How to Take Out a Student Loan Without Your Parents

Many students assume they need their parents’ help to take out a student loan, but that’s not always the case. You still have options whether your parents can’t or won’t assist. You can qualify for federal loans independently, explore private loans with non-parent cosigners, and take advantage of alternative funding sources like scholarships, grants, and work-study programs.

This guide explains how to borrow without parental support, including what it takes to qualify as an independent student, what federal and private loans are available, and other ways to pay for college.

Federal Student Loan Options Without Parents

The best place to start is with federal student aid, which offers the most flexible repayment options and doesn’t require a cosigner. Here’s how to access federal student loan options without parents.

1. File the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for nearly all forms of financial aid, including federal loans. Even if your parents refuse to help, you should still file the FAFSA to maximize your aid eligibility.

If you have unusual circumstances such as abuse, abandonment, or estrangement, you can request a dependency override from your school’s financial aid office. Overrides are rare, but they allow schools to award aid without parent data if you can prove your parents do not financially support you.

If your parents simply won’t share their information and you don’t qualify for an override, you may still be able to take out unsubsidized federal loans on your own, though at lower limits.

2. Independent vs. Dependent Student Loans

Your dependency status determines how much you can borrow.

You’re considered independent if you meet certain criteria, such as:

• Being 24 or older
• Married
• In graduate school
• Serving on active duty or a veteran
• Having children or other legal dependents
• Both parents are deceased

If you’re independent, parental information isn’t required on the FAFSA, and your loan limits are higher.

This table shows the loan limits based on dependency status, as well as Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loan amounts:

Aggregate loan limits:

• Dependent undergrads: $31,000
• Independent undergrads: $57,500
• Graduate students: $138,500 total (or $224,000 for med school)

Graduate students may also qualify for Grad PLUS loans, which require a credit check but no cosigner. Students with adverse credit can still apply with an endorser (similar to a cosigner).

Please note that Grad PLUS loans are scheduled to be phased out on 7/1/2026, with changes from the Big Beautiful Bill.

3. Tuition Payment Plans

Most colleges offer tuition installment plans that allow you to pay monthly instead of in one lump sum. While this doesn’t replace loans, it can reduce the amount you need to borrow. For example, putting $2,500 toward a $10,000 tuition bill for the semester means you only need loans for the remaining $7,500.

These plans can also help if you’re working while in school and want to spread costs across the year.

Private Student Loans Without Parents

You may consider private student loans if federal loans and aid aren’t enough. Most private lenders require a cosigner, but it doesn’t have to be a parent. A grandparent, relative, or trusted family friend with strong credit may qualify.

Some lenders, like Ascent’s Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan, use alternative criteria (such as GPA or major) instead of credit. Still, options are limited, and interest rates are often higher than federal loans.

Key differences:

• Federal loans offer income-driven repayment, deferment/forbearance, and forgiveness programs.
• Private loans generally don’t.

Are Parents Responsible for Your Loans?

Parents are not responsible for any student loan you take out in your name unless they cosign or borrow the loan themselves (such as a Parent PLUS loan).

Parents can still support your education through other methods, like contributing to a 529 college savings plan, giving tax-free cash gifts, or helping indirectly with living expenses. But legally, the debt is yours.

Alternative College Funding Options

If you can’t borrow enough on your own, consider other ways to cover costs:

• Scholarships – Available through nonprofits, professional groups, businesses, and colleges.
• Grants – Federal Pell Grants, state grants, and institutional grants are free money that doesn’t need to be repaid.
• Work-study programs – Part-time campus jobs awarded as part of your aid package based on need.
• Emergency student loans – Short-term help available at some colleges for unexpected expenses.

Bottom Line

Taking out a student loan without your parents is possible, but it depends on your dependency status, eligibility for federal aid, and access to cosigners for private loans.

Start with the FAFSA, check whether you qualify as an independent student, and maximize federal loans before considering private ones.

At Savingforcollege.com, we aim to help you make smart decisions about saving and paying for education. Some of the products featured in this article are from partners from whom we receive compensation, but this doesn’t influence our evaluations. Our opinions are ours, not those of any bank, investment manager, or student lender.