If a federal student-loan payment is becoming unaffordable, first identify your loan program, then match your circumstances to the correct deferment or forbearance category. Download that category’s current form, assemble the required proof, and send it to your federal loan servicer. A general forbearance request usually requires the servicer’s approval; submitting a form does not automatically stop a payment or make relief retroactive.
Before requesting a temporary pause, compare an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan if your income problem may last. IDR bases payments on income and family size, and some borrowers qualify for a $0 payment. Deferment and forbearance can add interest and may affect forgiveness, so the cheapest short-term administrative option is not automatically the best long-term choice.
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Deferment and forbearance are federal temporary-relief tools
This guide applies to federal student loans. Private-loan contracts use different rules and forms; contact a private lender separately rather than assuming federal protections apply.
Both a deferment and a forbearance can temporarily suspend or reduce required payments. They are not interchangeable blanket benefits:
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- Deferment is tied to a qualifying circumstance, such as approved in-school status, unemployment, economic hardship, military service or a qualifying graduate fellowship. The eligible loan types, evidence and length depend on the particular deferment category.
- Forbearance is available through specific general or mandatory categories. General forbearance can address temporary financial difficulty, medical expenses, employment changes or another reason accepted by the servicer, but approval is discretionary. A mandatory forbearance must be granted when the borrower meets that category’s requirements.
Your loan type (Direct, FFEL or Perkins), the reason for the request and whether you are pursuing forgiveness determine which rules apply. Confirm those details with the servicer before sending paperwork.
How to apply: a step-by-step process
1. Identify your federal loan program and servicer
Sign in to your federal student-aid account and review each loan’s program and current servicer, or use the contact information on your latest statement. A borrower can have more than one loan type or servicer, and a form that fits one loan may not fit another.
Make a simple list showing the loan name, outstanding principal, interest rate, program and servicer. If loans were transferred, use the current servicer shown in your account rather than an old mailing address. You may need to send separate forms or obtain separate determinations for different loans.
2. Match your circumstances to a relief category
Read the eligibility descriptions for the exact deferment or forbearance type. Examples listed in the Federal Student Aid forms library include in-school, unemployment, economic-hardship, military-service and graduate-fellowship deferments. General forbearance may cover temporary hardship, medical costs or an employment change. Mandatory forbearance categories have separate statutory criteria and may be limited to specified programs.
Ask which fact actually qualifies you. For example, being enrolled does not by itself establish every kind of in-school deferment, and a job loss may require unemployment evidence rather than a general statement that money is tight. The category controls the form, proof, maximum period and interest treatment.
3. Obtain the current official form
Use the federal forms library or your servicer’s forms page to select the form for that category. Do not substitute a general letter for a required form. Read the form’s eligible-loan section, start-date rules, maximum period and documentation instructions before completing it.
Forms can distinguish between requesting relief prospectively and documenting a status that has already begun. If the form asks for a school, employer, agency or medical certification, the third party may have to complete that section. Do not assume that one form covers every loan or every reason.
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4. Gather evidence and complete every field
Supporting records may include enrollment information, unemployment documentation, income or benefit records, military orders, fellowship certification or medical-cost evidence, depending on the category. Use the dates and amounts requested, sign where required and keep a complete copy.
Check that names, loan numbers, dates and contact information match the servicer’s records. Missing pages, an unsigned certification or evidence for the wrong period can delay a decision or lead to denial. Keep the original records and send copies when the instructions permit.
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5. Submit the request to the servicer
Follow the delivery method on the form—online upload, mail or another listed channel. Federal Student Aid’s application guidance is to complete the form, gather the required supporting documents and submit the package to the servicer.
Save a screenshot of an online confirmation, a postal tracking record or another receipt showing when the servicer received the request. If more than one servicer handles your loans, verify that each package went to the correct destination.
6. Confirm what happens while the request is reviewed
Ask the servicer whether your next payment remains due, whether an administrative hold has been placed and the effective date if the request is approved. A submission alone does not establish that billing has stopped, and the sources do not establish a universal processing time or automatic retroactivity.
Ask whether interest will continue during review, whether you may make a payment while waiting and how a payment would be applied. Get the representative’s name or interaction reference and record the date of the call or message.
7. Track the decision and preserve records
Save the submitted form, delivery confirmation, documents, messages and the servicer’s determination. If a due date is near, contact the servicer again rather than assuming the request protects you from delinquency.
Read the approval notice for the start and end dates, covered loans and any renewal requirement. Calendar the end date well in advance. Relief ending without a new arrangement can return the account to its regular payment schedule immediately.
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Deferment versus forbearance: the practical differences
| Decision factor | Deferment | Forbearance |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | A specified qualifying category and that category’s loan rules apply. | General forbearance can be requested for temporary hardship but is discretionary; mandatory categories have their own requirements. |
| Loan coverage | Varies by deferment type and loan program; use the form’s eligible-loan section. | Federal Student Aid lists general forbearance for Direct, FFEL and Perkins loans. Mandatory categories may cover only specified programs. |
| Interest | Interest accrues on unsubsidized loans during deferment. Treatment for subsidized loans and exceptions depends on the loan and deferment. | Interest accrues on both subsidized and unsubsidized loans during forbearance. |
| Approval | Depends on proving the category’s criteria and completing its process. | General approval is at the servicer’s discretion; a qualifying mandatory request must be granted. |
| Forgiveness effect | The specific deferment can affect forgiveness or discharge; verify the program rules. | Forbearance does not advance Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or IDR-forgiveness progress under Federal Student Aid guidance. |
| Best fit | A documented qualifying event with rules that match your loan and expected timing. | A short-term problem that does not fit a deferment, or a mandatory category for which you meet the requirements. |
| What to verify | Eligible loans, proof, duration, interest subsidy and forgiveness treatment. | Discretionary approval, covered loans, interest, capitalization and the exact end date. |
There is no universal rule that deferment is always cheaper or that forbearance is always easier. Compare the reason, expected length, loan type, interest subsidy and forgiveness strategy together.
What happens to interest and your balance
During deferment
Unsubsidized loans generally continue accruing interest. Whether interest accrues on a subsidized loan depends on the particular deferment and applicable rules. Read the deferment notice and ask the servicer how interest will be handled for each loan.
A deferment that protects interest on one loan may not do so on another. If you have both subsidized and unsubsidized balances, request a loan-by-loan explanation rather than treating the account as one pool.
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During forbearance
Interest accrues on subsidized and unsubsidized loans. If it is not paid as it accrues, unpaid interest may capitalize in circumstances allowed by the loan terms, adding to principal. A higher principal can then generate interest on a larger balance after repayment resumes.
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Ask for a dollar estimate
Request the servicer’s estimate of interest that will accrue during the proposed period, whether capitalization is expected and what the new payment or payoff amount could be. The estimate is specific to your balances and dates; do not rely on a generic online example.
Request estimates for more than one end date if you are deciding between a brief and longer pause. Compare the immediate cash-flow benefit with the projected balance when regular payments restart.
How a pause interacts with forgiveness and discharge
Temporary relief is not automatically a qualifying payment period. Federal Student Aid states that forbearance does not advance progress toward PSLF or IDR forgiveness. Deferment and forbearance can also affect forgiveness or discharge options in other programs, so verify the exact relief type and dates before applying if forgiveness is part of your plan.
If you work toward PSLF, ask how the proposed period will be treated and whether another payment arrangement would preserve qualifying progress. Keep the approval notice and payment history with your employment and certification records.
Do not assume that a payment made during an unapproved pause counts, or that a retroactive status will repair a missed qualifying payment. Ask the servicer to explain the treatment in writing and retain the response with your records.
Consider an income-driven plan before temporary relief
Federal Student Aid says, “We always recommend looking into an IDR plan before requesting a deferment or forbearance, especially if there’s a long-term issue causing you to need a lower monthly payment.” An IDR plan bases the payment on income and family size, and some eligible borrowers may receive a $0 monthly payment while remaining in an active repayment arrangement.
- Use the Federal Student Aid repayment calculator to compare estimated IDR payments with your current bill.
- Gather the income and family-size information the application requires.
- Contact your servicer to submit the IDR application and ask which payment remains due while it is processed.
- Review the servicer’s final calculation. The calculator provides an estimate, not a promise; the servicer sets final terms after processing the application.
IDR is not automatically better for every borrower. Compare eligibility, documentation, interest, recertification obligations and forgiveness consequences with the temporary relief you are considering.
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An IDR plan is most useful to investigate when reduced income may persist beyond a single billing cycle. A $0 estimate still requires an approved application and continued compliance with the plan’s requirements. Until the servicer confirms the effective date, follow the existing bill or obtain specific instructions about what is due.
When each option can make sense
A qualifying event has a defined end
A deferment may fit when you can document an eligible event—such as approved enrollment, unemployment, qualifying economic hardship, military service or a graduate fellowship—and expect the event to end. Confirm the category’s duration and interest treatment first.
A short, unexpected cash-flow emergency
General forbearance may be worth requesting for a temporary medical bill, job transition or other short-term disruption when you do not meet a deferment category. Because approval is discretionary and interest accrues on both subsidized and unsubsidized loans, ask about a shorter period or another payment arrangement.
The lower payment is likely to be needed for months or years
Investigate IDR before either pause. A temporary suspension can postpone the immediate bill while increasing the balance and interrupting forgiveness progress; an affordable ongoing payment may better match a persistent income problem.
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Do not request relief without checking the effect on qualifying payments. Forbearance does not advance PSLF or IDR progress, and the effect of a deferment varies by program and category.
You have mixed loan types
Do not assume one approval covers every balance. A Direct Loan, FFEL loan and Perkins Loan can have different eligible categories and interest treatment. Confirm the result for each loan number and ask whether separate forms are required.
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Contact the servicer promptly, explain the circumstances and ask what options are available and whether any request is on file. A relief application does not automatically cure an existing delinquency.
Federal Student Aid’s July 2026 preparation guidance says a federal loan is delinquent when a payment is missed, that delinquency of 90 days or more is reported to the three major national credit bureaus, and that a delinquent federal loan enters default after 270 days. These thresholds and repayment policies can change; confirm the current status with your servicer and the current Federal Student Aid guidance.
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- Ask for the exact amount needed to bring the account current.
- Ask whether a deferment, forbearance, IDR application or other option can be considered while the account is delinquent.
- Do not stop making scheduled payments unless the servicer confirms that an approved status covers the due date.
- Keep written confirmation of any arrangement and its effective dates.
If the account is close to 90 days delinquent, make the credit-reporting risk part of the conversation. If it is approaching 270 days, ask the servicer what action is needed immediately to avoid default. Do not wait for a form to be processed without confirming how the next payment will be handled.
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Documents and questions to prepare
- Loan program and servicer for every federal loan.
- The specific deferment or forbearance category and its official form.
- Proof of the qualifying event or financial circumstance.
- Expected start and end dates.
- Whether payments remain due during review.
- Interest accrual, capitalization and estimated balance impact.
- Effect on PSLF, IDR forgiveness or another discharge program.
- What happens if the request is denied, expires or needs renewal.
- Whether one submission covers all loans or separate forms are required.
- How to make voluntary payments and how they will be applied during the relief period.
Recheck the form, eligibility rules and servicer instructions immediately before submitting. Federal forms and policies can change, and the rules summarized here do not establish eligibility for a particular borrower.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming submission equals approval: Keep paying unless the servicer confirms that an approved status covers the due date.
- Choosing a category by name alone: Read the qualifying facts, eligible-loan section and evidence list.
- Ignoring interest: Ask whether interest accrues and can capitalize, especially during forbearance.
- Overlooking forgiveness: Verify PSLF, IDR or discharge consequences before accepting a pause.
- Using a generic estimate: Request a balance projection based on your actual loans and proposed dates.
- Failing to calendar the end: Know when payments restart and whether a renewal or new application is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does submitting a deferment or forbearance form stop my next payment?
Not automatically. Ask the servicer whether the payment remains due and when an approved status would begin. Continue following the existing schedule unless the servicer confirms otherwise.
Is forbearance automatic if I am having financial difficulty?
No. General forbearance is discretionary, so the servicer decides whether to grant it. A mandatory forbearance must be granted only when you meet that category’s requirements.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhich federal loans can use general forbearance?
Federal Student Aid lists general forbearance for Direct, FFEL and Perkins loans. Specific mandatory categories and deferments may cover only certain programs.
Will interest grow during a deferment?
Interest generally accrues on unsubsidized loans. Treatment for subsidized loans depends on the particular deferment and applicable rules, so ask the servicer about each loan.
Does interest grow during forbearance?
Yes. Interest accrues on subsidized and unsubsidized loans during forbearance, and unpaid interest may capitalize in circumstances allowed by your loan terms.
Will forbearance count toward PSLF or IDR forgiveness?
Federal Student Aid says forbearance does not advance progress toward PSLF or IDR forgiveness. Verify how any proposed deferment will be treated under your specific program.
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Investigate IDR first when the payment problem may last. Payments depend on income and family size, and some borrowers may qualify for $0, but the servicer must approve the application and set the final terms.
What if I already missed a payment?
Contact the servicer immediately. A request does not automatically cure delinquency. Federal Student Aid’s July 2026 guidance cites credit reporting at 90 days delinquent and default at 270 days, subject to current rules.
The Bottom Line
Start with your loan type and servicer, choose the exact qualifying category, complete its current form with the required proof and confirm in writing whether payments remain due. Deferment may fit a documented qualifying event; general forbearance is a discretionary tool for a short-term problem, while mandatory forbearance applies only when its criteria are met. Because interest and forgiveness consequences can be significant, compare an income-driven plan before pausing payments when the hardship is likely to continue.
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