A forbearance lets you stop making payments on your federal student loan for a set period, usually three to six months, without going into default

When you request a forbearance, your loan servicer agrees to temporarily reduce or pause your monthly payment obligation. You still owe the debt, and interest continues to accrue on most loan types — you are not erasing what you owe, only delaying when you have to pay it. The loan stays in good standing during this time, so it does not damage your credit report the way a missed payment would.

Forbearance is different from deferment, which also pauses payments but may stop interest from accruing depending on your loan type and reason. Both are temporary solutions, not permanent forgiveness. You will eventually resume payments, and the paused interest gets added to your balance.

Key Takeaways

  • Forbearance pauses your monthly payment for three to six months while interest keeps accruing on most federal loan types.
  • You request forbearance directly from your loan servicer, and they can approve it without requiring you to prove financial hardship for general forbearance.
  • Interest that accrues during forbearance gets added to your loan balance, making your total debt larger when payments restart.
  • After forbearance ends, you resume your regular payment amount unless you request another forbearance or explore other options like income-driven repayment plans.

How forbearance works and who can request it

Federal student loan servicers offer two types of forbearance: general forbearance and mandatory forbearance. General forbearance is discretionary — your servicer can approve it if you request it, but they are not required to. Mandatory forbearance must be granted if you meet specific conditions, such as being a medical or dental resident, working in a public service job, or experiencing a financial hardship the servicer defines in their policies.

To request forbearance, contact your loan servicer directly by phone, mail, or their online portal. You will need your loan account number and Social Security number. The servicer will ask why you need the pause, but for general forbearance they typically do not require documentation of hardship — a statement that you cannot afford payments right now is usually enough. The approval process takes a few days to two weeks.

Forbearance is available only for federal student loans. Private student loans do not have forbearance as a standard option, though some private lenders may negotiate temporary payment reductions on a case-by-case basis.

What happens to interest during forbearance

Interest behavior during forbearance depends on your loan type. On subsidized federal loans, the government pays the interest that accrues during forbearance, so your balance does not grow. On unsubsidized federal loans and PLUS loans, interest accrues and gets added to your principal balance when forbearance ends — a process called capitalization. This means you will owe more money than you did before the forbearance started.

For example, if you have an unsubsidized loan with a $10,000 balance and a 5 percent interest rate, and you enter forbearance for six months, roughly $250 in interest will accrue. When forbearance ends, your balance becomes $10,250, and your monthly payment is calculated on that higher amount.

How forbearance affects your credit and future payments

Forbearance does not appear as a negative mark on your credit report. Your loan stays in good standing, and the pause does not count as a missed payment. This is a key difference from simply not paying — if you stop paying without requesting forbearance, your loan goes into delinquency after 90 days and your credit score drops.

When forbearance ends, you resume your regular monthly payment amount. If your loan balance grew because of accrued interest, your payment may be slightly higher than it was before. If you cannot afford to resume payments at that point, you can request another forbearance period, though servicers may limit how many times you can do this in a row. After forbearance, you can also explore other options like income-driven repayment plans, which recalculate your payment based on your current income.

Forbearance versus deferment and other payment pause options

Forbearance and deferment both pause payments, but they work differently. With deferment, interest does not accrue on subsidized loans, and you may not have to pay interest on unsubsidized loans either — though this depends on the reason for deferment and your loan type. Deferment is harder to get; you usually have to prove you are in school, unemployed, or in economic hardship. Forbearance is easier to request and does not require as much documentation.

Income-driven repayment plans are a longer-term alternative. Instead of pausing payments, these plans recalculate what you owe each month based on your income, which can lower your payment to as little as $0 per month if your income is very low. Unlike forbearance, income-driven plans are permanent (you renew annually) and may lead to loan forgiveness after 20 to 25 years of payments.

If you are struggling with payments, forbearance is a short-term bridge. If you need a longer solution, income-driven repayment or deferment may serve you better.

How many times you can use forbearance

Federal regulations allow up to three years of forbearance total on any single loan, but servicers can set their own limits on how many consecutive forbearance periods you can request. Most servicers allow one or two back-to-back forbearances before requiring you to resume payments or switch to a different repayment option. After that, you may have to wait a certain period before requesting forbearance again, or you may need to show a new reason for hardship.

The rules vary by servicer, so contact yours directly to learn their specific policy. If you have already used forbearance multiple times, ask whether you have other options, such as income-driven repayment or deferment, that might work better for your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will forbearance hurt my credit score?

No. Forbearance does not appear on your credit report as a negative mark. Your loan stays in good standing, and the pause does not count as a missed or late payment. Your credit score should not be affected.

Do I have to pay the accrued interest after forbearance ends?

On unsubsidized and PLUS loans, yes — the accrued interest gets added to your loan balance. On subsidized loans, the government pays the interest, so your balance does not grow. When payments restart, you owe the higher balance.

Can I request forbearance if I am not in financial hardship?

Yes, for general forbearance. Your servicer does not require proof of hardship — you can request it for any reason. However, servicers may limit how many times you can use general forbearance in a row before requiring you to resume payments or try another option.

What happens if I do not resume payments after forbearance ends?

Your loan goes into delinquency, which damages your credit score and can lead to default. After 270 days of non-payment, the federal government can begin wage garnishment or offset your tax refund. Contact your servicer before forbearance ends if you know you will not be able to pay.

Is forbearance the same as loan forgiveness?

No. Forbearance pauses payments temporarily; you still owe the full debt. Forgiveness erases part or all of what you owe. Forbearance is a short-term pause, while forgiveness is permanent debt relief.