Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Student Loans Student Loans for Nurses: Compare Federal, Private, and PLUS Loans Updated Jun 17, 2025 10-min read Expert Approved Expert Approved This article has been reviewed by a Certified Financial Planner™ for accuracy. Written by Geoff Williams Written by Geoff Williams Expertise: Credit cards, mortgages, insurance, saving money, managing cash flow, loans, retirement, estate planning Learn more about Geoff Williams Reviewed by Crystal Rau, CFP® Reviewed by Crystal Rau, CFP® Expertise: Equity compensation, oil & gas investments, education planning, investment planning, student loan planning, retirement Crystal Rau, CFP®, CRPC®, AAMS®, is a certified financial planner based out of Midland, Texas. She is the founder of Beyond Balanced Financial Planning, a fee-only registered investment advisor that helps young professionals and families balance living their ideal lives and being good stewards of their finances. Learn more about Crystal Rau, CFP® Federal loans should be your first choice if you need student loans for nursing school. But if federal loans don’t cover all your costs, private loans can help fill the gap. We selected the best student loans for nurses based on rate ranges, flexible terms, cosigner options, and borrower benefits. Whether you need federal or private loans, choosing the right lender can make repaying your nursing school debt easier and more affordable. Company Best for… Rating (0-5) 5.0 View Rates Best Overall 5.0 View Rates 4.8 View Rates Best for Cosigners 4.8 View Rates 4.7 View Rates Best for Member Benefits 4.7 View Rates 4.7 View Rates Best for Large Loans 4.7 View Rates 4.5 View Rates Best Loan Advisors 4.5 View Rates Table of Contents Federal student loans for nurses Loan options by program level Should you choose a Grad PLUS or private loan? Best private student loans for nurses College Ave Graduate Health Professions Student Loan Sallie Mae Graduate School Loan for Health Professions SoFi Health Professions Loan Earnest Graduate Student Loan ELFI Graduate Student Loan Can nursing school student loans be forgiven? How to get loans for nurses FAQ Federal student loans for nurses Federal student loans should be your first option when financing nursing school. They offer fixed repayment terms and more flexible repayment options than private loans. To apply, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form determines your eligibility for federal loans, as well as grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. Loan options by program level Undergraduate nursing students (ADN or BSN): Loan typeInterest rateFeesAnnual borrowing limitDirect Subsidized Loan6.53%1.057%$3,500 – $5,500Direct Unsubsidized Loan6.53%1.057%$5,500 – $7,500 (total with Subsidized) Direct Subsidized Loans are need-based, and the government pays the interest while you’re in school. Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to all undergrads, but interest accrues from the start. How much can you borrow? Dependent students can borrow up to $31,000. Independent students can borrow up to $57,500 total. If federal loans don’t fully cover your costs, a parent may be able to take out a Parent PLUS loan, which lets them borrow up to your full cost of attendance. Graduate nursing students (MSN, DNP, or other advanced degree): Loan typeInterest rate FeesAnnual borrowing limitDirect Unsubsidized8.08%1.057%$20,500Grad PLUS9.08%4.228%Up to full cost of attendance Direct Unsubsidized Loans have lower rates and fees and should be used first. Grad PLUS loans let you borrow more but come with higher rates and fees and require a credit check. How much can you borrow? Graduate students can borrow up to $138,500 total in federal loans (including any undergraduate loans). If you need to borrow more than the $20,500 annual limit, Grad PLUS loans can cover the remaining cost of your program. Should you choose a Grad PLUS or private loan? If you’ve maxed out Direct Unsubsidized Loans, your next decision is between a Grad PLUS loan and a private student loan. Here’s what to consider: Choose Grad PLUS if you need access to income-driven repayment, forgiveness, or deferment options. Choose a private loan if you (or a cosigner) have excellent credit and don’t plan to use federal benefits. Many private lenders offer lower rates and no origination fees compared to Grad PLUS loans. Best private student loans for nurses Several private lenders also offer specialized loan programs for nursing students. These might include extended grace periods or flexible repayment options. Here are our top recommendations. College Ave Best Overall 5.0 /5 View Rates Why we like College Ave’s Graduate Health Professions Student Loan College Ave‘s Health Professions Student Loan lets you borrow up to your school’s cost of attendance and choose repayment terms from five to 20 years. This loan doesn’t charge origination fees and has a nine-month grace period. To qualify for a College Ave student loan, you must meet credit and income requirements or apply with a cosigner who does. International students who apply with a U.S. cosigner are eligible for a loan. Choose from 5 repayment terms Defer payment while you’re in school (including graduate programs or clinical training, if applicable) Apply in just 3 minutes Loan details Rates (APR)3.87% – 14.47%Loan amounts$1,000 – cost of attendance Repayment terms5, 8, 10, or 15 years Sallie Mae Best for Cosigners 4.8 /5 View Rates Why we like Sallie Mae’s Graduate School Loan for Health Professions Sallie Mae‘s Health Professions loan can cover all your school-certified expenses. You can borrow as much as you need to pay for school, and you will repay your loan over 15 years. Sallie Mae also offers a rate discount of 0.25% for autopay. Sallie Mae doesn’t charge origination fees on its student loans and offers a six-month grace period. If you apply with a cosigner, you may qualify for cosigner release after 12 months of on-time loan payments. Shortest cosigner release period available With Multi-Year Advantage, returning graduate students have a 94% approval rate with a cosigner Defer payment while you’re in school (including graduate programs or clinical training, if applicable) Available for less than half-time enrollment Loan details Rates (APR)4.15% – 14.97% Loan amounts$1,000 – cost of attendance Repayment terms15 years SoFi Best for Member Benefits 4.7 /5 View Rates Why we like SoFi’s Health Professions Loan SoFi loans are available to graduate nursing students and other graduate medical students. No fees, including origination and late fees, are required, and repayment terms range from five to 15 years. You can borrow up to your school’s cost of attendance and defer payments for nine months after you graduate. SoFi also offers borrowers a range of member benefits, including financial advising and member experiences. No fees Check your rate without affecting your credit Get a cash bonus up to $250 for good grades Loan details Fixed rates (APR)4.74% – 14.83% with all discounts appliedLoan amounts$1,000 – cost of attendance Repayment terms5, 7, 10, or 15 years Earnest Best for Large Loans 4.7 /5 View Rates Why we like Earnest’s Graduate Student Loan Earnest offers graduate loans for students pursuing medical careers, including nursing. You get a grace period of nine months after leaving school before you need to make payments. Repayment terms range from five to 15 years, but Earnest lets you choose your term down to the month to find a monthly payment that works for your budget. You can also skip a payment once per year, though your skipped payment will be counted against your total 12-month forbearance allowance that is allowed over the life of the loan—and you’ll make those payments eventually before the loan ends. So skip payments sparingly. You can borrow up to your school’s cost of attendance from Earnest, and your loan will come with a grace period of nine months. Earnest doesn’t apply origination or late payment fees on its nurse student loans. Skip a payment once per year if needed No fees Check your rate without affecting your credit Loan details Rates (APR)4.17% – 16.85%Loan amounts$1,000 – cost of attendance Repayment terms5, 7, 10, 12, or 15 years ELFI Best for Student Loan Advisors 4.5 /5 View Rates Why we like ELFI’s Graduate Student Loan ELFI graduate loans are available to nursing and graduate students. Borrowers are assigned a Student Loan Advisor to assist throughout the application process, and you can get a rate discount of 0.25% for making automatic payments. You can borrow up to 100% of your certified costs and choose repayment terms of five, seven, 10, or 15 years. ELFI offers a six-month grace period. You can prequalify for an ELFI student loan on the lender’s website. Personalized service with a dedicated student loan advisor for each applicant Competitive rates with no origination, application, or prepayment fees Flexible repayment terms ranging from five to 15 years Option to prequalify without affecting your credit score Offers forbearance for up to 12 months for financial hardship or medical difficulty Loan details Rates (APR)4.50% – 14.22%Loan amounts$1,000 – cost of attendance Repayment terms5, 7, 10, or 15 years Health professions student loans for nurses The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is another potential source of loans for nursing students. The HRSA partners with schools to offer loans to students pursuing careers in medicine, including nursing. It pays for up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt. Over the course of two years, you’ll receive 60% of your total outstanding qualifying nursing education loans. After your two-year service contract, you may be eligible for a third year and an additional 25% of your nursing student loans. Because the HRSA partners with schools to offer loans, you can work with your school to confirm eligibility and apply. Student loans are available for those pursuing associate, undergraduate, or graduate degrees. A good rule of thumb is not to borrow more than your annual salary after additional education. For example, if you plan to return to school to become a nurse practitioner and anticipate your new salary to be a certain amount, ensure the total amount borrowed (both existing and new loans) will not exceed that anticipated new salary. And be careful not to overestimate either! Crystal Rau , CFP® Can nursing school student loans be forgiven? Yes—nurses have several loan forgiveness and repayment assistance options, but most apply only to federal student loans. If you have private student loans, your options are more limited, but some states and employers offer repayment assistance programs. Student Loan Forgiveness for Nurses How to get loans for nurses Applying for student loans for nursing school isn’t complicated. Here’s how to get funding: Fill out the FAFSA. The first step to getting federal student loans is to complete the FAFSA and submit it by the school’s deadline. The FAFSA is necessary to qualify for all types of federal student loans. Review your award letter. Once you’ve submitted the FAFSA, the school’s financial aid department will review the results and determine your eligibility. You’ll get your results in an award letter showing the total amount you qualify for. Determine whether need to take out additional aid. If you need more financial aid than you qualify for in Direct Unsubsidized Loans, determine whether a private student loan or Grad PLUS loans makes more sense. If needed, choose a private student loan. Private student loan companies vary. Compare interest rates, repayment terms, in-school repayment options, and fees. FAQ Do nursing school loans cover living expenses? Nursing school loans may cover the attendance cost, including living expenses. However, if your living expenses exceed the school’s stated average, you’ll have to find another way to cover the cost. When does repayment on nursing school loans start? Repayment varies depending on the type of loan you have. If you have federal student loans, repayment will begin six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below part-time status. If you have private student loans, repayment will vary depending on your lender’s policy. Generally, private lenders’ grace periods range from six to nine months. How we chose the best student loans for nurses LendEDU evaluates student loan lenders to help readers find the best student loans. Our latest analysis reviewed 725 data points from 25 lenders and financial institutions, with 29 data points collected from each. This information is gathered from company websites, online applications, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives. These star ratings help us determine which companies are best for different situations. We don’t believe two companies can be the best for the same purpose, so we only show each best-for designation once. Recap of the best private student loans for nurses Company Best for… Rating (0-5) 5.0 View Rates Best Overall 5.0 View Rates 4.8 View Rates Best for Cosigners 4.8 View Rates 4.7 View Rates Best for Member Benefits 4.7 View Rates 4.7 View Rates Best for Large Loans 4.7 View Rates 4.5 View Rates Best Loan Advisors 4.5 View Rates