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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To check whether your federal student loans may qualify for income-driven repayment (IDR), sign in to StudentAid.gov, review each loan’s type and first disbursement date on your Dashboard, then compare the results in the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator. Eligibility can differ from one loan to another in the same account. The calculator is a screening and comparison tool, not an approval: your servicer sets final terms after processing an application.
What determines whether a loan qualifies?
Federal Student Aid says the plans available depend on the types of federal student loans you have and the dates the loans were first disbursed. Those are the two starting facts to check for every loan. Do not assume that a plan available for one loan automatically covers your entire portfolio: a borrower with several loans may have different options for loans of different types or disbursement dates.
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The current Federal Student Aid eligibility table lists four plans: Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). Their availability varies by loan type and disbursement timing. The July 1, 2026 cutoff matters: IBR, ICR, and PAYE have pre-cutoff restrictions, while RAP is available for most Direct Loans regardless of disbursement date. See the official IDR plan eligibility table for current rules.
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Eligibility is not the same as affordability, nor does seeing a plan in a general description confirm that your individual loan qualifies. First determine which plans are available for each loan. Then compare the estimated payment and other consequences of the plans you may use. If your loan details are unclear, use the Dashboard and official calculator rather than guessing based on the name of your servicer, your balance, or the plan another borrower has.
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Check your loans on StudentAid.gov
- Sign in to StudentAid.gov. Open your Dashboard and locate your federal student loan details. The Dashboard shows loan type, disbursement information, repayment plan, and balance.
- Make a loan-by-loan list. For each loan, record its program or type and first disbursement date. Keep loans separate if their types or dates differ; one account can contain loans with different options. The date to check is when the loan was first paid out, or disbursed.
- Note exceptions before comparing plans. In particular, identify Parent PLUS loans, Perkins Loans, FFEL Program loans, and any loan in default. These categories can be excluded from some plans or require a qualifying Direct Consolidation Loan.
- Check the current eligibility table. Match each loan type and date against the table, including footnotes about consolidation or plan-specific conditions. A general plan description is not enough to determine whether a particular loan qualifies.
- Keep a record of uncertainties. If the Dashboard does not make a loan type or date clear, do not use another loan’s details as a substitute. Treat the item as unresolved and check the official table or ask your servicer to clarify the loan details before applying.
This process matters especially when your account includes a mix of federal loan programs. For example, one loan could be a Direct Loan and another an FFEL or Perkins Loan; their eligibility may not match. Likewise, a portfolio can include loans first disbursed on opposite sides of July 1, 2026. The answer is not necessarily a single yes or no for the account as a whole. Check the type and date for each loan, then identify the plans available to each.
What the four plans mean for common federal loan types
The following summary reflects the Federal Student Aid eligibility table described here. It is not a substitute for checking the current table and its footnotes. “Eligible” remains subject to date rules and plan-specific conditions.
| Loan type | IBR | ICR | PAYE | RAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026, subject to PAYE rules | Eligible, subject to plan rules |
| Direct PLUS for graduate or professional students | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026, subject to PAYE rules | Eligible, subject to plan rules |
| Direct PLUS for parents | Not eligible as a Parent PLUS loan; a qualifying consolidation has a specific IBR condition | Not eligible as a Parent PLUS loan | Not eligible as a Parent PLUS loan | Not eligible |
| FFEL Program loans | Eligible for qualifying loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 | Generally requires a Direct Consolidation Loan | Not listed as eligible as an FFEL loan | Not eligible as an FFEL loan |
| Federal Perkins Loans | Not directly eligible | Not directly eligible | Not directly eligible | Eligible only after consolidation into a Direct Consolidation Loan |
Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are listed as eligible for all four plans, subject to the date rules for IBR, ICR, and PAYE. Direct PLUS Loans for graduate or professional students are also listed as eligible for all four, subject to those same plan rules. A Direct PLUS Loan made to a parent is different: Parent PLUS loans are excluded as such from all four plans in the table.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIBR applies to eligible Direct and FFEL Program loans disbursed before July 1, 2026, with parent-loan exclusions and consolidation-specific conditions. ICR applies to eligible Direct Loans disbursed before that date; FFEL loans generally need to be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. PAYE is listed for eligible Direct Loans disbursed before the cutoff and has its own eligibility rules. RAP applies to most Direct Loans regardless of disbursement date, but not to FFEL loans or Parent PLUS loans as listed. Some other loan types, including Perkins Loans, may qualify for RAP only after Direct Consolidation.
For a Direct Consolidation Loan that includes a Direct PLUS Loan for parents, IBR has a specific condition: the borrower must make at least one ICR payment before July 1, 2028. This is a plan-specific requirement, not a general guarantee that any consolidation including a Parent PLUS loan will qualify for IBR. Parent PLUS rules can be restrictive, so verify the current table and the status of the consolidated loan before relying on this route.
The table’s consolidation notes matter. If a loan type is marked eligible only after consolidation, the required route is a Direct Consolidation Loan. Consolidation creates a new loan and can change repayment options, benefits, and payment counts. Before proceeding, review the personalized consolidation results and consider the effects on all loans being combined. Do not consolidate solely because a table shows a possible route to eligibility.
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Use the Repayment Calculator to check and compare options
- Open the Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator.
- Sign in if you want the tool to import available loan information, or enter your loan details manually. Confirm that imported details match the loans and dates you noted from your Dashboard.
- Review which repayment plans the loans may qualify for. If you have several loans, compare the available options for each rather than treating your portfolio as one uniform loan.
- Compare the estimated monthly payment, repayment period, principal and interest, total amount paid, possible discharge, and end-of-term date. The tool can also help compare payoff speed and overall cost.
- If you have FFEL loans, enter income manually. The calculator cannot import federal tax information for FFEL borrowers.
- Use the results to decide which plan or plans merit further consideration, not as a final eligibility decision or promised payment amount.
Signing in can allow loan information to populate automatically; manual entry is also available. Whichever method you use, check the details before interpreting the results. The calculator’s estimates depend on the information it uses, and a data-entry error or outdated loan detail can make the comparison less useful. FFEL borrowers should expect to enter income themselves because federal tax information cannot be imported for those borrowers through this calculator.
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The calculator can show estimated monthly payments, repayment period, principal and interest paid, total amount paid, possible discharge, and the end-of-term date. Consider all of these outputs where they are available. A plan with a lower estimated monthly payment may have a longer repayment period and more interest paid. Monthly affordability is important, but it is only one part of the comparison.
Affordability and eligibility are different questions. First confirm that a plan may apply to the loan; then compare payment amount, total paid, interest, repayment timeline, possible discharge, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) treatment where relevant. The official calculator supports comparisons by monthly payment, total paid, and payoff speed, and shows other estimates such as principal, interest, possible discharge, and end-of-term date. Its output is for comparison, not a final servicer determination.
Special situations that can change the answer
Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026
Federal Student Aid’s guidance says RAP is the only IDR plan available when all loans were first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, subject to Parent PLUS exclusions. For loans disbursed before that date, IBR, ICR, or PAYE may also be options depending on loan type and each plan’s rules. If your portfolio spans both periods, evaluate loans separately rather than assuming that all loans in the account follow the same cutoff result.
The cutoff is about the first disbursement date, not simply the date you log in or the date you begin comparing plans. Make sure you are checking the date attached to the loan itself. When a loan’s type or date is unclear, verify it before drawing a conclusion. The official table is particularly important around this transition because the available plans depend on both the date and the program type.
Parent PLUS loans
A borrower with only Parent PLUS loans is not eligible for an IDR plan on those loans. Federal Student Aid describes a possible IDR route when Parent PLUS loans were consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan before July 1, 2026, but the exact result depends on the plan table’s conditions and exclusions. For IBR, a Direct Consolidation Loan that includes a Parent PLUS loan requires at least one ICR payment before July 1, 2028. Do not treat consolidation as automatic qualification or assume the same rule applies to every plan.
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When reviewing a portfolio that includes Parent PLUS loans, distinguish the original loan from any consolidation loan and check the current table’s details for that specific situation. The parent-loan exclusion is a major reason not to rely on a broad statement that “federal loans qualify.” Confirm the possible options before making a consolidation decision.
Loans in default
Defaulted loans are not eligible for IDR. After successful rehabilitation and completion of the required payments, a loan may become eligible once it is no longer in default. Federal Student Aid also identifies consolidation into a Direct Consolidation Loan and repayment under RAP as an option to explore. These are routes to investigate, not a promise that every defaulted loan or borrower will qualify on the same terms. Confirm the available path for your situation with official guidance or your servicer.
Check default status before interpreting the calculator or submitting an application. A loan’s type and disbursement date do not by themselves overcome the default restriction. If you are pursuing rehabilitation or considering consolidation, clarify when the loan will no longer be considered in default and what plan options are available at that point.
Borrowers considering SAVE
Federal Student Aid’s FAQ says a federal court order ended the SAVE Plan and it is no longer available. Borrowers enrolled in SAVE or with a pending application are directed to choose another repayment plan and watch for servicer communications. Check the current official guidance for any time-sensitive instructions before acting; do not rely on older descriptions of SAVE availability.
ICR and PAYE have a limited horizon
ICR and PAYE are scheduled to end no later than July 1, 2028. If either appears as an option, include that planned end date in your decision rather than assuming it will remain available over the full repayment period. The plan’s present availability and its expected end date are separate considerations: check eligibility now, then weigh the time horizon when comparing estimated cost and repayment outcomes.
Apply only after verifying the fit
Applying for an IDR plan through Federal Student Aid is free. When you are ready, submit the online IDR Plan Request at StudentAid.gov/idr. If you cannot complete the online application, submit the official request form and required income documentation to your loan servicer. Use the official Federal Student Aid route or the official form through your servicer; no paid eligibility-check product is needed.
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The calculator’s results are estimates only. It can help you identify plans to compare, but it does not approve an application or guarantee a payment. Your servicer processes the request and determines final terms, including the monthly payment. Check the servicer’s response rather than relying on the calculator as confirmation that an application was approved.
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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 glitchesBefore submitting, make sure you have considered every loan separately, any consolidation condition, and any status issue such as default. If more than one plan may be available, compare expected monthly payment alongside total paid, interest, repayment term, potential discharge, and PSLF implications where relevant. This helps distinguish a plan that appears affordable month to month from one that may better match your longer-term priorities.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical eligibility checklist
- Have you checked the loan type and first disbursement date for every loan on your StudentAid.gov Dashboard?
- Have you kept loans with different types or dates separate instead of assuming one loan’s eligibility applies to all?
- Have you matched each loan against the official plan table, including date restrictions and footnotes?
- Have you accounted for Parent PLUS, FFEL, Perkins, consolidation, or default status?
- If considering consolidation, have you reviewed the personalized results and considered changes to repayment options, benefits, and payment counts?
- Have you used the calculator to compare payment estimates, total paid, interest, repayment period, possible discharge, and end-of-term timing—not just the monthly estimate?
- If you have FFEL loans, have you entered income manually in the calculator?
- Have you used the free official application route and waited for the servicer’s final terms?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out whether my student loans are eligible for an IDR plan?
Sign in to StudentAid.gov and review each federal loan’s type and first disbursement date on your Dashboard. Then match each loan to the current Federal Student Aid eligibility table and use the Repayment Calculator to compare plans that may apply. Eligibility can differ among loans in the same account.
Does one IDR eligibility result apply to all of my loans?
Not necessarily. Loan type and first disbursement date both matter, so a mixed portfolio may have different plan options from loan to loan. Check each loan separately rather than assuming one loan’s result applies to the rest.
What does the July 1, 2026 date mean for IDR eligibility?
IBR, ICR, and PAYE have restrictions tied to loans disbursed before July 1, 2026. RAP is available for most Direct Loans regardless of disbursement date. Federal Student Aid says RAP is the only IDR plan available when all loans were first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, subject to Parent PLUS exclusions. Check the table for each loan’s type and date.
Are Parent PLUS loans eligible for income-driven repayment?
A borrower with only Parent PLUS loans is not eligible for an IDR plan on those loans. Federal Student Aid describes a possible route involving a Direct Consolidation Loan, but conditions and exclusions apply. For IBR, a consolidation loan that includes a Parent PLUS loan has the specific condition that the borrower make at least one ICR payment before July 1, 2028. Verify the current table before relying on consolidation.
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Can FFEL or Perkins loans qualify for an IDR plan?
Eligible FFEL Program loans disbursed before July 1, 2026 are listed for IBR. FFEL loans generally need a Direct Consolidation Loan for ICR and are not listed as eligible for RAP as FFEL loans. Federal Perkins Loans are not directly eligible under the table, but are listed as eligible for RAP if consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Check plan footnotes and personalized consolidation results.
Are defaulted federal student loans eligible for IDR?
No. Defaulted loans are not eligible for IDR. A loan may become eligible after successful rehabilitation and completion of required payments once it is no longer in default. Federal Student Aid also identifies Direct Consolidation followed by RAP as an option to explore; confirm the route for your circumstances.
Can the Repayment Calculator confirm that I qualify or tell me my final payment?
No. Federal Student Aid says calculator results are estimates. The tool can show plans the loans may qualify for and estimate payment, repayment period, total paid, interest, possible discharge, and end-of-term date. Your servicer sets final terms, including the payment, after processing your application.
Can I use the calculator if I have FFEL loans?
Yes, but FFEL borrowers must enter income manually because the calculator cannot import federal tax information for them.
Is applying for an IDR plan free?
Yes. Federal Student Aid says applying is free. Submit the online IDR Plan Request at StudentAid.gov/idr, or, if you cannot complete the online application, send the official request form and required income documentation to your servicer.
Is SAVE still available, and what about PAYE and ICR?
Federal Student Aid’s FAQ says a federal court order ended SAVE and that it is no longer available; borrowers enrolled in SAVE or with a pending application are told to choose another plan and watch for servicer communications. PAYE and ICR are scheduled to end no later than July 1, 2028. Recheck current official guidance for any time-sensitive instructions.
The Bottom Line
Check every federal loan’s type and first disbursement date on StudentAid.gov, then match it to the current IDR eligibility table and compare possible options in the official Repayment Calculator. Parent PLUS, FFEL, Perkins, consolidation, default status, and the July 1, 2026 cutoff can change the answer. Calculator results are estimates, applying is free, and your servicer determines final terms after processing your request.
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