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Can You Refinance a Student Loan to a 30-Year Term?

While there are no private lenders that offer 30-year refinancing terms, there are two that offer 25-year terms.

Lindsay VanSomeren Lindsay VanSomeren Edited by Ashley Harrison Updated May 13, 2022

Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we receive compensation from our partner lenders, whom we will always identify, all opinions are our own. Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as "Credible."

When you begin repaying your student loans, you’ll likely be put on a 10-year repayment plan. While you can refinance for a longer repayment term, there aren’t any private 30-year student loan refinance options available.

However, there are longer terms available for federal student loans.

If you’re looking for a 30-year student loan refinance, here’s what you need to know:

  • Extending your repayment term for federal loans
  • Refinancing to a private loan term longer than 20 years
  • 9 refinancing lenders that offer 20-year terms
  • Pros and cons of refinancing to an extended term
  • 5 other ways to lower your monthly student loan payments

Extending your repayment term for federal loans

Generally, federal loans will start out on a standard repayment plan with a 10-year term. Here are your other options to extend your repayment term:

  • Extended repayment term: If you have more than $30,000 in federal Direct Loans, you could opt for an extended repayment plan or an extended graduated repayment plan. Both options give you a 25-year term length. While this isn’t quite 30 years, it’s pretty close.
  • Income-driven repayment: If you sign up for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, your payments will be based on your income. This can be especially helpful if you’re not earning very much or are unemployed. Plus, you could have any remaining balance forgiven after 20 to 25 years, depending on the plan.

The four IDR plans available:

  • Income-Based Repayment (IBR)
  • Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR)
  • Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
  • Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE)
Repayment planMonthly paymentTerm length
(time until forgiveness)
Income-Based Repayment10% or 15% of discretionary income
(depending on when you took your loans out)
  • Up to 20 years for new loan borrowers on or after July 1, 2014
  • Up to 25 years if you took your loans out before July 1, 2014
Income-Contingent Repayment20% of discretionary income
(or what you'd pay on income-adjusted 12-year plan, if less)
Up to 25 years
Pay-As-You-Earn10% of discretionary income
(never more than what you’d pay on standard repayment plan)
Up to 20 years
Revised Pay-As-You-Earn10% of discretionary income
(no cap)
  • Up to 20 years for undergrad loans
  • Up to 25 years for graduate loans

Refinancing to a private loan term longer than 20 years

If you have private student loans, you could refinance your student loans and choose to extend your repayment term. There are several student loan refinance lenders that offer longer term lengths, such as 15 or 20 years.

Keep in mind: While you can also refinance federal student loans, you’ll lose your federal benefits and protections.

These include access to IDR plans as well as eligibility for student loan forgiveness programs.

As of October 2021, there are only two lenders that offer term lengths longer than 20 years: Eastman Credit Union and U-fi from Nelnet.

LenderRatesLoan terms (years)
Eastman Credit UnionCheck with lender5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25
U-fiCheck with lender5, 7, 15, 18, 20, 25

Learn More: How Often Can You Refinance Student Loans?

8 refinancing lenders that offer 20-year terms

A 20-year term is the longest you’ll find with most refinancing lenders. Keep in mind that while choosing a longer term like 20 years will likely help you get a lower monthly payment, you’ll also pay more in interest over time.

Here are Credible’s partner lenders that offer 20-year terms on refinanced loans:

LenderFixed rates from (APR)Variable rates from (APR)Loan terms (years)

brazos student loan refinance

Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
4.4%+ 4.54%+ 5, 7, 10, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 4.4%+
  • Variable APR: 4.54%+
  • Min. credit score: 690
  • Loan amount: $10,000 to $400,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20
  • Repayment options: Military deferment, forbearance
  • Fees: Late fee
  • Discounts: Autopay
  • Eligibility: Must have a credit score of at least 720, a minimum income of $60,000, and must be a resident of Texas
  • Customer service: Email, phone
  • Soft credit check: Does not disclose
  • Cosigner release: No
  • Loan servicer: Firstmark Services
  • Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 - $149,000
  • Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $200,000 - $400,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Does not disclose


Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
5.39%+1 5.39%+1 5, 7, 10, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 5.39%+1
  • Variable APR: 5.39%+1
  • Min. credit score: Does not disclose
  • Loan amount: $10,000 to $750,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20
  • Repayment options: Immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability
  • Fees: Late fee
  • Discounts: Autopay, loyalty
  • Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have at least $10,000 in student loans
  • Customer service: Email, phone, chat
  • Soft credit check: Yes
  • Cosigner release: After 24 to 36 months
  • Loan servicer: Firstmark Services
  • Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 to $149,000
  • Max. Graduate Loan Balance: Less than $150,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes


Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
5.24%+2 5.24%+2 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 5.24%+2
  • Variable APR: 5.24%+2
  • Min. credit score: Does not disclose
  • Loan amount: $5,000 to $300,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 12, 15
  • Repayment options: Military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability
  • Fees: Late fee
  • Discounts: Autopay
  • Eligibility: All states except for ME
  • Customer service: Email, phone, chat
  • Soft credit check: Yes
  • Cosigner release: After 24 to 36 months
  • Loan servicer: College Ave Servicing LLC
  • Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 to $149,000
  • Max. Graduate Loan Balance: Less than $300,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes

edvestinu student loan refinance

Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
7.41%+5 7.29%+5 10, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 7.41%+5
  • Variable APR: 7.29%+5
  • Min. credit score: 700
  • Loan amount: $7,500 to $200,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15, 20
  • Repayment options: Immediate repayment, academic deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability
  • Fees: None
  • Discounts: Autopay
  • Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and submit two personal references
  • Customer service: Email, phone
  • Soft credit check: Yes
  • Cosigner release: After 36 months
  • Loan servicer: Granite State Management & Resources (GSM&R)
  • Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $150,000 to $249,000
  • Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $150,000 to $199,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing : Yes


Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
4.83%+3 3.99%+3 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 4.83%+3
  • Variable APR: 3.99%+3
  • Min. credit score: 680
  • Loan amount: $10,000 to $250,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20
  • Repayment options: Forbearance
  • Fees: None
  • Discounts: None
  • Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have at least $15,000 in student loan debt, and have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved school
  • Customer service: Email, phone
  • Soft credit check: Yes
  • Cosigner release: No
  • Loan servicer: Mohela
  • Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $250,000
  • Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $250,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes


Credible Rating
Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.
View details
5.61%+4 6.61%+4 5, 10, 15, 20
  • Fixed APR: 5.61%+4
  • Variable APR: 6.61%+4
  • Min. credit score: 670
  • Loan amount: $5,000 to $250,000
  • Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15, 20
  • Repayment options: Academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance
  • Fees: Late fee
  • Discounts: Autopay
  • Eligibility: Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Customer service: Email, phone, chat
  • Soft credit check: Yes
  • Cosigner release: Yes
  • Max undergraduate loan balance: $250,000
  • Max graduate loan balance: $250,000
  • Offers Parent PLUS refinancing: Yes
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All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | 1Citizens Disclosures | 2College Ave Disclosures | 5EDvestinU Disclosures | 3 ELFI Disclosures | 4INvestEd Disclosures | 7ISL Education Lending Disclosures

Pros and cons of refinancing to an extended term

Before you refinance, be sure to consider the pros and cons of extending your repayment term:

Pros

  • Could reduce your monthly payments: One of the major benefits of extending your repayment term is that it could lower your monthly payments. This could make your student loan payment easier to afford.
  • Could lower your interest rate: Although short-term loans tend to have lower student loan interest rates than long-term loans, you might still be able to get a lower rate than what you currently have.
  • Might help your credit: Making your loan payments on time can help you build your credit. With an extended repayment term, you could enjoy the positive impacts on your credit for longer.
For example: The average student loan debt is $33,654, with the average student loan interest rate at 4.66% for undergraduates and 6.22% for graduates between 2006 and 2021.

If you began repaying $33,654 on a 10-year standard repayment plan at 6.22%, your payments would be $377 per month.

But if you refinanced to a 25-year term with 6% interest, your payment would be only $217 — saving you $160 each month.

Cons

  • More expensive in the long run: Extending your repayment term will likely reduce your monthly payment. But because you’ll be paying your loan longer, you’ll have more accrued interest to repay over the life of your loan.
  • More time to run into problems: The chances of having a financial problem that keeps you from making your payment is greater over the course of 25 years than, say, 10 years. If your income isn’t steady or goes through changes over time, you could be at a higher risk of student loan default.
  • Could be harder to qualify for credit: Having an extended repayment term means your loan will be counted in your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio for that much longer. This could make it more difficult to be approved for a loan in the future, especially if you have a large balance.
  • Might be difficult with bad credit: Although refinancing with bad credit is possible, it can be tricky. Convincing lenders to give you a longer repayment term might be harder as well. Having a creditworthy cosigner could help you get approved as well as qualify for better loan terms, though you still might not get the extended term you want.
But remember: A longer repayment term also means more interest charges over time. While you’d save on your monthly payment in the above example, you’d also pay $31,396 in interest over the life of the loan compared to $11,629 on the standard repayment plan. That’s $19,767 more in interest.

If you refinanced to a 15-year loan with 4% interest instead, you’d pay $249 per month and $11,154 in interest over time. This means you’d pay $128 less per month while also saving $475 on interest compared to the standard repayment plan.

Loading widget - embedded-prequal

5 other ways to lower your monthly student loan payments

If you’re having a hard time affording your student loan payments, you still have a few other options:

Consolidating federal student loans

If you have multiple federal student loans, you can consolidate them with a Direct Consolidation Loan. This will leave you with one federal loan and one payment.

Additionally, with this option, you can extend your repayment term up to 30 years.

Keep in mind: Private student loan consolidation is also available. Depending on your credit, this might help you get a lower interest.

Just be careful — if you privately consolidate federal loans, you’ll lose access to federal benefits and protections.

Choose a graduated repayment plan

If you switch your federal student loans to a graduated repayment plan, you’ll still have a 10-year repayment term.

However, your payments will be start out lower in the beginning and will slowly increase over time.

Tip: A graduated repayment plan could be especially helpful if you expect your income to grow in the future.

Take advantage of lender discounts

Many private student loan lenders offer rate discounts. Two common types of discounts include:

  • Autopay discounts: If you sign up for automatic payments, your lender might give you a rate discount —  typically 0.25%, depending on the lender.
  • Loyalty discounts: If you have an existing account with a lender, you could qualify for a loyalty discount if you also choose to refinance your loans with them.
Tip: Some lenders might provide other discounts, too. Check with your lender to see if there are any discounts you might qualify for.

For temporary relief, inquire about deferment and forbearance

Deferment and forbearance programs allow you to temporarily pause your payments if you experience financial hardship. Federal student loans provide both deferment and forbearance options, while private student loan options are up to the discretion of the lender.

If you’re considering deferment or forbearance, be sure to reach out to your servicer to see what programs you might qualify for.

Keep in mind: Interest might still continue to accrue on your loans during deferment or forbearance periods, depending on the type of loans you have.

Refinance to a lower rate

You might qualify for a lower interest rate if you refinance, which could reduce your monthly payments. Even if you refinance for the same term length, a lower interest rate means you’ll likely have slightly smaller payments overall.

If you’re wondering how competitive your loan is, the loan score tool below can help. Just enter your APR, credit score, monthly payment, and remaining balance (estimates are fine) to see how your loan stacks up.

Loading widget - loan-score-tool

Keep Reading: Refinancing Consolidated Federal Student Loans: Can You and Should You?

About the author
Lindsay VanSomeren
Lindsay VanSomeren

Lindsay VanSomeren specializes in credit and loans. Her work has appeared on Credit Karma, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, and more.

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