USAA used to offer military families private student loans and refinancing options with competitive terms, but it discontinued its student lending services in 2016. Here are our editorial team’s top-rated alternatives.
USAA alternatives for in-school student loans
Navy Federal Credit Union
Best for Military Families
For military members, a student loan from Navy Federal Credit Union is the most similar option to a USAA loan. Like USAA, Navy Federal is a members-only credit union that caters to the military community in all 50 states.
- Offers Career Assistance Programs
- Available for undergrad and grad students
- Known for its great member service
- Cover up to 100% of school costs
- Can’t pause payments during school
- Limited repayment terms (max is 10 years)
- Higher interest rates
- No soft credit inquiry option when checking eligibility
- Only available to members of the credit union
Rates & funding
| Fixed rates (APR) | 5.50%+ |
| Variable rates (APR) | 7.79%+ |
| Rate discounts | 0.25% for automatic payments |
| Loan amounts | Up to 100% of costs |
Eligibility
| Loan types | Undergrad, grad |
| Min. credit score | None |
| Min. income | None |
| Enrollment | Undisclosed |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
| State | All 50 states |
Repayment
| In-school repayment | Full, interest-only, or flat |
| Repayment terms | 5 or 10 years |
| Grace period | 6 months |
| Deferment | Undisclosed |
| Forbearance | Undisclosed |
| Cosigner release | 24 on-time payments |
College Ave
Best Overall
College Ave offers personalized solutions to undergraduates, graduates, parents, and career trainees. Its online experience is the best of all the companies we reviewed, featuring interactive calculators and tools that let you customize your loan terms and see how each choice affects your total cost.
- Covers up to 100% of school costs
- Low starting interest rates
- Quick 3-minute online application
- Excellent educational resources and interactive tools
- You choose your repayment plan and term length
- Multi-Year Peace of Mind program for additional loans
- Cosigners can’t be released until halfway through repayment
- Higher interest rates for applicants with bad credit
Rates & funding
| Fixed rates (APR) | 4.39% – 16.49% |
| Variable rates (APR) | 5.59% – 16.85 |
| Rate discounts | 0.25% for automatic payments |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – 100% of school costs |
Eligibility
| Loan types | Undergrad, grad, parent, career training |
| Min. credit score | Mid-600s |
| Min. income | $35,000 per year |
| Enrollment | Half time or more |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international |
| State | All 50 states |
Repayment
| In-school repayment | Full, interest-only, fixed, deferred |
| Repayment terms | 5, 8, 10, or 15 years |
| Grace period | 6 months for undergrads, 9 months for grads, apply for 6-month extension |
| Deferment | In-school and military |
| Forbearance | Up to 12 months, in increments of 3 or 6 months |
| Cosigner release | After finishing more than half of the scheduled repayment period and meeting additional criteria |
Sallie Mae
Best for Fast Cosigner Release
Sallie Mae recognizes the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for active-duty military members in repayment. In addition to these benefits, which include deferment and forbearance, Sallie Mae extends the SCRA interest rate for an additional year after the military service ends.
- Recognizes the SCRA for active-duty military members
- Cosigner release in as little as 12 months
- Receive funds for the full year with one application
- Covers up to 100% of school costs
- Low starting interest rates
- Part-time and career-training students are eligible
- Lower interest rates for in-school repayment
- No prequalification with a soft credit check
- Less loan customization than other lenders
Rates & funding
| Fixed rates (APR) | 4.50% – 15.49% |
| Variable rates (APR) | 6.37% – 16.70% |
| Rate discounts | 0.25% for automatic payments |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – 100% of costs |
Eligibility
| Loan types | Undergrad, grad, parent, career training |
| Min. credit score | Mid-600s |
| Min. income | Not disclosed |
| Enrollment | Half time or more |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or permanent resident or non-U.S. citizen with a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
| State | All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico |
Repayment
| In-school repayment | Interest only, fixed, deferred |
| Repayment terms | 10 – 15 years |
| Grace period | 6 months |
| Deferment | In-school, military, internship, residency, and fellowship |
| Forbearance | Up to 12 months, in increments of 3 months |
| Cosigner release | After 12 consecutive on-time payments |
Earnest
Best for Repayment Perks
Earnest honors the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) interest rate cap and automatically applies the discount by cross-referencing the client database with the Department of Defense Service Member Database.
- 100% rate-match guarantee (with $100 Amazon gift card)
- 9-month grace period vs. 6 months for most others
- Skip one payment each year without penalty if needed
- No application or late payment fees
- 2-minute eligibility check with no credit impact
- Doesn’t allow cosigners to be released
Rates & funding
| Fixed rates (APR) | 4.11% – 15.90% |
| Variable rates (APR) | 5.62% – 16.20% |
| Rate discounts | 0.25% for automatic payments |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – 100% of costs |
Eligibility
| Loan types | Undergrad, grad, parent |
| Min. credit score | 650 |
| Min. income | $35,000 per year |
| Enrollment | All states other than Nevada, plus Washington, D.C. |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or permanent resident or non-U.S. citizen with a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
| State | All states other than Nevada, plus Washington D.C. |
Repayment
| In-school repayment | Full, interest-only, fixed, deferred |
| Repayment terms | 5, 7, 10, 12, or 15 years |
| Grace period | 9 months |
| Deferment | In-school, military, residency, fellowship |
| Forbearance | Up to 12 months |
| Cosigner release | No |
USAA alternatives for student loan refinancing
If you’re looking to refinance a USAA student loan, here are our top lender picks in 2025:
Credible
Best for Comparison Shopping
Credible lets you view multiple prequalified refinance offers in one place. It’s ideal for borrowers who want to shop around quickly without affecting their credit.
- Compare prequalified rates from multiple lenders
- Requesting your rates on Credible is free
Rates & funding
| Rates (APR) | 4.75% – 14.52% |
| Loan amounts | Varies by lender |
| Repayment terms | Varies by lender |
Eligibility requirements
Eligibility requirements vary by lender in Credible’s partner network.
Repayment details
Your repayment terms will depend on the options available from the lender you choose.
SoFi
Best Online Lender
SoFi® offers exclusive perks like financial planning, member events, and a generous referral program.
- Refinance your total outstanding loan balance
- Checking your rates doesn’t affect your credit
Rates & funding
| Fixed rates (APR) | 5.24 – 9.99 w/ all discounts |
| Variable rates (APR) | 6.24 – 9.99 w/ all discounts |
| Loan amounts | $5,000 – 100% of outstanding balance |
| Repayment terms | 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years |
Eligibility requirements
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Lends to all 50 states + District of Columbia
- Credit score of at least Not Disclosed (or apply with a cosigner with at least that credit score)
- No minimum income requirement, but you must have free cash available after monthly expenses
- Proof of employment or job offer starting within 90 days
- Associate degree or higher from a Title IV accredited school
Repayment details
- Choose between five, seven, 10, 15, or 20-year repayment terms.
- SoFi sends funds to current loan servicers after signing final documents and a three-day rescission period. First payment to SoFi is due 30 to 45 days after paying off previous loans.
ELFI
Best Personalized Support
ELFI provides dedicated loan advisors to guide you through the refinance process and competitive fixed and variable rates.
- Refinance your total outstanding balance
- Assigned a student loan advisor
Rates & funding
| Rates (APR) | 5.28% – 8.99% |
| Loan amounts | $10,000 – 100% of outstanding balance |
| Repayment terms | 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years |
Eligibility requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident without conditions
- Lending across all 50 states and Puerto Rico
- Bachelor’s degree or higher required
- Minimum credit score: 680 and at least 36 months of credit history
- Minimum income: $35,000
- Cosigner allowed, but no cosigner release
Repayment details
- Term options for student loan refinancing include five, seven, 10, 15, and 20 years
- Term options for parent loan refinancing include five, seven and 10 years.
- Repayment begins once ELFI pays off the original loans, which is typically 30 – 45 days after you sign your loan documents.
Earnest
Best Skip-a-Payment Benefit
Earnest stands out among student loan refinance lenders for military borrowers because it proactively honors the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and applies the interest rate cap automatically.
- Customize your repayment term
- Skip a payment once per year, if needed
Rates & funding
| Rates (APR) | 5.19% to 9.74% |
| Loan amounts | $5,000 – $500,000 |
| Repayment terms | 5 – 20 years |
Eligibility requirements
- U.S. citizen or holder of a 10-year Permanent Resident Card
- Lends to District of Columbia and 49 states (except Nevada)
- If you don’t have a degree, you must have been out of school for more than six years, have a credit score of 700 or above, and the school you attended cannot be for-profit
- Minimum credit score: 665 (without cosigners) & 650 (with cosigners)
- Minimum income: Not stated, but steady employment is required
Repayment details
- Term options range from five to 20 years, with the flexibility to choose and customize your plan when you sign your loan documents.
- Option to skip one payment per year without penalty.
Why doesn’t USAA offer student loans or refinance?
USAA discontinued its partnership with Wells Fargo in 2016, ending its student loan offerings. This decision affected both private student loans and student loan refinance options. Although it no longer provides these services, current borrowers with USAA-Wells Fargo loans continue to repay through Wells Fargo.
How to manage your USAA student loans
If you still have a USAA student loan (originated through Wells Fargo), you should continue to repay as agreed. Contact Wells Fargo Education Financial Services at 800-658-3567 for help with:
- Changing your repayment plan
- Cosigner release requests
- Payment difficulties
How to refinance USAA student loans
You can refinance your loan with any of the lenders listed above. Just note that you may lose any rate discount USAA provided. Compare your current rate with offers from other lenders before deciding to refinance.
Reasons to refinance:
- Lower your interest rate
- Extend your repayment term
- Combine multiple loans
- Release or add a cosigner
Repayment options for military members
Military members may qualify for several repayment programs:
| Program | Benefit |
| Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) | Caps interest at 6% during active duty |
| HEROES Act | Waives some federal loan requirements for active duty |
| Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program | Forgives loans after 120 qualifying payments |
| DOD Loan Repayment Program | Offers loan repayment for eligible military members |
| VA TPD Discharge | Forgives loans for veterans with permanent disability |
Takeaway: Although USAA no longer offers student loans or refinance options, many strong alternatives exist for military members and other borrowers. Whether you’re taking out a new loan or refinancing one, compare lenders carefully to find the best fit for your financial needs.
Recap of USAA student loan alternatives
Recap of USAA student loan refinance alternatives
About our contributors
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Written by Taylor Milam-SamuelTaylor Milam-Samuel is a personal finance writer and credentialed educator who is passionate about helping people take control of their finances and create a life they love. When she's not researching financial terms and conditions, she can be found in the classroom teaching.