What is Income-Driven Repayment?
Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans are designed to make your student loan debt more manageable by reducing your monthly payment amount. If you need to make lower monthly payments or if your outstanding federal student loan debt represents a significant portion of your annual income, one of the following income-driven plans may be right for you:
- Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (REPAYE) Learn MoreModal
- Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE) Learn MoreModal
- Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR) Learn MoreModal
- Income-Contingent Repayment Plan (ICR Plan) Learn MoreModal
Who should complete this?
You can't use this tool if you are in default on all of your federal student loans or if you only have PLUS loans you borrowed as a parent.
Note: There is no application fee to complete an Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request. You may be contacted by private companies that offer to help you apply for Income-Driven Repayment, for a fee. These companies have no affiliation with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) or ED's Federal Loan Servicers.
How many IDR applications do I need?
You will need one IDR application. While you will only need to submit one IDR application to be considered for the IDR plans, you will be required to come back and recertify your income information each year.How long will it take?
The entire Income-Driven Repayment process must be completed in a single session. Most people complete the process in 10 minutes or less.
What do I need?
New Applicants
I am not currently on an income-driven plan and I want to apply
You can apply for an income-driven repayment plan that limits your payments to a percentage of your income.
Returning IDR Applicants
Submit annual re-certification of my income
To re-certify for your existing income-driven repayment plan you must provide updated information about your income and family size annually.
Recalculate my monthly payment
If your income or family size has changed you can request that your income-driven payment be re-calculated to reduce your current monthly payment.
Switch my current plan to a new plan
If you are currently enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan and would like to switch to another income-driven repayment plan.
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