Loan Repayment Restart Toolkit

Your FSA ID (the same you used to complete your FAFSA) will include a username and password. Once logged in, update your personal information and confirm your student loan servicer.

Log in to studentaid.gov external website

Your servicer may vary depending on the type of loan you have. If you don't know who your servicer is, log on to studentaid.gov external website and visit the My Loan Servicers section of your dashboard.

Create an account or log in to an existing one via the servicer's website. Review and update your personal contact information, including your email and mailing address, so your servicer can reach you.

If you were previously signed up for automatic debit before the payment pause began, you must reauthorize or select automatic debit through your loan servicer account. This will allow your loan payments to be automatically withdrawn from your bank account every month.

The contact information your servicer has may need to be updated. It is important that your servicer has accurate contact information so they can reach you with pertinent updates. You should also review your outstanding balances and accrued interest.

When you completed loan exit counseling, you selected a plan to repay your student loans. If you didn’t select a repayment plan, you were automatically placed in the standard plan. If the plan you were previously in no longer aligns with your repayment strategy, you may want to consider switching.

The standard repayment plan is solely based on the amount you borrowed, and divides your balance (plus interest) into equal, fixed monthly payments. Others, known as income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, take your income into account. In many cases, an IDR plan will provide you with a lower monthly payment. If you don’t remember which plan you’re in, you can find it on studentaid.gov or on loan servicer’s portal. You can also find information on your outstanding balances, accrued interest, and current monthly payment. Your loan servicer may also have repayment calculator tools to help you figure out which plan is right for you.

If you decide to change your repayment plan to a non-IDR plan, log on to your loan servicer’s website to initiate the change. If you would like to apply for an IDR plan, you can do so via studentaid.gov external website. Keep in mind that if you select an IDR plan, you may be asked for additional information to certify your income and family size. If you need help selecting a plan or completing the process, contact your loan servicer.

Don't delay being proactive if you anticipate encountering any troubles as repayment begins, as there are consequences to not being prepared.

Review your personal budget to ensure that you will be able to make your necessary monthly payments. You can find resources to help you create, manage, and maintain your budget on studentaid.gov external website.

With millions of borrowers transitioning into repayment at the same time, it is possible that loan servicers may be overwhelmed with a high volume of inquiries. It is possible you may not reach your servicer via phone the first time you call, and you may need to call a few times before getting connected. You may be able to find the information you’re looking for on your own on your loan servicer’s website, or by emailing or using live chat features.

Keep good documentation of your financial aid and loan servicer records and communications, such as forms, research, who you spoke to, and detailed notes of what you discussed.

• Your student loan servicer will provide you with free assistance. You should never pay an outside entity to help with your student loans.
• If you don’t know who your servicer is, you can find out by logging on to studentaid.gov external website and visiting the My Loan Servicers section of your dashboard.
• While you may reach your loan servicer via phone, your servicer will always initiate communications with you via email. Unless you initiate the contact, you should never share personal information over the phone.