Loan Repayment

Repayment of Federal Direct Student Loans

After you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, you will have a six-month grace period before you are required to begin loan repayment. During this period, you'll receive repayment information from your loan servicer, and you'll be notified of your first payment due date.

Your loan servicer will provide answers to any questions about your federal student loans, provide tips and resources, help you choose the appropriate repayment plan, and explain your options when you are having trouble making payments.

By creating an online account with your loan servicer, you can check your balance, make payments, and much more. Find your loan servicer contact information and student loan amounts

Learn more about loan repayment
Learn more about loan consolidation
Learn more about public service loan forgiveness
Learn more about postponing repayment

Repayment of Federal PLUS Loans

Federal Direct PLUS Loans for Parents of Undergraduate Students

The repayment period for a Direct PLUS Loan begins immediately after the last disbursement of the loan, while your child is still in school. However, you can choose to defer making payments while your child is enrolled at least half-time, and for an additional six months after your child graduates or drops below half-time enrollment status.

When it’s time for you to begin repaying your Direct PLUS Loan, you’ll make payments to your loan servicer, an organization that handles billing and other customer service functions related to your Direct PLUS Loan. The servicer will contact you after you receive your first Direct PLUS Loan to provide you with information about repayment options, and the servicer also will communicate with you throughout the repayment period of your loan.

If you would like to defer repayment on your PLUS loan until six months after your son/daughter graduates or drops below half-time status, you should contact the servicer of your PLUS loan. To determine your loan servicer, visit studentaid.gov.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students

You don't have to start making payments until six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment.

During any period when you’re not required to make payments, interest will accrue on your loan. You may choose to pay the accrued interest or allow the interest to be capitalized (added to your loan principal balance) when you have to start making payments. Your loan servicer will notify you when your first payment is due. Generally, you’ll have from 10 to 25 years to repay your loan, depending on the repayment plan that you choose. Your required monthly payment amount will vary depending on how much you borrowed, the interest rates on your loans, and your repayment plan.

Debt Cancellation and Loan Forgiveness for Current Borrowers

The US Department of Education released information on President Biden’s announcement regarding targeted debt cancelation and loan repayment pause on August 24, 2022. For the most up-to-date information on debt cancellation visit StudentAid.gov.

Debt Relief Announcement

Students can log in to StudentAid.gov to review their loan and grant history. If you do not have a login, you may create one. Loans disbursed prior to June 30, 2022 are included. If you have previously declined a loan and want to accept it now, future loan disbursements are not included in this debt cancellation. More information will be announced in the coming months regarding the application process for debt cancellation. The application will be available no later than when the pause on federal student loan repayments terminates at the end of the year December 31, 2022. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships does not have any additional information beyond what has been provided to the public. Please visit the above websites for the most up-to-date information.

Until Oct. 31, 2022, borrowers may receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness or Temporarily Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

The NYS Get on Your Feet Loan Forgiveness Program provides up to 24 months of federal student loan debt relief to recent NYS college graduates who are participating in a federal income-driven repayment plan whose payments are generally capped at 10 percent of their discretionary income.

This loan forgiveness program has been established to alleviate the burden of federal student loan debt for NYS college graduates. Learn more about the NYS Get on Your Feet Loan Forgiveness Program

Federal Perkins Loan Repayment

This federal loan program ended September 30, 2017. Repayment on the Federal Perkins Loan begins 9 months after a student drops below half-time enrollment. Students entering repayment will pay accrued interest at an annual rate of 5%. The full loan amount with all interest and fees is generally paid within ten (10) years. The minimum monthly payment is $40.00. The loan may be prepaid, payments can be made before required or in amounts that are greater than required at any time without penalty. In some circumstances, the loan may be deferred for student status, economic hardship, unemployment, military service, or cancellation service. A Department of Defense repayment program may be available for specified military service. If you were a federal Perkins loan recipient while attending RIT, please contact RIT’s Perkins loan servicer Heartland ECSI for additional information.

Contact Us

If you have questions at any point in the process, we’re here to help.

Chat
For general questions about the financial aid process, we recommend our live chat.

Email
For general questions about your specific situation, we recommend that you email ritaid@rit.edu.

Call
For detailed questions about your specific situation, we recommend that you call 585-475-2186.

Contacting our office by phone or email allows us to answer specific questions related to a student as long as we are able to affirm the student and the individual requesting information to protect privacy and confidentiality. Live chat is reserved only for general non-student specific information.