Calculators & Tools
Federal Student Loan Repayment Plan Eligibility Tool
Not all federal student loan repayment plans are available to every borrower. Use this tool to find the plans you may qualify for based on your loan type and borrowing history.
Select the accordion that matches your loan type—or start with “Don’t Know?” if you’re unsure.
Don’t Know?
That’s common. The easiest way to identify your loans is with your loan servicer.
Step 1: Log in
Sign in to your loan servicer account (not StudentAid.gov).
Step 2: Go to your loan details or loan summary.
Step 3: Look at the loan name:
- Direct: “Direct Subsidized,” “Direct Unsubsidized,” “Direct PLUS”, or “Direct Consolidation”
- FFEL: pre–July 1, 2010; labeled “FFEL, “FFELP,” or “Federal Family Education Loan”
- Perkins: older, often school-serviced
- Parent PLUS: borrowed by a parent
If you can’t find it there, use this quick backup check:
Check the disbursement date on StudentAid.gov of any Subsidized or Unsubsidized loan that has an outstanding balance.
- On or after July 1, 2010 → Direct Loan
- Before July 1, 2010 → Could be FFEL or Direct
Step 4: Choose the matching loan type accordion(s) below
Select the other accordions for repayment options and warnings. If you have multiple loan types, review each before deciding on consolidation or repayment.
Direct Loans (Student)
This tool applies to borrowers who borrowed for their own education and have Direct Loans.
Why this matters: Your loan type and borrowing timeline determine which repayment plans and forgiveness options you can access.
How do I know if my loans are Direct?
Your loans are labeled as “Direct Subsidized,” “Direct Unsubsidized,” “Direct PLUS”, or “Direct Consolidation.”
The best way to confirm your loan type is to log in to your loan servicer account and review the details for each loan.
FFEL Loans
This tool applies to borrowers who took out loans for their own education and have FFEL loans.
Why this matters: Your loan type determines which repayment plans and forgiveness programs you are eligible for.
How do I know if my loans are FFEL?
- You borrowed federal student loans before July 1, 2010
- Your loans are labeled as FFEL or FFELP
The best way to confirm your loan type is to log in to your loan servicer account and review the details for each loan.
Important: FFEL loans are federal student loans — they are not private loans, but they follow different repayment rules than Direct Loans.
Parent Plus Loans
This tool applies to borrowers who took out Parent PLUS loans to help pay for a child’s education.
Why this matters: Parent PLUS loans follow different repayment rules than student loans, and options change based on when you borrowed or consolidated.
How do I know if I have Parent PLUS loans?
- You borrowed federal loans as a parent, not as a student
- The loans are identified as Parent PLUS
- The loans are associated with your child’s enrollment
The best way to confirm your loan type is to log in to your loan servicer account and review the details for each loan.
Perkins Loans
This tool applies to borrowers who took out loans for their own education and have Perkins loans.
Why this matters: Perkins loans follow different repayment and forgiveness rules than Direct Loans and FFEL loans.
How do I know if I have Perkins loans?
- You borrowed federal student loans before September 30, 2017
- Your loans are identified as Perkins
- Your loans may be serviced by your school or a school‑appointed servicer
The best way to confirm your loan type is to log in to your loan servicer account and review the details for each loan.
Important: Perkins loans are federal student loans — they are not private loans — but they have unique benefits that can be lost if consolidated.