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Enhancements to StudentAid.gov Now Available

With this latest release, we've updated our income-driven repayment application, borrower defense to repayment loan discharge application, Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, Direct Consolidation Loan Application, and more.

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans

We've updated our IDR application to make it easier to use, and we've added the new IDR plan.

Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan

The SAVE Plan provides the lowest monthly payments of any IDR plan available to nearly all student borrowers. Federal student loan borrowers can apply now for the SAVE Plan on StudentAid.gov. Learn more about the SAVE Plan.

IDR Application

Borrowers can now

  • provide consent for us to automatically transfer their tax information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS);
  • allow us to automatically recertify their IDR plan every year using their tax info from the IRS, if they previously provided consent;
  • see what their actual monthly payment amounts would be on each plan, rather than estimates;
  • complete the application in 10 minutes or less;
  • save their application and return to it later; and
  • view the status of their application in their Dashboard and My Activity pages.

Borrowers can apply for an IDR plan.

Borrower Defense to Repayment Loan Discharge Application

On Aug. 7, 2023, a federal court issued an injunction delaying the effective date of the latest regulations governing borrower defense and closed school loan discharges until at least November 2023. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will not adjudicate any borrower defense applications under the latest rule unless and until the effective date is reinstated. While this injunction is in effect, borrowers may still apply online for borrower defense relief. ED will continue to adjudicate borrower defense applications using an earlier version of the regulations where required under a court settlement.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

We've updated the PSLF Help Tool and PSLF Form to reflect the program changes that happened earlier this summer. These changes include

  • the new definition of full-time employment;
  • payment credits on consolidation loans;
  • qualifying payments during certain deferments or forbearances;
  • eligibility for contractors in certain circumstances; and
  • more flexibility for employment status at the time of forgiveness.

See the PSLF Q&As page for more information.

Direct Consolidation Loan Application

We've streamlined the application to make it clearer and easier to use. The borrower can now

  • preview how consolidating might impact their loans,
  • save their application and return to it later,
  • auto-fill their contact info from their StudentAid.gov account,
  • digitally sign and submit their application, and
  • view the status of their application in their Dashboard and My Activity page.