Office of Student Aid : Loans : Federal Direct Stafford Loan : Repayment

If you are currently enrolled in school and have borrowed an unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan we recommend that--if at all possible--you pay the interest (due quarterly) while attending school. Review a repayment comparison for an example of the impact of making unsubsidized Stafford Loan interest payments.

Repayment of your Federal Direct Stafford Loans begins after your one-time grace period--six months after you graduate from your degree program or are not enrolled at least half-time (6 credits for undergraduate students).

To make sure you do not use your one-time grace period, complete your registration promptly each semester (by responding to your bill). If you receive a request for repayment, contact your lender or loan servicer to request postponement of payments while you are enrolled.

If you cannot begin repayment after your grace period has expired, you may be eligible for deferment or forbearance. You should contact your lender for more information. If you do not know your lender or loan servicer, access the Loan Locator through the National Student Clearinghouse.

To help with your financial planning:

• Refer to a sample repayment schedule.
• Access online information and repayment calculators at You Can Deal With It.

Once you are in your one-time grace period or have started paying back your student loans, you may want to consider loan consolidation.

You may also want to investigate whether you are eligible for a loan forgiveness program.