Federal student loans don’t require a cosigner, so first, max out any federal aid you qualify for. You can qualify for one of two types of federal student loans for student borrowers, subsidized loans and unsubsidized loans.

• You must to be a U.S. citizen
• You must be enrolled or accepted in a participating program.
• Both full-time and part-time students are eligible for federal student loans, though you must be enrolled no less than half-time.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and sign the FAFSA’s certification statement.
• You must keep a minimum GPA of 2.0 in order to keep your federal student loans.

To be eligible for subsidized loans specifically, you must demonstrate financial need. Both types of federal loans feature fixed interest rates, plus a 6-month grace period after graduation before monthly payments begin. Plus, with federal student loans, you s down the road.

Your cost of attendance, books, room and board, and other college expenses may still be greater than the federal annual or aggregate loan limit. If this is the case, you can then turn to private loans to make up the difference.

You should also spend time looking for – and applying to – scholarships and grants you may qualify for. These kinds of aid don’t have to be repaid, making them a far better choice than federal or private student loans.

Don’t assume you can’t qualify for scholarships or grants just because you weren’t at the top of your class. Grants and scholarships are available for students who have financial need, who have special skills in the arts or athletics (known as merit aid), and for just about any other reason you can think of.

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Check out our scholarship hub for tons of searchable options. If you have a niche interest or hobby (pottery, fire safety, flying drones – you name it) or belong to certain groups (ethnic, religious, community service, etc.) there is likely a scholarship out there you qualify for – probably several of them.

3. Get in touch with your school’s financial aid office

Another option many people overlook and you shouldn’t is talking to your financial aid office to see if they can amend your aid package.

4. Cut back on expenses

Reducing your living expenses reduces the amount you need to borrow to cover your college costs. That can help you make better use of the resources above and might make lenders more willing to approve you for a student loan without a cosigner.

If your tuition gap – the difference between what college will cost and what you can pay – isn’t that large, you may be able to get by with smaller changes to your finances, such as dropping some subscriptions, not bringing a car to school, and taking on an extra roommate.

If you have a significant tuition gap, you might have to consider taking more significant measures, such as living at home or even enrolling in a less expensive college that wasn’t your first choice.

5. Build up your credit

There are two reasons a private student loan lender wouldn’t approve you for a student loan without a cosigner: Either your credit check reveals a limited credit history or a bad one.

A limited credit history means you haven’t been using credit long enough for lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness. This is true for most students entering college, since most have only been eligible for credit for a year or two.

A poor credit history means lenders are concerned because you’ve missed payments in the past or have defaulted on prior loans. This is more likely to apply to older students. Many private lenders require a minimum credit score, so a bad score can really hurt your chances of qualifying for a loan.