Federal Direct Loan Repayment
Exit Counseling
All Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan borrowers are required to complete Exit Counseling before graduating, withdrawing, dropping below half-time enrollment or transferring to another college or university. The Exit Counseling session will help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower and provide useful tips and information to help you manage your loans.
Loan Education
The Road to Zero is information you need to better understand your loan repayment options and choose a plan that best fits your needs.
The Financial Awareness Counseling Tool provides students with five interactive tutorials covering topics ranging from managing a budget to avoiding default. Students are able to access their individual loan history and receive personalized feedback that can help them better understand their financial obligations.
Repayment Calculator
Use the Loan Simulator to determine how to best manage your loan.
Loan Servicing
The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the U.S. Department of Education's central database for federal student aid. It receives data from schools and agencies that guarantee loans, from the Federal Direct Loan program, and other U.S. Department of Education programs. NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants that are tracked through the entire financial aid cycle; from approval through closure.
The loans and grants listed on this website have been reported from different sources. In general, the agency that authorized the aid award is responsible for reporting aid information to NSLDS. Direct Loans are reported by guaranty agencies. Direct Loans are reported by the Direct Loan Servicing Center, Perkins Loans are reported by schools (or their agents), and grants are reported by the U.S. Department of Education's Common Origination and Disbursement System.
Students can use the website to make inquiries about their Title IV loans and/or grants. The site displays information on loan and/or grant amounts, outstanding balances, loan statuses, and disbursements.
Federal privacy laws protect this information. The only people who can access NSLDS are those individuals that need the information to calculate your future aid eligibility, or to resolve questions about your loans or grants on a need-to-know basis.
Consolidation
A Consolidation Loan allows you to combine one or more of your federal education loans into a new loan that offers you several advantages such as one monthly payment, flexible repayment options, or reduced monthly payments. Before making a decision to consolidate your federal student loans, consider factors such as the affordability of your monthly payments, the number of payments you need to make to multiple lenders, the interest rates on each of your loans, and how much you are willing to pay over the long term.
Visit the consolidation website to determine if it's worth consolidating your loans. Review this information carefully before making a final decision. Remember, there are multiple Loan Consolidation providers and you may choose whichever provider/lender you feel best meets your needs during the repayment life of your loan.
If you also borrowed funds through a Private (non-federal) Alternative Education Loan Program, you may be able to consolidate these loans. Check directly with your private education loan provider/lender to obtain more information on your private education loan consolidation options.
Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs
Learn more about the different types of loan forgiveness and whether you qualify.
Federal Direct Loan Ombudsman
Learn about the steps you can take to address a loan dispute.