Student Loan Cosigner Guide
Cosigners are common for undergraduate students or international students taking out a student loan. This guide addresses frequently asked questions and the nuances of being a cosigner.
Juno Team
Jun 09, 2025
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What are the responsibilities of a cosigner?
A cosigner acts as a “guarantor” - many undergraduate or international students don’t have strong credit history and income, so a cosigner gives lenders some assurance that student loans will be paid back. The student will be the primary borrower on the loan and the cosigner remains a responsible party until the loan is either paid in full or refinanced. In some cases, lenders may offer a “cosigner release,” which requires sufficient credit and income, similar to refinancing.
Who can cosign for student loans?
It’s most commonly a parent, guardian, or close family member, but the cosigner and student don’t have to be related. Anyone who meets the lender’s eligibility and credit requirements can be a cosigner.
What are the minimum requirements for a cosigner?
Each lender has a unique set of eligibility criteria and credit requirements, but there are some common elements most lenders are looking for, such as:
- Citizenship Status - U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident (non-conditional), DACA Recipient, or Asylee
- Residency - must reside in a state that is supported by the lender, but it doesn’t have to be the same state as the student or the state that the university is located in
- Credit Score - a minimum FICO score of 650 is typically required, though it is okay if the student doesn’t have a credit score established yet
- Credit History - at least three (3) years of credit history with on-time payments and consistent improvements over time, with no recent collections, past due balances, or bankruptcies
- Annual Income - cosigner should have at least $35,000/year of their own income from a verifiable source, such paystubs, W2 or 1099, retirement or SSI/SSDI, or tax returns
All of these components are evaluated differently by individual lenders, which means you may see a wide range of rates or terms while you’re shopping around (ask about our Rate Match Guarantee!).
How will cosigning impact my credit history?
Application Process
You can check rates with a soft credit inquiry in many cases - there will be a hard credit check when you submit a formal application with any lender. Many folks only see a 4-6 point change in their score when they start shopping around for student loans, which disappear after six months.
You can minimize impacts to your credit score by completing applications within a 14 day window - similar to auto loans and mortgages, lenders generally recognize multiple inquiries as “one” during this period.
Initial Disbursement
The loan will be reported to credit bureaus after the initial loan disbursement to the school, generally around the time the first statement is generated - it will be reported on both the primary (student) and the cosigner’s credit. Changes to certain details - like outstanding balances, debt-to-income-ratio, and credit mix - can potentially impact both of your credit scores.
Loan Repayment
Once the loan enters repayment - after graduation and the grace period - there may be changes to what is reported to credit bureaus. If payments were deferred during school, you may see a change in the balance when accumulated interest is capitalized, which can impact your debt-to-income ratio. The lender will also begin reporting that a monthly payment is due and there may be additional impacts to your credit score
Note: You can use a credit monitoring service to track changes in your score.
Will I need to unlock or unfreeze my credit?
Yes, if you have a security freeze, you’ll need to temporarily lift the cosigner’s and student’s with Experian to check rates or submit an application. Visit juno.us/experian to get started.
If your Experian credit file is locked, you will need to unlock it for a short period of time in addition to lifting the security freeze.
Some states automatically freeze minor students’ credit profiles - theirs will need to be temporarily lifted as well.
Common Household Situations
Are we able to use two cosigners for one student?
Most lenders only allow one cosigner on an application - if there is more than one potential cosigner, it’s generally a good idea to check rates for each to see if there is a significant difference. Some people choose to alternate years to more equally distribute the credit impacts across cosigners, and others use the same cosigner every year.
Can we apply for more than one student?
Depending on the individual situation, there may be different approaches to who will cosign when more than one student needs a loan. For example, households with two incomes may split the students to more equally distribute the credit impacts, or they may alternate from year to year.
In other cases, one parent could cosign for all students - this is common if only one person provides financial support, or a grandparent may cosign if they have a significantly stronger credit profile and income than the parents.
Can the cosigner be removed from the loan?
Yes, potentially! Once the student has some credit history and is earning sufficient income, there are two common approaches to removing a cosigner from student loans.
Cosigner Release
Some lenders, like Brazos, Nelnet Bank, or SoFi - offer a ‘cosigner release’ - after a specific number of full principal and interest payments are made on-time, the cosigner can request to be removed. The number of payments can range from 12 to 48 depending on the lender, and each lender has different credit and income requirements the student needs to meet to qualify.
Refinancing
Many students have opportunities to refinance their student loans after graduation - with sufficient credit history and income, the student can apply on their own. They may even be able to apply with a different cosigner. Refinancing can offer lower rates or allow students to change the term length. Graduating students may be able to refinance in their last semester with an offer of employment.
Cosigning for International Students
Do international students need a cosigner?
Yes, in most cases international students will need an eligible cosigner for undergraduate or graduate loans. There may be opportunities to refinance without a cosigner around the time the student graduates if they’ll be living and working in the U.S.
Are the cosigner eligibility requirements the same?
Yes, most lenders review the same criteria for cosigners regardless of the student’s citizenship status.
Will the loan also be reported on the student’s credit?
If the student already has an SSN, the loan will be reported on both the student and cosigner’s credit when the loan becomes active.
If the student doesn’t have an SSN yet, they can update the lender once they do have it and the loan will then be reported to credit bureaus. This process varies by lender, but can help establish a credit profile.
Tips to Check Rates and Apply with International Students
It’s common for international students to use their cosigner’s address and phone number to check rates and complete applications - this is easy to update with the lender once the student secures living arrangements.
The student can invite the cosigner via email to complete their portion of most forms so no one has to share personal information with each other - both when checking rates and completing an application - and the cosigner will have the opportunity to review all disclosures and documents.
Still have questions or need additional guidance?
Schedule a (free) 1:1 consultation with one of our student loan experts for personalized assistance.
Written By
Juno Team
Juno came into existence to help students save money on student loans and other financial products through group buying power by negotiating with lenders. The Juno Team has worked with 200,000+ students and families to help them save money.
