Education
Best Student Loans for Grad School
Graduate degrees carry bigger price tags and bigger borrowing decisions, and federal Grad PLUS rates leave real room for private lenders to compete. These are the lenders we rank highest for graduate students.
Top matches
Student Loans
- ✓1.94% - 17.99% fixed and 3.89% - 17.99% variable APR, including the 0.25% autopay discount (September 2026)
- ✓Repayment terms of 5, 10, 15, or 20 years
- ✓Undergraduate, graduate, and professional loans
Student Loans
- ✓1.95% - 17.49% fixed and 3.75% - 16.95% variable APR on undergraduate loans (September 2026)
- ✓Loans for college, career training, grad school, medical, dental, law, MBA, nursing, residency, and bar study
- ✓No origination fees; borrow up to 100% of the cost of attendance
- ✓Multi-year approval option
- ✓Free credit score tracking
Private Student Loan
- ✓2.99% - 15.99% fixed and 4.64% - 15.99% variable APR (September 2026)
- ✓No origination or late fees
- ✓Member benefits and rate discounts
- ✓Strong refinancing options; named best for international students by NerdWallet
How we ranked these: We ranked every grad-school-tagged lender in our database by our overall methodology score, which weighs rates and fees, repayment flexibility, and approachability.
Last updated June 2026
Questions, answered
Are private loans better than Grad PLUS loans?
Sometimes. Grad PLUS carries a higher rate and an origination fee, so graduate students with good credit can often beat it with a private loan. The trade is losing federal protections like income-driven repayment and forgiveness. Those matter most if your post-degree income is uncertain. Your call.
Can I borrow my full cost of attendance for grad school?
Most lenders allow borrowing up to your school's certified cost of attendance, including living expenses. That ceiling is generous, which makes it dangerous. Borrow against your realistic post-degree salary, not against the maximum the lender will certify.
Do grad students need a cosigner?
Less often than undergraduates. If you have several years of credit history and some income, many lenders will approve you solo. A cosigner can still lower the rate, and lenders with fast cosigner release make that a low-commitment favor.