Updated: March 1, 2024

Ascent Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Undergraduate Student Loan Review

Non-Cosigned Credit-Based Loan (Undergraduate)

Pricing disclosure
Undergraduate
Student Loan Rating
3.5 of 5
Fixed APR i x While Savingforcollege.com strives to keep the information up to date, the lender rates, terms and other information are subject to change at any time. Interest rates listed include an autopay discount if available.
8.89% - 14.81%
Variable APR i x While Savingforcollege.com strives to keep the information up to date, the lender rates, terms and other information are subject to change at any time. Interest rates listed include an autopay discount if available.
9.26% - 15.19%
Repayment Terms
5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years
Important Information

Rewards: Autopay discount (0.25%), Reward of $525 per successful referral, and Graduation Reward (1%)

Yearly Loan Limit: $200,000

Overall Loan Limits: $2,001 (minimum, $6,001 for borrowers with a MA permanent address), $200,000 (aggregate)

The bottom line:

Ascent offers three different undergraduate student loan products that provide remarkable flexibility when it comes to having a cosigner and satisfying credit requirements. The Non-Cosigned Credit Based loan is best for creditworthy student borrowers. 

Pros

  • Offers cosigned and non-cosigned loan options
  • Offers a graduated repayment plan
  • You can borrow up to the full cost of attendance

Cons

  • Borrowers of non-cosigned loans must be college juniors or seniors
  • Borrowers of non-cosigned loans are not offered the fixed or interest-only repayment options
  • They charge a fee on late payments
Ascent Student Loans Earnest College Ave
Rates from (APR) i x While Savingforcollege.com strives to keep the information up to date, the lender rates, terms and other information are subject to change at any time. Interest rates listed include an autopay discount if available.
Fixed:
8.89% - 14.81%
Variable:
9.26% - 15.19%
Fixed:
5.19% - 15.90%
Variable:
5.99% - 18.26%
Fixed:
4.07% - 15.48% 1
Variable:
5.59% - 16.69% 1
Loan repayment terms (Years) 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years 5, 8, 10, 15 years
Cosigner release? Yes, after 12 months on-time principal and interest payments None Yes, after 24 months on-time principal and interest payments

You’ll notice we rate Ascent highly compared to other lenders, and there’s good reason for that. They offer three different lending products that are each flexible when it comes to repayment and less stringent when it comes to qualifying. The Non-Cosigned Credit Based undergraduate student loan is Ascent's product for students who have already built a credit history, allowing them to apply without a cosigner.

Here are some of the attractive aspects of Ascent's student loans: They have non-cosigned loan options for undergraduate students, they offer a graduated repayment plan, and you can borrow up to the full cost of attendance at your school. Like other lenders on our list, they don’t charge application, origination or guarantee fees, and they offer fixed and variable interest rates. If you choose to repay your loan early, they won’t charge you prepayment penalties. And when it comes to rewards, borrowers enjoy an auto-debit discount, graduation reward and current customer discount.

On the downside, the Ascent non-cosigned loans are restricted to juniors and seniors. Meaning, if you’re a freshman or sophomore, you’ll need to have someone cosign your loans. Additionally, if you go down the non-cosigned route, you get the option of fully deferring your loan payments, but not of paying a fixed amount each month or the interest-only payments (which both help reduce your total student loan debt).

Since there is no cosigner on the Non-Cosigned Credit Based loan, this is a more difficult loan to qualify for, requiring minimum income of $24,000 annually.

Ascent Student Loans - Private Student Loan Details

Interest Rates, Fees and Terms
  • Credit Check: Soft for Rate Check, Hard for Application
  • Repayment Terms: 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years
  • Minimum Borrowing Limit: Not specified by lender
  • Yearly Borrowing Limit: $200,000
  • Aggregate Borrowing Limit: $200,000
  • Application Fee: None
  • Origination Fee: None
  • Prepayment Penalty: None
  • Late Fee: Yes
Requirements to Qualify
  • Minimum Credit Score: Not specified by lender
  • Minimum Annual Income: $24,000
  • Citizenship Restriction: Available to Citizens, Permanent Residents, DACA students, and International Students with a credit-worthy Citizen or Permanent Resident cosigner
  • Minimum Enrollment Restriction: Half-Time
  • List of States where Loan is Not Available: None
  • Approved Schools Include: None
Repayment Options
  • Immediate Principal and Interest Repayment: None
  • Fixed Monthly Repayment: None
  • Interest-Only Repayment: None
  • Full Deferment: Yes
Repayment Details
  • Length of Grace Period: 9 months
  • Maximum Deferment Period: 48 months
  • Maximum Forbearance Period: 24 months
  • Cosigner Release Option: Yes, after 12 months on-time principal and interest payments
  • Death Discharge: Yes
  • Disability Discharge: Yes
Customer Service
  • US-Based Call Center: Yes
  • Hours of Operation (in addition to weekdays): No Evenings or Weekends
  • Application Timeline: 1-2 business days to review required materials
Extras
  • Scholarship Search Tool: Yes
  • Sponsors a Scholarship: Yes
  • Job and Career Assistance: Yes
  • Financial Literacy Training: Yes
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