Does Chase Refinance Student Loans?

No. Chase no longer offers student loan refinancing. The bank exited the student lending market after stopping new originations around 2013 and later transferring its remaining loan portfolio to other companies.

If Chase was your first choice for refinancing, you still have several options. Other private lenders continue to refinance student loans, and many provide competitive rates, flexible terms and helpful borrower benefits.

Refinancing makes sense if you qualify for a lower interest rate than your current loan and do not plan to rely on federal repayment programs such as income-driven repayment (IDR) or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for federal loans. If you prequalify with several lenders but cannot secure better terms, consider strengthening your credit profile. If you have federal loans, review federal repayment options.

RELATED: Here’s the Credit Score You Need to Refinance Student Loans

• Traditional banks. Some banks also offer student loan refinancing, even though large institutions like Chase have exited the market. Borrowers who prefer working with a bank may value in-person support, established customer service systems or potential loyalty benefits tied to existing checking or savings accounts.

  For example, Citizens Bank offers a combined loyalty and autopay rate discount of up to 0.50% for eligible borrowers. Existing customers may qualify for a 0.25% loyalty discount, and borrowers who enroll in autopay can receive an additional 0.25% rate reduction.

• Online refinance lenders. Many student loan refinance companies operate fully online and focus exclusively on refinancing. They typically allow borrowers to pre-qualify with a soft credit check to compare potential rates without affecting their credit and offer varied flexibility and borrower-focused benefits.

  For instance, Earnest offers a Skip-A-Payment option for eligible borrowers, while Laurel Road allows qualifying medical residents to make $100 monthly payments during training to ease cash flow.

• Credit unions. Credit unions operate differently from banks and online lenders. They are member-owned, not-for-profit institutions, which means eligibility is tied to membership rather than open national lending. In some cases, this structure lets them offer member-specific competitive rates and benefits.

  For example, BCU offers student loan refinancing to eligible members with no application, origination, prepayment or late fees. Borrowers can receive a 0.25% autopay discount and may qualify for a $300 cash bonus promotion. Because credit unions serve defined member groups, they may emphasize relationship-based lending rather than appealing to a broad audience.

1. Check your rates through pre-qualification

Start by prequalifying with several lenders. This allows you to preview potential interest rates and repayment options based on your credit profile. Prequalification uses a soft credit check, so it does not impact your credit score. Reviewing multiple offers helps you see what you’re likely to qualify for before submitting a full application.

2. Select the lender that suits your goals

Once you have rate estimates, choose the lender that best supports your financial goals. If your priority is lowering the total amount you’ll repay, focus on the lowest interest rate with a term you can reasonably manage. If reducing your monthly payment is more important, a longer term may help, but extending repayment can increase the total interest charged over time.

3. Complete the full application

After selecting a lender, you’ll submit a formal application and upload documentation such as income verification, identification and recent loan statements. At this stage, the lender will conduct a hard credit inquiry, which may temporarily lower your credit score.

4. Maintain payments until payoff is confirmed

Continue making payments on your current loan until the new lender officially pays it off. Be mindful that, depending on the lender, funding can take a few weeks. However, once the payoff is complete, you’ll begin making payments under the new refinance terms.

If your current loans are federal, keep in mind that refinancing converts them into private loans. This permanently removes access to federal protections, including income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and federal deferment or forbearance programs. Take time to understand the tradeoffs before refinancing a federal loan.

RELATED: How to Refinance Federal Student Loans