How to determine if you qualify
If you have difficulty making your student loan payment, you may be eligible for a deferment or a forbearance.
Deferment
Sometimes you have a right to postpone payments on your loan by getting a deferment. The most common reasons for deferments are:
- attending school at least half-time, studying full-time in a graduate fellowship program, or participating in a full-time rehabilitation training program for disabled people
- actively looking for employment but can't find a full-time job
- experiencing financial difficulties
- military service
Talk to your lender about getting a deferment and the information the lender needs. Your loan payments may be temporarily suspended while you gather the deferment information. The federal government pays the interest on your subsidized loan while your payments are deferred but not on your unsubsidized loan.
Refer to our Deferment Form Guide for a list of available deferment and links to online deferment forms.
If you have difficulty making payments, you may also get a forbearance on your loan to delay or lower them. Unlike a deferment, you are responsible for the interest on the loan during a forbearance. To request a forbearance, complete a forbearance agreement in English or Spanish, and send it to your lender.
Deferment Form Guide
This guide provides a list of available deferments, tells you how to qualify, and links you to online deferment forms. Each form has instructions to help you complete it.
| Use this deferment form... | If you are... |
|---|---|
IN-SCHOOL DEFERMENT REQUEST (SCH) Spanish version |
Enrolled at least half-time. |
ECONOMIC HARDSHIP DEFERMENT REQUEST (HRD)* Spanish version |
Experiencing financial hardship. |
| UNEMPLOYMENT DEFERMENT REQUEST (UNEM) Spanish version |
Unemployed or working less than full-time, but seeking full-time employment. |
| EDUCATION RELATED DEFERMENT REQUEST (EDU) Spanish version |
Engaged in full-time study in a graduate fellowship program. Engaged in full-time rehabilitation training program. Engaged in internship/residency program at an institution of higher education, hospital, health care facility, or any other institution or organization. Teaching in a designated teacher shortage area. Available only if your first loans were made on or after July 1, 1987 and before July 1, 1993, or if you had a balance on a loan that was made before July 1, 1993 at the time you obtained a loan disbursed on or after July 1, 1993. |
| PLUS BORROWER WITH DEPENDENT STUDENT DEFERMENT REQUEST (PLUS) Spanish version |
Parent with a PLUS loan for a dependent student who is enrolled at least half-time or is in a full-time rehabilitation training program. |
| TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY DEFERMENT REQUEST (TDIS) Spanish version |
Temporarily totally disabled or you are unable to work because you are caring for a spouse or dependent who is temporarily totally disabled. Available only if you have an outstanding balance on a FFELP loan that was made before July 1, 1993, or had a balance on a loan that was made before July 1, 1993, at the time you obtained a loan disbursed on or after July 1, 1993. |
| PUBLIC SERVICE DEFERMENT REQUEST (PUB) Spanish version |
Serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Available only if you have an outstanding balance on a FFELP loan that was made before July 1, 1993, or had a balance on a loan that was made before July 1, 1993, at the time you obtained a loan disbursed on or after July 1, 1993. |
| PARENTAL LEAVE/WORKING MOTHER DEFERMENT REQUEST (PLWM) Spanish version |
Pregnant or caring for either a newborn under the age of six months or newly-adopted child. Available only if you have an outstanding balance on a FFELP loan that was made before July 1, 1993, or had a balance on a loan that was made before July 1, 1993, at the time you obtained a loan disbursed on or after July 1, 1993. |
