Make copies of the key financial documents that prove you have a solid gross monthly income and a low level of monthly debt. These include your current federal income tax return, last two paychecks, savings and checking account statements, credit card bills and other loan statements.
Ask your employer to write a letter on your behalf stating that you are an employee in good standing. Make sure the letter mentions how long you've worked at your current job. Lenders want to make sure that, because you won't have a co-signer, you have a steady source of income to repay your private student loan.
Call a lender or bank that offers private student loans. Explain that you need to take out a loan without a co-signer. Your bank will then explain the requirements to do this.
Give your bank permission to access your credit history. This will give your bank or lender your three-digit credit score. If your score is above 620, you'll have a better chance of qualifying for a private student loan. You'll have a solid score if you have a history of paying rent, credit card bills and car loan payments on time. You'll also have a better credit score if you haven't run up a significant amount of credit card debt.
Sign any closing documents necessary to make your private student loan official if your bank approves your application.