Deferments
for the Post-7/1/93 Loan Era
This
page describes deferments available to borrowers who first took out loans between on or after 7/1/93.
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The deferment descriptions on this page contain links to the Common Deferment Forms used in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). To view and print
these forms, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded onto your system. Click on the banner below to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Note: Our descriptions of various deferment types are intended as summaries only, to guide you toward deferments for which you may qualify. They are not intended to
exhaustively list all eligibility conditions or documentation requirements. Full descriptions of requirements can be found, however, on the deferment request forms that can be viewed and
printed through the links we provide. If you have any questions about the requirements listed in a form, please call us at 1 (888) 633-4850.
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If you borrowed the earliest of your outstanding loans on or after July 1, 1993, the following deferments
may be available to you:
You qualify for this
deferment when you return to school on at least a half-time basis at an eligible institution. (If in doubt, ask your
school if they’re eligible.) It’s up to your school to determine what
constitutes “half-time.”
This deferment has
no time limit: You continue to qualify as long as you remain enrolled at least half-time.
To qualify, you must
get your school to certify your enrollment to your lender or servicer, if they have
not already supplied the certification through another means.
To view and print
the form to request a student deferment, click on the button below. The form has a
complete description of eligibility criteria.
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You qualify for this
deferment if you:
 | Are
unemployed or working less than 30 hours a week;
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| Are
actively seeking full-time employment (30 hours a week or more) in any field;
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| Are
registered with an employment agency in the United States; and
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| Have
not already received this deferment for 36 months.
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The
unemployment deferment is available for a maximum of 36 months.
You
can find a complete description of eligibility criteria on the UNEM deferment request form. The form will also spell out any documentation you are required to supply to your lender or servicer.
To view and print a copy of the form, click on the button below.
Please
also be sure to visit our Employment Help page.
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This deferment is intended for borrowers experiencing significant economic hardship. You qualify if you meet one or more of the following conditions:
| You have been granted an economic hardship deferment under the Federal Direct Loan or
Perkins Loan program;
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| You are receiving public assistance, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF;
formerly AFDC or JOBS), Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income, or state general assistance; |
| You work full-time (at least 30 hours a week) but do not earn more than the federal
minimum wage or the “poverty line” for a family of two;
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| You work full-time (at least 30 hours a week) and the payments you make on your federal
student loans represent more than 20% of your gross income. “Federal student loans” can include more than your FFELP
loans (e.g., Perkins Loans, HEAL, etc.); and/or
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| You do not work full-time and your monthly income, after subtracting the payments due on
your federal student loans, is less than federal minimum wage or the “poverty line” for family of two.
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This
deferment is available for up to 36 months.
You can
find a complete description of eligibility criteria on the HRD deferment request form. The
form will also spell out any documentation you are required to supply to your lender or servicer. To view and print a copy of the form, click on the button below.
We recognize that
the requirements for this type of deferment are complex, and may be confusing. We encourage you to give us a call if you think you may qualify. We’ve
been dealing with this deferment for some time and can walk you through the requirements.
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You
qualify for this deferment if you are engaged in a full-time course of study in a graduate fellowship program.
There is no time
limit to this deferment: The deferment remains available to you as long as you continue to meet eligibility criteria.
You can find a complete description of eligibility criteria on the NEW EDU deferment
request form. The form will also spell out any documentation you are required to supply to your lender or servicer. To view and print a copy of the form, click on the button below.
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You may qualify for this deferment if you are working less than 30 hours a week and are
receiving, or are scheduled to receive, training services from a rehabilitation agency. The agency you work with must be recognized as a rehabilitation services provider by:
| A state agency
for vocational rehabilitation;
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| A drug or
alcohol abuse treatment program;
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| A mental health
service; or
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| The Veterans’
Administration (VA).
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There
is no time limit to this deferment: It is available to you as long as you continue to receive training services as described
above.
You can find a complete description of eligibility criteria on the NEW EDU deferment request
form. The form will also spell out any documentation you are required to supply to your lender or servicer. To view and print a copy of the form, click on the button below.
Print the Form
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