An independent research site for U.S. borrowers deciding whether to consolidate federal student loans, refinance with a private lender, or leave their loans as they are. Every figure on this site links to the document it came from: Federal Student Aid, the federal regulations, regulators, lenders’ own terms or published research. Where a number reached us only through a news report or a comparison site, we say so next to it.
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Federal loan consolidation
A Direct Consolidation Loan combines federal loans into one federal loan. It does not lower your rate, and since July 1, 2026 it changes which repayment plans you can use. These guides cover what it costs, what it does to forgiveness counts, and when it is the right way out of default.
Student loan refinancing
Refinancing replaces your loans with a private loan at a new rate. It can save money, and it permanently ends federal protections on any federal loan you include. These guides cover the credit scores lenders really approve, what applying does to your score and how cosigner release works.
Latest guides
- Student Loan Rehabilitation vs Consolidation: The Re-Default Numbers Nobody Shows You (2026)
Student loan rehabilitation vs consolidation, compared with data: 45% vs under 10% re-default by plan, a 96% drop in consolidation exits, the 2026 RAP rule. - Does Refinancing Student Loans Hurt Your Credit? Fewer Than 5 Points vs. a 38-Point Delinquency (2026)
Does refinancing student loans hurt your credit? One inquiry costs fewer than 5 FICO points for a year; a 90-day delinquency cost borrowers 38 points in 2026. - PSLF Payment Count After Consolidation: How Many Payments You Actually Keep (2026)
Your PSLF payment count after consolidation is a balance-weighted average. Six worked loan mixes, the July 2026 RAP cutover and what Buyback can’t reach. - Credit Score to Refinance Student Loans: The Real Approval Bar vs. the Published Minimum (2026)
What credit score to refinance student loans do lenders want? Minimums run 650-720, but SoFi’s approved borrowers average 761. Rates by score band, sourced.
Questions borrowers ask most
Will consolidating lower my interest rate?
No. A Direct Consolidation Loan uses the weighted average of the rates on the loans you combine, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Our consolidation guides price what that, and the other costs of consolidating, mean in dollars.
Will I lose my PSLF progress if I consolidate?
Not all of it, but often more than people expect. Federal Student Aid credits a new consolidation loan with a weighted average of the qualifying payments on the Direct Loans inside it. See six worked examples and a calculator.
Does applying to refinance hurt my credit?
A single hard inquiry usually costs fewer than five points and fades within a year, according to myFICO. Missed payments do far more damage. Read the full comparison.
What is the fastest way out of default?
Consolidation is usually faster; rehabilitation removes the default record from your credit report. Compare the two routes.
How we work
- Original sources first. We link to the agency, regulation, lender or study that published a figure, not to a summary of it.
- Labels you can see. A figure taken from a news report or comparison site is marked secondary; our own arithmetic is marked as our calculation, with its inputs.
- No paid placement. Nobody pays to appear in an article. How the site is funded is explained on How We Make Money.
- Kept current. Rules and rates change; each article shows when it was last checked. Read our full editorial policy.
For general information and education only. Not legal, financial or tax advice; you are responsible for your own decisions. Confirm any step with your loan servicer, studentaid.gov or a qualified professional.