Best Student Loan Refinancing for Physicians (2026)

Five places physicians get refinancing quotes, compared on what each one publishes: APR ranges with their dates, $100-a-month residency programs, credit minimums, fees, and who qualifies. Tick any two or three to compare them side by side.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJoshua Dunigan, DO

Sources cited

Updated September 27, 2026

MedMoneyGuide is committed to editorial integrity.

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Key takeaways

•Refinancing federal loans is permanent. It ends PSLF, IBR, RAP and federal forbearance for those loans. Rule out PSLF first.
•Four of the five offer $100-a-month payments in training: KeyBank, SoFi and Earnest directly, Splash through a partner. Only Earnest says the unpaid interest is never added to your balance.
•Advertised fixed rates start at 3.99% at Splash (a marketplace), 4.29% at ELFI, 4.45% at Earnest, 4.49% at SoFi with its member discount, and 4.74% at KeyBank. Few borrowers get the floor.
•Published credit minimums: ELFI 680 and Earnest 650 (its FAQ still says 665). KeyBank and SoFi don’t publish one.
•None charges an origination fee or prepayment penalty.

Before you refinance: this can’t be undone

Refinancing federal student loans with any lender on this page turns them into a private loan for good. You lose Public Service Loan Forgiveness, income-driven repayment (IBR for loans from before July 1, 2026, and RAP, which launched July 1, 2026), and federal deferment and forbearance. SAVE has ended, so it isn’t a fallback. All five lenders warn about the lost federal benefits on their own sites.

If you train or work at a nonprofit or government employer and might stay in that kind of job, your payments on IBR or RAP during residency can count toward PSLF’s 120, and refinancing gives them up. Run the numbers in PSLF vs. refinancing before you check a single rate. Private loans you already have don’t carry these benefits, so refinancing those costs you nothing federal.

Refinancing replaces your student loans with one private loan at a new rate. For a physician who has ruled out PSLF, a lower rate on a six-figure balance can save tens of thousands of dollars. This review compares five places physicians commonly get quotes, using only what each lender publishes on its own site, read September 27, 2026. Whether and when to refinance at all is covered in our complete guide to student loan refinancing.

An earlier version of this page gave each lender a badge and a “best for” label and said Earnest had no residency program. Earnest has since launched one, and we replaced the labels with the lenders’ own terms. MedMoneyGuide has no affiliate or advertising relationship with any of these lenders; every link goes straight to the lender’s site.

Five lenders, side by side

Tick up to 3 lenders to compare them side by side.

Direct lender · a Navient companyFixed From 4.45% APRCompare

Direct lender · Education Loan Finance, SouthEast BankFixed From 4.29% APRCompare

Direct lender · formerly Laurel RoadFixed 4.74%–9.75% APRCompare

Direct lenderFixed 4.49%–10.99% APRCompare

Marketplace · marketplace, not a lenderFixed 3.99%–11.24% APRCompare

Lender	Type	Fixed APR	Variable APR	Min. credit score	Residency payments
Earnest	Direct lender	From 4.45%	From 5.88%	650 (FAQ says 665)	$100/mo in residency + 9 months
ELFI	Direct lender	From 4.29%	From 4.74%	680	None
KeyBank	Direct lender	4.74%–9.75%	5.04%–10.05%	Not published	$100/mo during training
SoFi	Direct lender	4.49%–10.99%	5.74%–10.99%	Not published	$100/mo in residency, up to 7 years
Splash Financial	Marketplace	3.99%–11.24%	4.74%–11.24%	Varies (typically 700+)	$100/mo through a partner, + 6 months

Earnest

Type: Direct lender
Fixed APR: From 4.45%
Variable APR: From 5.88%
Min. credit score: 650 (FAQ says 665)
Residency payments: $100/mo in residency + 9 months

ELFI

Type: Direct lender
Fixed APR: From 4.29%
Variable APR: From 4.74%
Min. credit score: 680
Residency payments: None

KeyBank

Type: Direct lender
Fixed APR: 4.74%–9.75%
Variable APR: 5.04%–10.05%
Min. credit score: Not published
Residency payments: $100/mo during training

SoFi

Type: Direct lender
Fixed APR: 4.49%–10.99%
Variable APR: 5.74%–10.99%
Min. credit score: Not published
Residency payments: $100/mo in residency, up to 7 years

Splash Financial

Type: Marketplace
Fixed APR: 3.99%–11.24%
Variable APR: 4.74%–11.24%
Min. credit score: Varies (typically 700+)
Residency payments: $100/mo through a partner, + 6 months

Advertised APR ranges from each lender’s site, read September 27, 2026. Rate dates on the lenders’ pages: KeyBank, September 27, 2026; Splash, August 18, 2026; ELFI, August 14, 2026. Earnest’s page is undated and SoFi’s date moves forward daily, so theirs are as read. Earnest and ELFI publish only starting rates.

The $100-a-month residency programs

Four of the five let you pay $100 a month while you train. On a typical medical school balance, $100 doesn’t cover the interest, so the balance you start attending life with depends on what each lender does with the shortfall. That, and how long the $100 lasts, is where the programs differ.

Lender	In training	Afterward	Unpaid interest	Published resident rates	Who qualifies
Earnest	$100 a month during residency or fellowship and for nine months afterward.	Full principal-and-interest payments start after the nine-month grace period.	Interest accrues but Earnest says it is never capitalized, so your principal doesn’t grow; your first full payments go to the accrued interest first.	Earnest doesn’t publish separate resident rates. Its residency page shows the same starting fixed rate as the standard loan.	MD, DO, DDS or DMD (the residency page and its eligibility guide also list PharmD), enrolled in or matched to a residency of seven years or less, $10,000 minimum, 650 credit score, no cosigner. Not available in Mississippi.
KeyBank	$100 a month through residency or fellowship. You can apply as soon as you match.	Full principal-and-interest payments start when training ends.	Accrued interest doesn’t compound during training, but interest the $100 payments don’t cover is added to principal when training ends.	Fixed 5.06%–9.68%, variable 5.34%–9.95%. As of September 1, 2026, with the 0.25% AutoPay discount, shown for a three-year residency period.	Employed full time as an intern, resident, fellow or similar trainee when the loan disburses. Residents and fellows with a signed contract to practice may qualify for KeyBank’s standard rates instead.
SoFi	$100 a month during residency or fellowship, for up to seven years.	When you finish or leave the program, the loan re-amortizes and the payment rises to a fully amortized amount.	SoFi’s disclosure says the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger principal balance when full repayment starts.	Fixed 4.49%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. Resident page, with all discounts. SoFi’s legal disclosure for this loan lists only the variable range (5.99%–9.42%, with 0.25% autopay and 0.25% direct deposit discounts), so confirm which rate types your quote includes.	MD, DO, DMD or DDS, with up to seven years left in your residency or fellowship. Residents of Mississippi and Montana aren’t eligible. SoFi’s disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan; its eligibility page says $5,000.
Splash Financial	$100 a month during residency or fellowship and for up to six months afterward, through a partner lender.	The residency and grace period are set at application and can’t be extended later; the whole loan, including training, can’t exceed 20 years.	The disclosures on Splash’s medical page are SoFi’s and say the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger balance.	Fixed 4.99%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. As of August 18, 2026.	Currently in a residency or fellowship. The disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan and excludes residents of Mississippi and Montana.

Earnest

In training: $100 a month during residency or fellowship and for nine months afterward.
Afterward: Full principal-and-interest payments start after the nine-month grace period.
Unpaid interest: Interest accrues but Earnest says it is never capitalized, so your principal doesn’t grow; your first full payments go to the accrued interest first.
Published resident rates: Earnest doesn’t publish separate resident rates. Its residency page shows the same starting fixed rate as the standard loan.
Who qualifies: MD, DO, DDS or DMD (the residency page and its eligibility guide also list PharmD), enrolled in or matched to a residency of seven years or less, $10,000 minimum, 650 credit score, no cosigner. Not available in Mississippi.

KeyBank

In training: $100 a month through residency or fellowship. You can apply as soon as you match.
Afterward: Full principal-and-interest payments start when training ends.
Unpaid interest: Accrued interest doesn’t compound during training, but interest the $100 payments don’t cover is added to principal when training ends.
Published resident rates: Fixed 5.06%–9.68%, variable 5.34%–9.95%. As of September 1, 2026, with the 0.25% AutoPay discount, shown for a three-year residency period.
Who qualifies: Employed full time as an intern, resident, fellow or similar trainee when the loan disburses. Residents and fellows with a signed contract to practice may qualify for KeyBank’s standard rates instead.

SoFi

In training: $100 a month during residency or fellowship, for up to seven years.
Afterward: When you finish or leave the program, the loan re-amortizes and the payment rises to a fully amortized amount.
Unpaid interest: SoFi’s disclosure says the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger principal balance when full repayment starts.
Published resident rates: Fixed 4.49%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. Resident page, with all discounts. SoFi’s legal disclosure for this loan lists only the variable range (5.99%–9.42%, with 0.25% autopay and 0.25% direct deposit discounts), so confirm which rate types your quote includes.
Who qualifies: MD, DO, DMD or DDS, with up to seven years left in your residency or fellowship. Residents of Mississippi and Montana aren’t eligible. SoFi’s disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan; its eligibility page says $5,000.

Splash Financial

In training: $100 a month during residency or fellowship and for up to six months afterward, through a partner lender.
Afterward: The residency and grace period are set at application and can’t be extended later; the whole loan, including training, can’t exceed 20 years.
Unpaid interest: The disclosures on Splash’s medical page are SoFi’s and say the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger balance.
Published resident rates: Fixed 4.99%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. As of August 18, 2026.
Who qualifies: Currently in a residency or fellowship. The disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan and excludes residents of Mississippi and Montana.

Each lender’s residency page and disclosures, read September 27, 2026. ELFI doesn’t offer a residency program for refinancing.

Lender by lender

Direct lender · a Navient company · Rates as read September 27, 2026

Term	What Earnest publishes
Fixed APR	From 4.45%
Variable APR	From 5.88%
What the rates include	Starting rates only, including the 0.25% Auto Pay discount; Earnest’s refinance page carries no date. Its eligibility page (updated September 10, 2026) advertises variable rates from 5.99%, and its residency page shows 5.73%.
Discounts	0.25% Auto Pay.
Terms	5 to 20 years; you can pick your exact monthly payment
Loan amount	$5,000 to $500,000 ($10,000 minimum in California, $10,001 in New Mexico). An older help article lists $550,000.
Minimum credit score	Earnest’s eligibility guide (updated September 10, 2026) says 650; its refinance page FAQ says 665. With a cosigner, 600 for you and 650 for the cosigner.
Cosigner	Allowed on the standard refinance; Earnest says a cosigner doesn’t guarantee approval or a lower rate. Not offered on its residency loan.
Fees	None: no origination, application, prepayment or late fees.
Who qualifies	A completed degree (or finishing this semester), consistent income or a signed job offer (you can apply up to six months before your start date). Lends in DC and 49 states, all but Mississippi; variable rates aren’t offered in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN or TX.
Hardship help	Skip one payment every 12 months after six on-time payments, at Earnest’s discretion; interest still accrues and the skip counts toward forbearance limits.
Residency program	$100 a month during residency or fellowship and for nine months afterward.

Fixed APR

What Earnest publishes: From 4.45%

Variable APR

What Earnest publishes: From 5.88%

What the rates include

What Earnest publishes: Starting rates only, including the 0.25% Auto Pay discount; Earnest’s refinance page carries no date. Its eligibility page (updated September 10, 2026) advertises variable rates from 5.99%, and its residency page shows 5.73%.

Discounts

What Earnest publishes: 0.25% Auto Pay.

Terms

What Earnest publishes: 5 to 20 years; you can pick your exact monthly payment

Loan amount

What Earnest publishes: $5,000 to $500,000 ($10,000 minimum in California, $10,001 in New Mexico). An older help article lists $550,000.

Minimum credit score

What Earnest publishes: Earnest’s eligibility guide (updated September 10, 2026) says 650; its refinance page FAQ says 665. With a cosigner, 600 for you and 650 for the cosigner.

Cosigner

What Earnest publishes: Allowed on the standard refinance; Earnest says a cosigner doesn’t guarantee approval or a lower rate. Not offered on its residency loan.

Fees

What Earnest publishes: None: no origination, application, prepayment or late fees.

Who qualifies

What Earnest publishes: A completed degree (or finishing this semester), consistent income or a signed job offer (you can apply up to six months before your start date). Lends in DC and 49 states, all but Mississippi; variable rates aren’t offered in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN or TX.

Hardship help

What Earnest publishes: Skip one payment every 12 months after six on-time payments, at Earnest’s discretion; interest still accrues and the skip counts toward forbearance limits.

Residency program

What Earnest publishes: $100 a month during residency or fellowship and for nine months afterward.

Earnest’s residency program

•After training: Full principal-and-interest payments start after the nine-month grace period.
•Interest: Interest accrues but Earnest says it is never capitalized, so your principal doesn’t grow; your first full payments go to the accrued interest first.
•Rates: Earnest doesn’t publish separate resident rates. Its residency page shows the same starting fixed rate as the standard loan.
•Who qualifies: MD, DO, DDS or DMD (the residency page and its eligibility guide also list PharmD), enrolled in or matched to a residency of seven years or less, $10,000 minimum, 650 credit score, no cosigner. Not available in Mississippi.
•How it’s priced: Earnest says it qualifies you on expected post-residency income, with proof of your match.
•Skip-a-pay and forbearance aren’t available during the $100 period
•If your training is extended, the loan can’t be changed; you would need a new residency loan

•Matches up to nine months of an existing grace period on the standard refinance
•Serviced by Earnest with support from MOHELA; Navient acquired Earnest in 2017

Not published: The top of its APR ranges, a rate date, and separate resident rates.

Best for: Residents who want a $100 payment without interest being added to principal; attendings who want to set an exact monthly payment. Earnest’s refinance page · residency page

Direct lender · Education Loan Finance, SouthEast Bank · Rates as of August 14, 2026

Term	What ELFI publishes
Fixed APR	From 4.29%
Variable APR	From 4.74%
What the rates include	Starting rates only. ELFI doesn’t say whether they include an autopay discount. Variable rates are the Prime Rate plus a margin of −2.01% to 1.49%.
Discounts	None published.
Terms	5 to 20 years
Loan amount	$10,000 minimum. No maximum published.
Minimum credit score	680, with at least 36 months of credit history and $35,000 of income.
Cosigner	Allowed, including a spouse. ELFI underwrites on your income or your cosigner’s, not household income.
Fees	$0 application fee, 0% origination, no prepayment penalty. Late charge of 5% of the past-due amount or $50, whichever is less; $30 for a returned payment.
Who qualifies	A bachelor’s degree or higher from a Title IV, U.S.-based nonprofit college or university; U.S. citizen or permanent resident without conditions.
Hardship help	Forbearance of up to 12 months for financial hardship or medical difficulty, at ELFI’s discretion.
Residency program	None for refinancing

Fixed APR

What ELFI publishes: From 4.29%

Variable APR

What ELFI publishes: From 4.74%

What the rates include

What ELFI publishes: Starting rates only. ELFI doesn’t say whether they include an autopay discount. Variable rates are the Prime Rate plus a margin of −2.01% to 1.49%.

Discounts

What ELFI publishes: None published.

Terms

What ELFI publishes: 5 to 20 years

Loan amount

What ELFI publishes: $10,000 minimum. No maximum published.

Minimum credit score

What ELFI publishes: 680, with at least 36 months of credit history and $35,000 of income.

Cosigner

What ELFI publishes: Allowed, including a spouse. ELFI underwrites on your income or your cosigner’s, not household income.

Fees

What ELFI publishes: $0 application fee, 0% origination, no prepayment penalty. Late charge of 5% of the past-due amount or $50, whichever is less; $30 for a returned payment.

Who qualifies

What ELFI publishes: A bachelor’s degree or higher from a Title IV, U.S.-based nonprofit college or university; U.S. citizen or permanent resident without conditions.

Hardship help

What ELFI publishes: Forbearance of up to 12 months for financial hardship or medical difficulty, at ELFI’s discretion.

Residency program

What ELFI publishes: None for refinancing

•A named Student Loan Advisor handles your application by phone, text or email
•No grace period: payments start the month after disbursement unless ELFI aligns them with your federal grace period (interest capitalizes)

Not published: The top of its rate ranges, an autopay discount, and a maximum loan amount.

Best for: Attendings with good credit who want one person handling the application. ELFI’s refinance page

Direct lender · formerly Laurel Road · Rates as of September 27, 2026

Term	What KeyBank publishes
Fixed APR	4.74%–9.75%
Variable APR	5.04%–10.05%; capped at 15.00%
10-year fixed APR	5.15%–9.55%
What the rates include	Shown for a $100,000 loan and including the 0.25% AutoPay discount. KeyBank says about 10% of applicants from January to June 2024 qualified for its lowest advertised APR.
Discounts	0.25% AutoPay. KeyBank applies it to principal, so your payment stays the same and the loan pays off sooner.
Terms	5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years
Loan amount	$5,000 minimum; up to 100% of your student loans (bachelor’s degree or higher). No dollar maximum published.
Minimum credit score	Not published
Cosigner	Allowed. KeyBank’s eligibility terms apply to the borrower “and Co-signer if applicable.”
Fees	No origination fee or prepayment penalty. Late fee after 15 days of up to 5% of the payment or $28, whichever is less; $20 for a returned payment.
Who qualifies	Graduated, or in the final term, from an accredited Title IV U.S. school, and employed or holding an eligible job offer. Bachelor’s degree or higher, or an associate degree in one of 13 listed healthcare fields.
Hardship help	Not published
Residency program	$100 a month through residency or fellowship. You can apply as soon as you match.

Fixed APR

What KeyBank publishes: 4.74%–9.75%

Variable APR

What KeyBank publishes: 5.04%–10.05%; capped at 15.00%

10-year fixed APR

What KeyBank publishes: 5.15%–9.55%

What the rates include

What KeyBank publishes: Shown for a $100,000 loan and including the 0.25% AutoPay discount. KeyBank says about 10% of applicants from January to June 2024 qualified for its lowest advertised APR.

Discounts

What KeyBank publishes: 0.25% AutoPay. KeyBank applies it to principal, so your payment stays the same and the loan pays off sooner.

Terms

What KeyBank publishes: 5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Loan amount

What KeyBank publishes: $5,000 minimum; up to 100% of your student loans (bachelor’s degree or higher). No dollar maximum published.

Minimum credit score

What KeyBank publishes: Not published

Cosigner

What KeyBank publishes: Allowed. KeyBank’s eligibility terms apply to the borrower “and Co-signer if applicable.”

Fees

What KeyBank publishes: No origination fee or prepayment penalty. Late fee after 15 days of up to 5% of the payment or $28, whichever is less; $20 for a returned payment.

Who qualifies

What KeyBank publishes: Graduated, or in the final term, from an accredited Title IV U.S. school, and employed or holding an eligible job offer. Bachelor’s degree or higher, or an associate degree in one of 13 listed healthcare fields.

Hardship help

What KeyBank publishes: Not published

Residency program

What KeyBank publishes: $100 a month through residency or fellowship. You can apply as soon as you match.

KeyBank’s residency program

•After training: Full principal-and-interest payments start when training ends.
•Interest: Accrued interest doesn’t compound during training, but interest the $100 payments don’t cover is added to principal when training ends.
•Rates: Fixed 5.06%–9.68%, variable 5.34%–9.95%. As of September 1, 2026, with the 0.25% AutoPay discount, shown for a three-year residency period.
•Who qualifies: Employed full time as an intern, resident, fellow or similar trainee when the loan disburses. Residents and fellows with a signed contract to practice may qualify for KeyBank’s standard rates instead.
•How it’s priced: Your credit profile, total monthly debt payments, length of residency, and projected income after residency.

•Free 30-minute consultation with a KeyBank student loan specialist
•Laurel Road’s old refinancing pages now redirect to KeyBank

Not published: A minimum credit score, a maximum loan amount, and any hardship forbearance terms.

Best for: Residents and fellows who have ruled out PSLF and want resident pricing that counts projected attending income. KeyBank’s refinance page · residency page

Direct lender · Rates as read September 27, 2026

Term	What SoFi publishes
Fixed APR	4.49%–10.99%
Variable APR	5.74%–10.99%; capped at 13.95%
10-year fixed APR	5.77%–10.99%
What the rates include	Includes the 0.25% autopay discount and a 0.125% Member Rate discount. SoFi’s footnote date moves forward daily (it read 9/28/26 on September 27), so we show the date we read it.
Discounts	0.25% autopay, plus 0.125% if, within 31 days of funding, you have SoFi Plus, an eligible direct deposit, or at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits into SoFi Checking or Savings, and you keep meeting one of those every 31 days.
Terms	5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years
Loan amount	$5,000 minimum (may be higher in some states). No maximum published.
Minimum credit score	Not published
Cosigner	Allowed. SoFi suggests one if your application could use help.
Fees	No origination, prepayment or late fees.
Who qualifies	Enrolled at or graduated from a degree-granting Title IV school, and employed, with enough other income, or holding a job offer that starts within 90 days. All 50 states and DC.
Hardship help	Not published
Residency program	$100 a month during residency or fellowship, for up to seven years.

Fixed APR

What SoFi publishes: 4.49%–10.99%

Variable APR

What SoFi publishes: 5.74%–10.99%; capped at 13.95%

10-year fixed APR

What SoFi publishes: 5.77%–10.99%

What the rates include

What SoFi publishes: Includes the 0.25% autopay discount and a 0.125% Member Rate discount. SoFi’s footnote date moves forward daily (it read 9/28/26 on September 27), so we show the date we read it.

Discounts

What SoFi publishes: 0.25% autopay, plus 0.125% if, within 31 days of funding, you have SoFi Plus, an eligible direct deposit, or at least $5,000 in qualifying deposits into SoFi Checking or Savings, and you keep meeting one of those every 31 days.

Terms

What SoFi publishes: 5, 7, 10, 15 or 20 years

Loan amount

What SoFi publishes: $5,000 minimum (may be higher in some states). No maximum published.

Minimum credit score

What SoFi publishes: Not published

Cosigner

What SoFi publishes: Allowed. SoFi suggests one if your application could use help.

Fees

What SoFi publishes: No origination, prepayment or late fees.

Who qualifies

What SoFi publishes: Enrolled at or graduated from a degree-granting Title IV school, and employed, with enough other income, or holding a job offer that starts within 90 days. All 50 states and DC.

Hardship help

What SoFi publishes: Not published

Residency program

What SoFi publishes: $100 a month during residency or fellowship, for up to seven years.

SoFi’s residency program

•After training: When you finish or leave the program, the loan re-amortizes and the payment rises to a fully amortized amount.
•Interest: SoFi’s disclosure says the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger principal balance when full repayment starts.
•Rates: Fixed 4.49%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. Resident page, with all discounts. SoFi’s legal disclosure for this loan lists only the variable range (5.99%–9.42%, with 0.25% autopay and 0.25% direct deposit discounts), so confirm which rate types your quote includes.
•Who qualifies: MD, DO, DMD or DDS, with up to seven years left in your residency or fellowship. Residents of Mississippi and Montana aren’t eligible. SoFi’s disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan; its eligibility page says $5,000.
•How it’s priced: SoFi’s disclosure says rates depend on credit, income, years remaining in residency or fellowship, and other factors.

•The 4.49% floor is the 5-year fixed rate; SoFi’s 10-year fixed range starts at 5.77%

Not published: A minimum credit score number, a maximum loan amount, and hardship forbearance terms on the pages we read.

Best for: Physicians who already bank with SoFi or will, so the member discount applies; residents comparing $100-a-month programs. SoFi’s refinance page · residency page

Marketplace · marketplace, not a lender · Rates as of August 18, 2026

Term	What Splash Financial publishes
Fixed APR	3.99%–11.24%
Variable APR	4.74%–11.24%
What the rates include	The range across Splash’s lending partners. May include a 0.25% autopay discount, and the lowest rate is only for certain terms.
Discounts	Varies by partner lender; the advertised rates may include a 0.25% autopay discount.
Terms	Varies by partner lender; an offer may not include several terms
Loan amount	Varies by lender; Splash says the minimum is generally $5,000 with no maximum.
Minimum credit score	Splash says requirements vary by lender, and that refinancing typically takes good to excellent credit, preferably 700 or higher, and a debt-to-income ratio of no more than 30%.
Cosigner	Not published
Fees	No application fees, origination fees or prepayment penalties.
Who qualifies	A four-year degree from a Title IV school or an associate degree in an eligible field, U.S. citizenship or other eligible status, and the partner lender’s underwriting.
Hardship help	Not published
Residency program	$100 a month during residency or fellowship and for up to six months afterward, through a partner lender.

Fixed APR

What Splash Financial publishes: 3.99%–11.24%

Variable APR

What Splash Financial publishes: 4.74%–11.24%

What the rates include

What Splash Financial publishes: The range across Splash’s lending partners. May include a 0.25% autopay discount, and the lowest rate is only for certain terms.

Discounts

What Splash Financial publishes: Varies by partner lender; the advertised rates may include a 0.25% autopay discount.

Terms

What Splash Financial publishes: Varies by partner lender; an offer may not include several terms

Loan amount

What Splash Financial publishes: Varies by lender; Splash says the minimum is generally $5,000 with no maximum.

Minimum credit score

What Splash Financial publishes: Splash says requirements vary by lender, and that refinancing typically takes good to excellent credit, preferably 700 or higher, and a debt-to-income ratio of no more than 30%.

Cosigner

What Splash Financial publishes: Not published

Fees

What Splash Financial publishes: No application fees, origination fees or prepayment penalties.

Who qualifies

What Splash Financial publishes: A four-year degree from a Title IV school or an associate degree in an eligible field, U.S. citizenship or other eligible status, and the partner lender’s underwriting.

Hardship help

What Splash Financial publishes: Not published

Residency program

What Splash Financial publishes: $100 a month during residency or fellowship and for up to six months afterward, through a partner lender.

Splash Financial’s residency program

•After training: The residency and grace period are set at application and can’t be extended later; the whole loan, including training, can’t exceed 20 years.
•Interest: The disclosures on Splash’s medical page are SoFi’s and say the $100 payment will likely not cover the interest, leaving a larger balance.
•Rates: Fixed 4.99%–9.17%, variable 5.99%–9.42%. As of August 18, 2026.
•Who qualifies: Currently in a residency or fellowship. The disclosure sets a $10,001 minimum loan and excludes residents of Mississippi and Montana.

•One soft-pull application shows offers from Splash’s partner lenders; a partner may run another soft pull
•Splash says it doesn’t work with all lenders and doesn’t endorse one partner over another

Not published: Which lenders are in its network for your profile, their terms, cosigner rules, and hardship options until you see an offer.

Best for: Seeing several lenders’ offers from one application, especially with strong credit. Splash Financial’s refinance page · residency page

Which one, for whom

•You might pursue PSLF: don’t refinance your federal loans with anyone. Use IBR if all your loans are from before July 1, 2026, otherwise RAP, and keep your employment certified. PSLF vs. refinancing walks through the math.
•Resident or fellow who has ruled out PSLF: quote all four $100-a-month programs in the same week. Earnest keeps the $100 for nine months after training and says it never capitalizes interest, but has no cosigner option and publishes no resident rates. KeyBank prices on your projected attending income and publishes resident rates. SoFi runs up to seven years of training and publishes resident rates, but its disclosure lists only variable rates. Splash’s runs through a partner and adds six months.
•Finishing training with a signed contract: KeyBank says residents and fellows with a signed contract may qualify for its standard rates. Earnest takes a job offer up to six months before your start date, and SoFi one that starts within 90 days.
•Attending with strong credit: start with Splash to see several lenders from one application, then get one or two direct quotes. Compare the same term: for a 10-year fixed loan, KeyBank publishes 5.15%–9.55% and SoFi 5.77%–10.99%.
•You already bank with SoFi, or will: SoFi’s 0.125% member discount needs SoFi Plus, an eligible direct deposit, or $5,000 in qualifying deposits, and its 4.49% floor assumes it.
•You want to set the exact monthly payment: Earnest lets you choose it, with terms from 5 to 20 years.
•Thin or bruised credit: ELFI requires 680 and Earnest 650, or 600 with a cosigner at 650 or above. SoFi, KeyBank and ELFI also take cosigners.
•You want one person handling the file: ELFI assigns a Student Loan Advisor.
•Private and federal loans, still deciding on PSLF: refinance only the private loans. Earnest and ELFI let you pick which loans to include.

Whatever you pick, compare written quotes on the same term and rate type, and check what the payment does to your plan in our student loan payoff calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refinance my student loans during residency?

Yes. KeyBank, SoFi and Earnest each run a program with $100 monthly payments during residency or fellowship, and Splash offers the same payment through a partner lender. They differ in what happens to the interest the $100 doesn’t cover: KeyBank and SoFi add it to your balance when training ends, while Earnest says it never capitalizes interest and keeps the $100 payment for nine months after training. Refinancing federal loans ends your eligibility for PSLF, IBR, RAP and federal forbearance, permanently. If you might work for a nonprofit or government employer, read PSLF vs. refinancing before you apply.

Will refinancing cost me Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

Yes, for any federal loan you refinance. The new loan is private, so it can never qualify for PSLF, and you can’t move it back into the federal program. Income-driven repayment goes with it: IBR for loans from before July 1, 2026, and RAP, which launched July 1, 2026. SAVE has ended. Each of the five lenders warns on its own site that refinancing federal loans gives up federal benefits. Private loans you already have carry none of these benefits, so refinancing them costs nothing federal.

What credit score do I need to refinance medical school loans?

ELFI publishes a 680 minimum, with 36 months of credit history and $35,000 of income. Earnest’s eligibility guide says 650, or 600 if you apply with a cosigner who has 650; its refinance page FAQ still says 665. KeyBank and SoFi don’t publish a number. Splash says requirements vary by lender and that refinancing typically takes good to excellent credit, preferably 700 or higher. Checked on each lender’s site September 27, 2026.

Does checking my rate hurt my credit score?

Not at these five. Each one checks rates with a soft credit pull, which doesn’t affect your score, and runs a hard pull only when you submit a full application. Earnest says a hard inquiry typically costs a few points; ELFI cites myFICO that one hard inquiry usually takes off less than five. At Splash, a partner lender may run its own soft pull before you apply.

Should I choose a fixed or variable rate?

At all five lenders, the advertised variable rate currently starts higher than the fixed rate, so a variable rate isn’t buying you a lower starting point. Variable rates can also rise: KeyBank caps its variable rate at 15.00% and SoFi at 13.95%, and the others don’t publish a cap on their refinance pages. With every variable floor above the fixed floor, a fixed rate is the simpler choice for a payoff of several years.

Do these lenders charge fees?

None of the five charges an origination fee or a prepayment penalty. SoFi and Earnest charge no late fees. KeyBank may charge a late fee of up to 5% of the payment or $28, whichever is less, and ELFI 5% or $50, whichever is less. At Splash, fees depend on the partner lender, though Splash says there are no application, origination or prepayment fees.

How much can refinancing save?

It depends on the rate you’re offered, not the advertised floor. $300,000 repaid over 10 years at 6.8% costs about $114,300 in interest. At 5.8% it’s about $96,100, about $18,200 less. At 5.15%, the bottom of KeyBank’s 10-year fixed range, it’s about $84,500, but KeyBank says only about 10% of applicants in early 2024 qualified for its lowest rate. Model your own balance in our student loan payoff calculator.

Can I refinance only my private loans and keep my federal loans?

Yes. Earnest lets you refinance less than you’re approved for, as long as it’s at least $5,000, and ELFI lets you choose some or all of your loans. That keeps your federal loans eligible for PSLF and income-driven repayment while you refinance the private ones.

Is Splash Financial a lender?

No. Splash is a marketplace: one application shows offers from its partner lenders, and the loan is made and serviced by the partner you choose. Splash says it doesn’t work with all lenders and doesn’t endorse one over another, so the terms, cosigner rules and hardship options are the partner’s.

What happened to Laurel Road?

Laurel Road’s refinancing is now KeyBank’s. Laurel Road’s pages redirect to key.com, and the resident program is on KeyBank’s doctors.key.com site. The rates on this page are KeyBank’s published rates.

Sources

Every lender page above was read September 27, 2026; where a lender dates its rates, that date is shown with the rate. Lender logos are from each lender’s own website.