Yes, you can get a student loan with a 600 credit score. Federal Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans require no credit check, so your score has no bearing on eligibility for the largest source of student aid in the country. Private loans are harder at 600 because most lenders set minimums in the mid-600s to upper-600s, but a cosigner or a lender that underwrites on academics rather than credit can close the gap.
Start With Federal Direct Loans
Federal Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are the first stop. The Department of Education does not pull your credit report or calculate a credit score when awarding them, and schools are explicitly prohibited from running credit checks on students in connection with these loans.1Federal Student Aid. Student and Parent Eligibility for Direct Loans Eligibility comes down to basic requirements: U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status, enrollment at least half-time in an accredited degree or certificate program, and a filed FAFSA.2Department of Education. Direct Loan School Guide – Establishing Borrower Eligibility for Direct Loans Missed payments, collections, or even a prior bankruptcy discharge will not disqualify you.
Subsidized loans go to undergraduates with demonstrated financial need, and the government covers interest while you’re enrolled at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans are available regardless of need, and interest accrues immediately. For the 2025–2026 academic year, both carry a fixed rate of 6.39% for undergraduates. Graduate and professional students pay 7.94% on Direct Unsubsidized Loans.3Federal Student Aid. Interest Rates for Direct Loans First Disbursed Between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026
How Much You Can Borrow
Federal caps often fall short of full tuition, especially at private universities. For dependent undergraduates, annual limits are $5,500 in the first year (with a $3,500 subsidized maximum), $6,500 in the second year ($4,500 subsidized), and $7,500 in the third year and beyond ($5,500 subsidized). Independent undergraduates, and dependent students whose parents cannot get a PLUS Loan, can borrow $9,500 in the first year, $10,500 in the second, and $12,500 from the third year onward. Over a full undergraduate career, dependent students can borrow up to $31,000; independent undergraduates can reach $57,500.4Federal Student Aid. Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits If these caps don’t cover your cost of attendance, PLUS or private loans come next.
PLUS Loans: Credit Matters, But Not Your Score
Direct PLUS Loans are the one federal program that involves a credit check. They are available to graduate students and to parents of dependent undergraduates, at a fixed rate of 8.94% for 2025–2026.3Federal Student Aid. Interest Rates for Direct Loans First Disbursed Between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026 The Department pulls a credit report, but it does not look at your FICO score. A 600 is not automatically disqualifying. The check is looking for specific negative marks that add up to an “adverse credit history.”
You’ll be flagged for adverse credit if either of the following appears on your report:
- One or more accounts with a combined balance over $2,085 that are 90 or more days past due, or that have been sent to collections or charged off within the past two years.
- A default, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a federal student loan within the past five years.5FSA Partner Connect. Student and Parent Eligibility for Direct Loans
If none of those markers show up, a 600 score will not stop you from getting a PLUS Loan. Plenty of borrowers with fair credit have clean enough histories to pass.
If a PLUS Loan Is Denied
A denial for adverse credit is not the end of the process. You have two options, and both require completing PLUS Credit Counseling through the Department of Education.6Federal Student Aid. Complete PLUS Loan Credit Counseling
The first is to obtain an endorser, someone with no adverse credit history who agrees to repay the loan if you don’t. The second is to appeal the decision by documenting extenuating circumstances. Valid grounds include errors on your credit report, accounts that don’t belong to you, or identity theft, and you’ll need to show you’re actively resolving the accounts in question.7Federal Student Aid. PLUS Loans: What to Do if You’re Denied Based on Adverse Credit History Appeals can be filed online or by calling the Federal Student Aid contact center at 1-800-433-3243.
There’s a useful consequence for dependent undergraduates: if a parent is denied a PLUS Loan, the student becomes eligible for the higher annual Direct Unsubsidized Loan limits that independent students receive.4Federal Student Aid. Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits
Private Loans on Your Own at 600
Private lenders operate nothing like the federal system. Banks, credit unions, and online lenders run a full credit evaluation, and most require a minimum FICO score in the mid-600s to upper-600s just to qualify. A 600 typically falls below those thresholds, so a solo application is likely to end in a denial or an offer with steep costs attached.
When private lenders do approve borrowers with lower credit, the rate reflects the risk. Advertised rates across major lenders range from roughly 3% at the low end for excellent-credit borrowers to 17% or higher near the bottom of the approval range. A 600-score borrower who does qualify will almost certainly land at the high end. Some private loans also charge origination fees, though many lenders have moved away from them.
Add a Cosigner
A cosigner is the most common workaround for a 600 credit score in the private market. This is typically a parent, relative, or mentor with a stronger credit profile and steady income. The cosigner is not just vouching for you; they are legally on the hook for the full balance if you stop paying. Lenders evaluate the cosigner’s credit score, income, and debt-to-income ratio before deciding whether to approve the loan and what rate to offer.
A strong cosigner can change the terms substantially. Where a solo applicant with a 600 score might be denied outright, the same applicant paired with a cosigner who has a 750 score and stable earnings could qualify at a rate several percentage points lower. On a $30,000 loan over ten years, that difference can save thousands of dollars.
Many private lenders also offer cosigner release after the primary borrower makes a set number of consecutive on-time payments, typically 12 to 48 months depending on the lender. Release is never guaranteed, since the borrower has to requalify alone under the lender’s criteria at that time. If it matters to the person signing with you, compare release policies before choosing a lender.
Lenders That Skip Traditional Credit Checks
A small but growing number of private lenders evaluate students on academic performance and future earning potential rather than credit scores. These are a genuine option if you can’t find a cosigner or don’t want to put that burden on someone.
Ascent offers a non-cosigned outcomes-based loan for undergraduate juniors and seniors. There is no minimum credit score or income requirement. Ascent looks at your school, program of study, GPA (minimum 3.0), and time to graduation. Loan amounts run from about $2,000 to $20,000 per year, with aggregate limits up to $200,000 across all Ascent loans.
Funding U takes a similar approach and is open to students earlier in their college careers. It doesn’t require a credit score or cosigner, and evaluates your academic record, coursework, graduation prospects, and likely future earnings. Loan amounts run from $3,000 to $20,000 per year, up to $100,000 total, with a 10-year repayment term. GPA requirements are tiered: first-year students need a 3.5 high school GPA, while seniors need at least a 2.5 college GPA.
These lenders fill a real gap, but the tradeoff is usually a higher interest rate than a cosigned loan from a traditional lender would carry. Read the terms carefully and compare total repayment cost before committing.
Know the Cost of Default Before You Borrow
Borrowing at a lower credit score means you are statistically more likely to struggle with repayment, so the consequences of default deserve a closer look.
A federal student loan enters default after roughly 360 days without a payment. The government has collection tools private creditors do not: it can garnish up to 15% of your disposable pay without a court order, intercept your federal tax refunds and certain benefits like Social Security through the Treasury Offset Program, and strip your eligibility for further federal student aid.8Federal Student Aid. Student Loan Default and Collections: FAQs There is no statute of limitations on federal student loan collections. Getting out of default typically requires loan rehabilitation (nine qualifying payments over ten months) or consolidation into a new Direct Consolidation Loan.
Private lenders have fewer built-in powers but can still do serious damage. Default timelines vary by lender and are set in your loan agreement, often triggered after 90 to 120 days of missed payments. The lender can send the debt to collections, report the default to credit bureaus, and sue within the applicable state statute of limitations.9Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Happens if I Default on a Private Student Loan? A court judgment can open the door to wage garnishment and bank account levies depending on state law. If you have a cosigner, the lender will pursue them too.