Can international students qualify for medical school loans?

Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents may be eligible for medical school loans if they: • Reside in the U.S. • Attend a participating school in the U.S. • Apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident) • Provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID to verify their identity

Your success starts with a medical school loan

Q: Are there different loan options for different stages of medical school (e.g., pre-med, MD/DO program, residency)?

You are eligible for a medical school loan of $1,000 up to the total cost of attendance if you are: • Working as a full-time, half-time, or less than half-time student • Studying in an M.D., D.O., D.V.M., V.M.D., or D.P.M. program • Attending a participating degree-granting school Sallie Mae also has a residency and relocation loan for medical students to help pay for expenses related to their medical residency.

Cover medical school and related expenses as you earn your MD, DO, DPM, DVM, or VMD.

Apply now

Fixed rates

3.19%

to 14.98% APR^{footnote 1}

Fixed means your interest rate never changes.

If you want a predictable monthly payment, this is the way to go.

Variable rates

4.37%

to 13.96% APR^{footnote 1}

Variable interest rates go up or down as the market changes.

This means your monthly payments may also change—they might be higher if interest rates rise and lower if they fall.

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

Medical school student loan benefits

3 repayment options

Go for what works best for your budget.

No origination fees

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

Save money

Get a 0.25 percentage point discount with auto debit.^{footnote 3}

100%

Up to 100% coverage

of your school-certified costs like tuition, fees, housing, meals, travel, and more.^{footnote 4}

Graduate borrowers were 2x more likely to get approved without a cosigner than undergraduates last year.^{footnote 5}

Make 12 interest-only payments after your grace period.^{footnote 6}

Months of deferment during your residency and fellowship.^{footnote 7}

Month grace period to support your medical career.^{footnote 8}

Breaking down your repayment options

Pay interest in school

Pay some in school

Pay after school

Interest repayment option

How does it work?
You pay your interest every month you’re in school and in grace (the 36 months after).^{footnote 1}

This is a great option if you want to save the most.
Students may get an interest rate that is .50 percentage points lower than deferred repayment.^{footnote 1}

Keep in mind:
You might have higher monthly payments, but the total cost of your loan may be lower.

Fixed repayment option

How does it work?
You pay $25 every month^{footnote 9} you’re in school and in grace.^{footnote 1}

This is a great option if you want to make a dent in payments from the start.
Students may get an interest rate that is .25 percentage points lower than deferred repayment.^{footnote 1}

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

Deferred repayment option

How does it work?
You’ll have no scheduled payments while you’re in school and in grace.^{footnote 1}

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).

What you gain with our medical school loan

	Sallie Mae^® Medical School Loan	Other competitors
Less than half-time enrollment eligibility
Apply for cosigner release after 12 months of on-time principal and interest payments and when credit plus other eligibility requirements have been met^{footnote 10}
Interest-only payments for 12 months after grace period for qualifying graduate loan borrowers^{footnote 6}
Cover up to 100% of the cost of attendance minus financial aid^{footnote 4}
Fixed and variable interest rate options
In-school or deferred repayment options for graduate loan borrowers^{footnote 1}

Apply in
minutes

1. Tell us some basics

2. Choose your loan options

3. Sign and accept

Apply now

Doing a medical residency or fellowship?

Our medical residency and relocation loan can help you cover board examination, interview travel, and moving costs.

FAQs

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

Are there different loan options for different stages of medical school (e.g., pre-med, MD/DO program, residency)?

You may be eligible for a medical school loan of $1,000 up to the total cost of attendance^{footnote 4} if you are:

Working as a full-time, half-time, or less than half-time student
Studying in an M.D., D.O., D.V.M., V.M.D., or D.P.M. program
Attending a participating degree-granting school

Sallie Mae also has a residency and relocation loan for medical students to help pay for expenses related to their medical residency.

Do medical school loans offer deferment or forbearance options during residency or fellowship programs?

A deferment may help you postpone or reduce your medical school loan payments during your residency. It's available in increments of 12 months, up to a total of 48 months.^{footnote 7}

Find out about a residency and fellowship deferment

A Sallie Mae Medical Residency and Relocation Loan can help you pay for expenses associated with board examinations, interview travel, and moving costs.

Learn about the medical residency and relocation loan

How much can I borrow for medical school?

With the Sallie Mae Medical School Loan, you can get up to 100% coverage for all of your school-certified expenses. This includes tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, travel, technology, and more.^{footnote 4}

Can I use my medical school loans to cover expenses such as board exams and licensing fees?

Yes, you can use medical school loans to cover expenses such as board exams and licensing fees, if they are included in your school's cost of attendance.

Can I use my medical school loans to study abroad or participate in international medical programs?

Some medical school loans can be used to study abroad or participate in international medical programs. You can:

Contact the schools you’re interested in to find out whether they accept Sallie Mae loans
Contact Sallie Mae to determine whether your schools are qualified
Look for the schools you’re interested in within your medical school loan application

Can international students qualify for medical student loans?

Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents may be eligible for medical school loans if they:

Reside in the U.S.
Attend a participating school in the U.S.
Apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident)
Provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID to verify their identity

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 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 1. Advertised APRs for Medical School Loan and Dental School Loan assume a $10,000 loan with a 4-year in-school period. 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. Although we do not charge you a penalty or fee if you prepay your loan, any prepayment will be applied as provided in your promissory note — first to Unpaid Fees and costs, then to Unpaid Interest, and then to Current Principal.

footnote 3. 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 4. 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.

footnote 5. Based on a comparison of the percentage of graduate students who were approved without a cosigner to the percentage of undergraduate students who were approved without a cosigner from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

footnote 6. GRP allows interest-only payments for the initial 12-month period of repayment when the loan would normally begin requiring full principal and interest payments or during the 12-month period after GRP request is granted, whichever is later. At the time of GRP request, the loan must be current. The borrower may request GRP only during the six billing periods immediately preceding and the twelve billing periods immediately after the loan would normally begin requiring full principal and interest payments. GRP does not extend the loan term. If approved for GRP, the Current Amount Due that is required to be paid each month after the GRP ends will be higher than it otherwise would have been without GRP, and the total loan cost will increase.

footnote 7. To apply for this deferment, customers and an official from the internship, clerkship, fellowship, or residency program must complete and submit a deferment form to us for consideration. If approved, the loan will revert back to the same repayment option that applied during the in-school period for up to 12 months. Customers can apply for and receive a maximum of four 12-month deferment periods. Interest is charged during the deferment period and Unpaid Interest will be added to the Current Principal at the end of each deferment period, which will increase the Total Loan Cost.

footnote 8. Payments may be required during the grace period depending on the in-school repayment option selected by the student or cosigner.

footnote 9. Example of a typical transaction for a $10,000 Medical School Loan with the most common fixed rate, Fixed Repayment Option, two disbursements, a 4-year in-school period, and a 36-month grace period. It works out to 9.74% fixed APR, 81 payments of $25.00, 238 payments of $153.25 and one payment of $114.28, for a total loan cost of $38,612.78. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 20 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.

footnote 10. Only the borrower may apply for cosigner release. To do so, they must first meet the age of majority in their state and provide proof of graduation (or completion of certification program), income, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (if their status has changed since they applied). In the last 12 months, the borrower can’t have been past due on any loans serviced by Sallie Mae for 30 or more days or enrolled in any hardship forbearances or modified repayment programs. In addition, the borrower must have paid ahead or made 12 on-time principal and interest payments on each loan requested for release. The loan can’t be past due when the cosigner release application is processed. The borrower must also demonstrate the ability to assume full responsibility of the loan(s) individually and pass a credit review when the cosigner release application is processed that demonstrates a satisfactory credit history including but not limited to no: bankruptcy, foreclosure, student loan(s) in default or 90-day delinquencies in the last 24 months. Requirements are subject to change.

footnote Sallie Mae loans are made by Sallie Mae Bank.

footnote Information advertised valid as of 7/3/2025.

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.