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What to know first: Refinancing your student loans may land you a lower interest rate and a smaller monthly payment. However, refinancing isn't always a good idea. If you have federal student loans, refinancing comes with downsides you should consider. You'll also need to research student loan companies and their terms to find the best deal.

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RISLA: Best for financial benefits and resources

4.0
Fixed APR from
3.99- 8.54%
Loan term
5-15 yrs
Loan amount
$7.5k- $250K
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Earnest: Best for flexible repayment options

4.4
Fixed APR from
3.94- 9.99%
Loan term
5-20 yrs
Loan amount
$5k- $500K

SoFi: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner For Borrowers With Good Credit

4.8
Fixed APR from
4.49- 9.99%
Loan term
5-20 yrs
Loan amount
$5,000-100% amount borrowed
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Education Loan Finance: Best for good credit

4.4
Fixed APR from
4.88- 8.44%
Loan term
5-20 yrs
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Starting at $10,000
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Laurel Road: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner Best For Refinancing

4.6
Fixed APR from
4.99- 8.90%
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5-20 yrs
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$5,000-100% amount borrowed

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INvested: Best for Indiana residents

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4.0
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5-20 yrs
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$5,000-100% of amount borrowed
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Citizens Bank: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner Best For Parents

4.6
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$10k- $750K
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EDvestinU: Best for co-signer release

3.9
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7-15 yrs
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College Ave: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner Best For Multiyear Approval

4.5
Fixed APR from
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Loan term
5-20 yrs
Loan amount
$5k- $300K

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Lendkey
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4
Fixed APR
4.89%–9.04%
Loan amount
$5,000-100% of amount borrowed
Loan term
5-20 yrs

Education Loan Finance
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Fixed APR
4.88%–8.44%
Loan amount
Starting at $10,000
Loan term
5-20 yrs

Invested
Fixed APR
5.99%–10.14%
Loan amount
$1k– $250k
Loan term
5-20 yrs

EDvestinU
Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5
3.9
Fixed APR
6.00%–9.741%
Loan amount
$7.5k– $225k
Loan term
5-20 yrs

mefa
Fixed APR
6.20%–8.99%
Loan amount
From $10,000
Loan term
7-15 yrs

RISLA
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4
Fixed APR
3.99%–8.54%
Loan amount
$7.5k– $250k
Loan term
5-15 yrs

Citizens
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Fixed APR
5.89%–12.10%
Loan amount
$10k– $750k
Loan term
5-20 yrs

SoFi
Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
4.8
Fixed APR
4.49%–9.99%
Loan amount
$5,000-100% amount borrowed
Loan term
5-20 yrs

Earnest
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Fixed APR
3.94%–9.99%
Loan amount
$5k– $500k
Loan term
5-20 yrs

College Ave
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Fixed APR
6.99%–13.99%
Loan amount
$5k– $300k
Loan term
5-20 yrs

Laurel Road
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Fixed APR
4.99%–8.90%
Loan amount
$5,000-100% amount borrowed
Loan term
5-20 yrs

Splash Financial
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4
Fixed APR
3.94%–10.24%
Loan amount
Starting at $5,000
Loan term
5-25 yrs
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Pros

  • Consolidate several student loans into one loan with one payment each month.
  • Possibly secure a lower interest rate.
  • Extend your repayment period for a lower monthly payment.
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Cons

  • Private lenders usually require good or excellent credit (or a co-signer) to qualify.
  • You lose opportunities for deferment, forbearance and income-driven repayment plans if you refinance federal loans.
  • You lock yourself into another repayment plan.

Ask the experts: When should you refinance a student loan?


Nationally recognized student financial aid expert

"There are two ways of refinancing a student loan. For federal loans, you can obtain a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan. This combines multiple federal education loans into a single loan, making it easier to repay. You may be able to qualify for alternate repayment plans by consolidating. Consolidation doesn't really change the cost of the loan, since the interest rate on a consolidation loan is the weighted average of the interest rates on the loans included in the consolidation loan, rounded up to the nearest 1/8th of a percentage point. If you choose a longer repayment term, the monthly payment may decrease, but you will be in debt for longer and pay more interest over the life of the loan. For federal and private student loans, you can obtain a private refi, which pays off the old loans with a new private student loan. The interest rate on the private refi is based on your credit score, and the credit score of your cosigner if any. If your credit scores have improved a lot, you may be able to qualify for a lower interest rate. A private refi can also change the repayment term, which can affect the size of the monthly student loan payment. Thus, there are several possible reasons to refinance a student loan, such as changing the loan servicer, changing the repayment plan or repayment term, changing the monthly payment, and obtaining a different interest rate."

Writer, Personal Loans and Debt Relief

"Refinancing is only a good idea if you fit within the two categories: you have a hard time organizing your student loan payments and you'd qualify for a lower interest rate with a new loan. Most lenders offer a prequalification tool that allows you to see what your predicted rates would be if you were to qualify. If you have fairly high rates on your existing loans, it may be a good option to refinance. However, be certain you’re scoring a lower rate with a refinance loan. Due to the current high-rate environment, unless you have sky-high rates and a stellar credit score, it may not make sense to refinance until rates cool off."

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