Unemployment Deferment

What is it?  
A means of deferring (postponing) payments on your student loans while you are unemployed, for up to 24 months (two years).

When do I qualify?
You may qualify if you are working less than 30 hours a week and are seeking full-time employment.

When is a deferment a good idea?
When you are temporarily struggling to make your student loan payments.

When is a deferment not a good idea? 
When you have the ability to make payments to bring your account up to date, or when you are not sure that you will be able to resume payments soon. During any deferment on an unsubsidized loan, interest continues to accrue, even when you are not required to make payments. As a result, your balance and payment term are likely to increase.

How do I apply?
Click on the button below to view and print an unemployment deferment request form.  Please read the form carefully to make sure you qualify, and follow the instructions on the form. Mail your completed form(s) to us at:

Student Loan Counseling Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 1078
Waterloo, IA  50704-1078

To learn more about unemployment deferment, click here.

If you have already received 24 months of unemployment deferment, please click on the Return to Questionnaire button at the bottom of this page, and make another selection.