Loan Deferments
A loan deferment is a specific period of time during which a borrower may delay the repayment of the principal and interest on his or her loan if certain criteria are met. Anyone seeking a loan deferment must contact his or her individual loan provider or servicer to apply for a deferment.
Deferments are for a specifically agreed upon length of time and are specific to the loan or borrower specified in the application.
During a federal loan deferment, the borrower does not need to make payments. However, on some types of loans, the federal government will not pay the interest that continues to accrue during the deferment period. If a borrower does not pay the interest that accrues during the deferment period, it may be capitalized and added to the principal amount, meaning that the borrower may be responsible for higher future payments.
The Delaware Law Office of the Registrar signs and seals the deferment forms. Students can download the form from their individual loan servicer or lender. Matriculated students must turn in these forms for completion to the registrar. The Office of the Registrar will mail the forms directly to the lending institutions.
Your current enrollment status is reported by Delaware Law to the National Student Loan Data System on a monthly basis as per federal regulations. The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the US Department of Education's (ED's) central database for student aid. You can access all your federal student loan information, including loan history, loan repayment status, and contact information for your loan servicer.
Federal loan deferments may be available for the following reasons:
- Period of at least half-time enrollment in college or career school
- Graduate fellowships
- Rehabilitation training
- Economic hardship
- Military service
Additional information on deferment of federal loans (i.e., Direct, Stafford or Perkins) can be found at studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/deferment-forbearance. A list of federal loan servicers can be found at studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/understand/servicers#who-is-my-loan-servicer.
Standard Disclaimer for External Links