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If you (or your parents, if they obtained a PLUS loan to pay for your education) are the recipient of one or more student loans to pay for college, you’ll need to start paying back the loans when you graduate, drop below half-time enrollment, or leave college.
Repayment based on Loan Type
| Loan Type | When Payback Begins |
| Direct Subsidized | Six-month Grace Period Before Payback Must Begin |
| Direct Unsubsidized | Six-month Grace Period Before Payback Must Begin |
| Federal Family Education Loan | Six-month Grace Period Before Payback Must Begin |
| Perkins Loan | Nine-month Grace Period Before Payback Must Begin |
| Direct PLUS Loan | Must Pay Back Once Loan is Fully Disbursed |
Your loan servicer (the company that collects your payments) will let you know when your loan payments are due, how many payments you must make to pay off the loan, and the amount of each payment.
Visit the federal Student Aid website to learn more about repaying your loan, the types of loan repayment schedules, and other important information.
Watch this video on Direct Loan Repayment Plans.
Missed Payments
If you’ve missed a payment or struggling to make payments, please contact your loan servicer immediately to discuss options to avoid defaulting on your loans. If you are unsure who your loan servicer is, please contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-433-3243.
Below are links to sources of additional information.