

Feature

Sallie Mae private student loans for degree-granting schools

Federal student loans9
(Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, or PLUS)

Fixed and variable rates
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Auto debit discount
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Interest, Fixed, or Deferred Repayment Options available to students during school
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Origination fee
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Less-than-half-time enrollment eligibility
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Detailed federal vs private student loans comparison

Student loan resources for students and parents

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

1. 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. Payments may be required during the grace/separation period depending on the repayment option selected. Variable rates may increase over the life of the loan. Advertised variable rates reflect the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Advertised APRs assume a $10,000 loan to a borrower who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae loans.

2. This promotional benefit is provided at no cost to borrowers with undergraduate, graduate, or parent loans with a first disbursement between May 1, 2021 and April 30, 2024. Borrowers who reside in, attend school in, or borrow for a student attending school in Maine are not eligible for this benefit. Chegg Study® offers expert Q&A where students can submit up to 20 questions per month. No cash value. Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit http://www.chegg.com/legal/smtermsandconditions for complete details. This offer expires one year after issuance.

3.  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. Payments may be required during the grace/separation period depending on the repayment option selected. Variable rates may increase over the life of the loan. Advertised variable rates reflect the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Advertised APRs assume a $10,000 loan to a borrower who attends school for 2 years and has no prior Sallie Mae loans.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.

4. Loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Sallie Mae reserves the right to approve a lower loan amount than the school-certified amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time.

5. You must apply for a new loan each school year. This approval percentage is based on students with a Sallie Mae undergraduate or graduate school loan in the 2019/20 school year who were approved when they returned in 2020/21. It does not include the denied applications of students who were ultimately approved in 2020/21.

6. 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, if available for the loan.

7. Borrowers and cosigners with an available FICO® Score and a Sallie Mae-serviced loan with a current balance greater than $0, may receive their score quarterly after the first disbursement of their loan. The FICO® Score provided to you is the FICO® Score 8 based on TransUnion data. FICO® Scores and associated educational content are provided solely for your own non-commercial personal review, use and benefit. This benefit may change or end in the future. FICO® is a registered trademark of the Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.

8. Explore federal loans and compare to make sure you understand the terms and features. Private student loans that have variable rates can go up over the life of the loan. Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including, but not limited to, income-based repayment and income-contingent repayment plans, and loan forgiveness and deferment benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide. Federal loans generally have origination fees, but are available to students regardless of income.

9. Federal loan rate and fee information is provided by Federal Student Aid, an Office of the U.S. Department of Education.

Sallie Mae loans are made by Sallie Mae Bank.

Information advertised valid as of 5/25/2022.

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.