Get ready to borrow

Prep for your student loan application

Get to know the Sallie Mae® Smart Option Student Loan® application process so you’re ready to complete it like a pro.

What you’ll need to start your student loan application

  • Address—if you've lived there for less than one year, you'll need to provide your previous address
  • Social Security number if you have one
  • School information, including enrollment status, degree, and course of study
  • Academic period of enrollment (semester, trimester, summer school session, etc.) and year in school
  • How much you need to borrow, including tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, travel, as well as personal school expenses like a laptopfootnote 1
  • Financial aid and scholarships you expect to receive
  • Any employment information (company name and gross income)
  • Financial information, including your bank accounts, and any monthly mortgage or rent payments

Note: If you have a cosigner, they’ll need to have this info ready too. 

What happens next

Once you’ve entered all your info, we’ll review a few things with you about protecting your personal information.

After you submit your student loan application

Your credit will be reviewed once you submit your student loan application. Before making a decision, our credit specialists may ask you for additional information. Most applicants get a credit decision instantly. 

Here are next steps if your loan is approved: 

  • Choose a type of interest rate and repayment option that works best for your budget
  • Accept the terms of your loan and sign it electronically
  • Your school certifies your eligibility, including enrollment verification and loan amount

Related content

Read More

footnote 1. For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. 

 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.

Better Business Bureau