8 Best Alternatives to Discontinued USAA Student Loans

General

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Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as “Credible.”

USAA is known for offering a wide range of financial products and services to active-duty military members and veterans, as well as their spouses and eligible family members. This product lineup also once included student loans.

While USAA no longer offers student loans, you have other options if you need to borrow money for college.

Here’s everything you need to know about USAA student loans and alternatives to consider:

Can I still get USAA student loans?

Until 2016, USAA offered private student loans to borrowers through a partnership with Wells Fargo student loans. While many people hold existing USAA student loans, the military-focused bank no longer issues new student loans.

USAA still provides new auto, personal, and mortgage loans to eligible members. But if you need a student loan, you’ll need to find a different private lender.

Learn More: How to Take Out a Student Loan

8 alternatives to USAA student loans

If you’re shopping around for a new student loan to cover your tuition, books, or living expenses, here are some alternatives to USAA student loans.

The companies in the table below are Credible’s approved partner lenders. Whether you’re the borrower or cosigner, Credible makes it easy to compare rates from multiple private student loan providers without affecting your credit score.

Lender	Fixed Rates From (APR)	Variable Rates From (APR)	Min. Credit Score
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	3.79%+	2.47%+	540
Fixed APR: 3.79%+ Variable APR: 2.47%+ Min. credit score: 540 Loan amount: $2,001 to $400,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20 Repayment options: Full deferral, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: 0.25% to 1.00% automatic payment discount, 1% cash back graduation reward Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or DACA student enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 12 on-time principal and interest payments Loan servicer: Launch Servicing, LLC
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	4.24%+¹	3.25%+	720
Fixed APR: 4.24%+¹ Variable APR: 3.25%+ Min. credit score: 720 Loan amount: $1,000 to $350,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Loan types: Any private or federal student loan Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay, loyalty Eligibility: Available in all 50 states (international students can apply with a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident cosigner) Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 36 months Loan servicer: Firstmark Services
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	3.22%+^2,3	2.49%+^2,3	Does not disclose
Fixed APR: 3.22%+^2,3 Variable APR: 2.49%+^2,3 Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $1,000 up to cost of attendance Loan terms (years): 5, 8, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and be making satisfactory academic progress. Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 24 months Loan servicer: College Ave Servicing LLC
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	3.65%+	3.38%+	Does not disclose
Fixed APR: 3.65%+ Variable APR: 3.38%+ Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $1,000 to $99,999 annually ($180,000 aggregate limit) Loan terms (years): 7, 10, 15 Repayment options: Full deferral, immediate repayment, interest-only repayment, flat/full repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Available to borrowers in all 50 states. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Customer service: Phone, email Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 36 months Loan servicer: American Education Services Min. income: Does not disclose
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	4.52%+⁷	4.83%+⁷	750
Fixed APR: 4.52%+⁷ Variable APR: 4.83%+⁷ Min. credit score: 750 Loan amount: $1,000 to $200,000 Loan terms (years): 7, 10, 15 Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have a minimum income of $30,000. Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 36 months Loan servicer: Granite State Management & Resources (GSM&R)
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	5.25%+⁸	2.92%+⁸	670
Fixed APR: 5.25%+⁸ Variable APR: 2.92%+⁸ Min. credit score: 670 Loan amount: $1,001 up to cost of attendance Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, forbearance Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay, reward for on-time graduation Eligibility: Must be an Indiana resident or a U.S. citizen attending an eligible Indiana school Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 48 months Loan servicer: American Education Services
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	4.89%+	N/A	670
Fixed APR: 4.89%+ Variable APR: N/A Min. credit score: 670 Loan amount: $1,500 up to cost of attendance less aid Loan terms (years): 10, 15 Repayment options: Full deferral, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferral, forbearance Fees: None Discounts: None Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and be making satisfactory academic progress. Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 48 months Loan servicer: American Education Services (AES)
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	3.75% – 13.72% APR⁹	3.25% – 13.59% APR⁹	Does not disclose
Fixed APR: 3.75% – 13.72% APR⁹ Variable APR: 3.25% – 13.59% APR⁹ Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $1,000 to $90,000¹⁰ Loan terms (years): 10, 12, 15, 20 Repayment options: Full deferral, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, academic deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Also available to non-U.S. citizen students (including DACA students) attending a school located in the U.S. who apply with a qualifying cosigner. Customer service: Phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 12 consecutive on-time payments Loan servicer: Sallie Mae
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Lowest APRs reflect autopay, loyalty, and interest-only repayment discounts where available \| ¹Citizens Disclosures \| ^2,3College Ave Disclosures \| ⁷EDvestinU Disclosures \| ⁸INvestEd Disclosures \| ⁹Sallie Mae Disclosures

The best student loan for you depends on how much you need to borrow, how long you want to repay the loan, and what rate you qualify for based on your credit score.

Some student loan lenders offer an interest rate discount for enrolling in automatic payments, often between 0.25% and 0.50%.

Other lenders to consider

The following lenders aren’t Credible partners, so you won’t be able to easily compare your rates with them on the Credible platform. But they may also be worth considering if you’re looking for an alternative to USAA student loans.

Lender	Loan types	Loan terms (years)	Min. credit score
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	5, 10, 15	680
Rates: Fixed, variable Min. credit score: 680 Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Cosigner release: Yes Min. GPA: No Repayment options: Full deferral, full months payment, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, academic deferral, forbearance Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Does not disclose
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	15, 20	Does not disclose
Fixed APR: 4.84% – 12.39%⁶ Variable APR: 1.59% – 11.37%⁶ Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: Up to cost of attendance Cosigner release: No Loan terms (years): 15, 20 Min. GPA: No Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: Autopay, good grade discount, cash reward for on-time graduation Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international student with a qualifying cosigner, as well as be making satisfactory academic progress. Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Loan servicer: Discover Bank
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20	650
Rates: Fixed, variable Min. credit score: 650 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20 Min. GPA: No Cosigner release: No Repayment options: Full deferral, full month payment, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, academic deferral, military deferral, forbearance Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: A U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Not available in KY or NV. Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	20	Does not disclose
Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $1,000 to $150,000 Loan terms (years): 10, 15, 20 Min GPA: No Cosigner release: Yes Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Available in all 50 states Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	Does not disclose	Does not disclose
Min. credit score: Does not disclose Cosigner release: Does not disclose Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Min. GPA: No Repayment options: Fixed/flat repayment, interest only, forbearance Fees: Late fees Discounts: Autopay, on-time graduation Eligibility: Does not disclose Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	5, 10, 15	Does not disclose
Rates: Fixed, variable Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan terms: 5, 7, 15 Min. GPA: No Cosigner release: Yes Repayment options: Full deferral, interest only, immediate repayment, academic deferral, military deferral, forbearance Fees: Late Fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Does not disclose
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	5, 10, 15	Does not disclose
Rates: Fixed, variable Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Min. GPA: Yes Cosigner release: Yes Repayment options: Full deferral, fixed/flat repayment, interest only, immediate repayment, academic or military deferral, forbearance Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a US Citizen or permanent resident Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	Fixed, variable	15, 20	Does not disclose
Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan terms (years): 15, 20 Cosigner release: Yes Min. GPA: No Repayment options: Full deferral, full monthly payment, immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: Autopay, loyalty Eligibility: Available in all 50 states Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes

Methodology

Credible evaluated private student loan lenders in 10 different categories to determine the best alternatives to USAA student loans. This included interest rates, repayment options, terms, fees, discounts, customer service availability, as well as eligibility requirements and cosigner release options.

See More: Student Loan Limits: How Much in Student Loans You Can Get

Should I refinance my USAA student loans?

You may eventually decide that you need to refinance one or more of your undergraduate or graduate student loans. If you took out a student loan from USAA prior to 2016, you might even be weighing your options for refinancing that loan now.

Depending on your loan details, personal credit, and financial situation, it might make sense to refinance your USAA student loan debt. Here are some benefits and drawbacks of student loan refinancing:

Pros	Cons
You could save money. Refinancing can be a great way to reduce one or more of your loans’ interest rates. Lower interest rates could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.	Rates might go up. If you’re refinancing to simplify repayment or remove a cosigner, you might find that the trade-off is a higher interest rate than the one you had before.
You can simplify the repayment process. Rather than juggling multiple loans and due dates each month, you can use a new student loan to combine existing loans — whether they’re big or small loans — and even if they’re from different lenders.	You’ll need to qualify. Private student loan approval isn’t guaranteed, and each lender sets its own eligibility requirements.
You can adjust monthly payments. You can’t change your monthly payment once your loan has been disbursed, but you can refinance that debt into a new loan with better loan terms (like a longer repayment period or lower rate). This can help you adjust a monthly payment to fit your current budget.	You could affect your credit. Applying for a new loan could drop your credit score. If you’re planning to buy a house soon or make other big financial moves, even a small drop in your score could affect the interest rate you receive.

How to refinance USAA student loans

If you’re ready to refinance your USAA student loans, follow these six steps:

Decide what to refinance. You can refinance student loans to lower your interest rate, reduce monthly payments, remove cosigners, simplify repayment, or all the above. Determine which of your loans needs to be refinanced and then get ready to shop.
Shop around. Using a lending platform like Credible allows you to shop around for rates and loan options from multiple lenders at once, without affecting your credit. This will give you a good idea of how much you can borrow and what repayment terms you might receive.
Get prequalified. Many lenders will prequalify you for a loan without affecting your credit. With just a soft pull, they can approximate your new loan’s rate.
Compare lenders. Once you have an idea of the different loans, terms, and lenders available to you, compare all your options. Look at the rates being offered and how much your new loan will cost over time. Also consider the loan repayment terms and which one fits your budget best.
Apply for the loan. Now that you’ve picked your new lender and loan, it’s time to officially apply. This usually involves a hard credit pull, but the lender can then lock in your final rate and available terms. If you’re approved, you can sign your loan documents and you’re just about done!
Refinance. Now, it’s time to use your new loan funds to pay off your existing loans. In some cases, your new lender will do this automatically. Then, you’ll begin repaying your new lender as agreed.

Tip: Continue paying your old loans until your new lender approves your application and disburses the funds or pays off your previous loan.

Keep Reading: Guide to Every Type of Student Loan Offered

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About the author

Stephanie Colestock

Stephanie Colestock is a Washington, D.C.-based writer who has more than 11 years of experience in writing about investing, business, and personal finances. She’s contributed to outlets such as Yahoo! Finance, MSN, Investopedia, Credit Karma, Credible, and more.

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