ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR DEFERMENT?
Once you leave the lending institution, you may be eligible for periods
of deferment, during which interest does not accrue and repayment of principal
is not required.
For additional eligibility requirements, click on the highlighted word or phrase in the chart below.
To obtain a deferment form, click on Benefit Forms in the left-side menu.
| Deferment Criteria |
Federal Perkins/National Direct disbursed on or after 07/01/93 |
Federal Perkins disbursed between 07/01/87 & 07/01/93 |
National Direct disbursed between 10/01/80 & 07/01/93 |
National Direct disbursed before 10/01/80 |
National Defense |
| 1. Half-time enrollment |
No limit
|
No limit
|
No limit
|
No limit
|
No limit
|
| 2. Less than half-time enrollment as a regular student |
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
3 years *2
|
| 3. Rehabilitation training |
No limit
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
| 4. Graduate Fellowship Study |
No limit
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
No limit *5
|
| 5. Eligible Internship or residency program |
N/A
|
2 years
|
2 years
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 6. Unemployment |
3 years
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
| 7. Economic Hardship |
3 years
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
3 years *5
|
| 8. Hardship as determined by the school |
N/A
|
No Limit *2
|
No Limit *2
|
No Limit *2
|
No Limit *2
|
| 9. Law enforcement/corrections officer |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 10. Peace Corps/ACTION Program volunteer |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 11. Full-time volunteer for tax exempt organization in service comparable to Peace Corps or ACTION |
N/A
|
3 years
|
3 years
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 12. U.S. Armed Services |
See Detail
|
3 years
|
3 years
|
3 years
|
3 years
|
| 13. Officer in Commissioned Corps of U.S. Public Health Service |
N/A
|
3 years
|
3 years
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 14. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Corps |
N/A
|
3 years
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 15. Nurse/Medical Technician providing health services |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 16. Temporary total disability or care of temporarily totally disabled spouse/dependent |
N/A
|
3 years
|
3 years *4
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 17. Pregnancy, care of newborn or newly adopted child |
N/A
|
6 months
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 18. Mother of pre-schooler working or returning to work who makes no more than $1 above minimum wage |
N/A
|
1 year *1
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| 19. Employment in Head Start Program |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 20. Teacher in designated low income school |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 21. Teacher of special education, including teachers of infants, toddlers, children, or youth with disabilities |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 22. Provider of early intervention services |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 23. Teacher of mathematics, science, foreign languages, bilingual education or other field of expertise determined by state education agency to have a shortage of qualified teachers |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 24. Provider or supervisor of provision of services to high-risk children from low income communities and their families |
See Footnote 3
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
See Footnote 3 & 5
|
| 25. Forbearance – if your Title IV debt burden equals or exceeds 20% of your gross income, you may be eligible for forbearance |
3 years renewable
annually
|
3 years renewable annually
|
3 years renewable annually
|
3 years renewable annually
|
3 years renewable annually
|
*1 Limited to borrowers who had no outstanding balance on any National Direct or Defense Student Loan on July 1, 1987.
*2 Principal and interest may both be deferred, but interest continues to accrue.
*3 Deferment is for period in which a borrower is engaged in service eligible for Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation.
*4 Applies to borrower or care of spouse only. Does not allow deferment for the care of temporarily disabled dependent.
*5 Benefit eligibility is effective 10/1/98.
TO APPLY: You must file a completed Request for Deferment form. After signing the form, have it certified by an appropriate official. Also, see the form for any additional documentation required. Return the completed form and supporting documents to this office for processing. TO DOWNLOAD and print benefit forms, click here.
