- 1). Get a record of the student loan(s) that you want to apply for deferment on. You'll need to apply for a deferment for each one individually, and the procedure may vary slightly. If you need to see a record of all your Title IV loans, you can log in to the National Student Loan Data Systems website (see the link in the Resources section below).
- 2). Contact the appropriate person to request student loan deferment. For FFEL, Stafford or PLUS loans, contact the lender who made the loan. For Perkins Loans, contact the school that originally issued the loan. For Direct Loans, see the list of deferment forms in the Resources link called "Federal Student Aid Forms" and scroll down to Managing Your Student Loans. When you make contact, ask for the specific requirements that you believe may qualify you for student loan deferment, and request the forms to apply for deferment.
- 3). If you believe you qualify, fill out the forms along with proof of your situation, and send them in for each loan you want to defer. While you're waiting for approval, you must continue to make payments on your loans, or you'll be considered delinquent. If you request deferment of non-subsidized loans, you may want to continue paying interest during the deferment period if possible, to prevent the balance of the loan increasing, since interest will continue to accrue.