Loan Repayment Update

Federal student loan repayment begins October 2023. Depending on your current enrollment status, this may or may not impact you at this time.

Who is NOT required to make payments beginning October 2023?

If you are pursuing a degree and are enrolled at least half-time* in the current semester, you are not required to make payments at this time. Your loans are in deferment, which means payment is currently deferred. However, you can make payments while in school, if you wish, by contacting your federal loan servicer.

*Half-time enrollment:

6 credit hours per semester for undergrad students

5 credit hours in a semester for grad students.

Who IS required to make payments beginning October 2023?

All other federal loan borrowers are required to make payments beginning October 1. This includes alumni and students who are taking an extended leave of absence** from school. To find out if payments are required for you, contact your federal loan servicer.

 **Extended leave of absence:

After your last day of enrollment in college, your federal loans have a 6-month grace period before entering repayment. If you are not enrolled for two back-to-back semesters, your federal loans will enter repayment.

What should I do NOW?

Visit studentaid.gov where you can find your federal loan servicer's contact information. Log into studentaid.gov with your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID). Your servicer name, phone number, and a link to their website can be found on your dashboard. You are able to create an online profile with your servicer for easy monthly payment transactions. This profile will usually display your monthly repayment amount, due dates, and all relevant tax information.

If your federal loans will enter repayment in October 2023 and you need to lower your monthly payment amount, you can apply for an Income-Driven Repayment Plan. You can find the application at studentaid.gov/idr. Once complete, the application will be sent to your federal loan servicer who will finalize the monthly repayment amount or let you know if additional information is required. You can find a breakdown of each repayment plan, including the new SAVE plan, at studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans.

Studentaid.gov is your best source of information to prepare for repayment. If this is your first time entering loan repayment, you can visit studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-first-time for next steps. All other borrowers can find assistance at studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/prepare-payments-restart.

As always, the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships is happy to connect you with the right assistance.