The below resources will help student loan borrowers prepare for repayment.
- Follow the Federal Student Aid Administration’s Loan Repayment Checklist.
- Visit FSA’s resource page for related videos
- Log in to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website to view any federal loans you borrowed and the loan servicer(s) managing those loans.
- Sign in using your FSA ID username and password.
- Click on ‘Financial Aid Review’.
- Parents should sign in under their separate FSA ID credentials if they borrowed a Federal Parent PLUS loan.
- If you borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan, complete Exit Counseling at studentloans.gov.
- If you borrowed a Federal Perkins loan, complete Exit Counseling at studentloans.gov.
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If you received a Federal TEACH Grant:
- Exit Counseling must be completed at studentloans.gov.
Please print a copy of your exit counseling completion for your records.
- It is important that you communicate with your student loan servicer(s), the entity you will repay. They have the most up-to-date information about your student loans, including the interest that may have accrued.
- Having difficulty repaying your loans? Contact your loan servicer(s) to ask about deferment or forbearance or different repayment plan options.
- Student Loan Exit Counseling is a program instituted by the federal government to help students understand their rights and responsibilities as they enter the repayment period. Exit counseling is required of all students who graduate, withdraw or drop below half-time attendance (regardless if you plan to transfer to another school; completing the exit counseling does not prevent you from receiving loans in the future). Regulations require you to complete an exit counseling session for your federal Stafford loan (subsidized or unsubsidized) and Perkins loans (if applicable).
- During exit counseling you will be given the following information:
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- Names of your lender(s) and guarantor(s).
- Telephone numbers for each.
- Loan amount, interest and estimated monthly payment for each loan.
- Name, address and telephone number of the nearest relative and two other references.
- Name, address and telephone number of expected employer (if known).
- You can also obtain this information by logging onto the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website.
- Exit counseling will provide you with:
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- Preliminary repayment plan eligibility and estimated repayment amounts based on NSLDS loan information.
- Information on how to manage your student loan repayment.
- Your rights & responsibilities as a borrower in the federal student loan program.
- Forbearance, deferment, hardship, disability, discharge and forgiveness information.
- Other important loan servicing and default consequence information.
- Borrowers who use exit counseling on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website can now select their preferred loan repayment plan:
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- Those who choose income-driven plans will receive servicer follow-up, since an application and additional documentation are required.
- For borrowers who choose standard, graduated or extended repayment, the servicer creates a repayment schedule tailored to the borrower’s balance.
- If borrowers want to change their plan after the initial selection they can contact their servicer(s) to discuss options.
You can retrieve a summary of your federal loan and grant history by logging into the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. Information about your loans and loan servicer(s) can be found here, including contact and repayment information.
What is NSLDS?
The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the US Department of Education’s central database for student aid. It receives data from schools, agencies that guaranty loans, the Direct Loan program and other U.S. Department of Education programs. NSLDS provides a comprehensive view of Title IV student loans and grants that are tracked through their entire cycle, from aid approval through final payment.
When Is the NSLDS Student Access Website Available?
The NSLDS Student Access website is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes maintenance of the NSLDS database can occur on the weekends or during late hours. This may cause the site to be unavailable for a brief period while maintenance is performed.
What Information Do I Need To Use the NSLDS Student Access Website?
In order to use the NSLDS Student Access web site, you will need your FSA ID username and password. This is the same information used when signing a FAFSA or accessing other federal aid related websites.