Student Loan Debt Consolidation

Students might not be aware that consolidating their student loans is an option. Please be advised that consolidating your loans might not be in your best interests.

How Do I Apply for Student Loan Debt Consolidation?

If you have more than one federal student loan, another option available to you is consolidation of those loans. Most federal loans do have the consolidation option and you can find a complete list of the eligible loans in the application for consolidation which can be found at www.studentloans.gov. You won't be able to access the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory note without your personal identifiers and Federal Student Aid PIN so make sure you have those available to you.

The process of completing the online application involves 5 steps:

Step 1: Choose the loans you have and your servicer.

Step 2: Select your repayment plan.

Step 3: Review the Terms and Conditions of the consolidation.

Step 4: Review Borrower and Reference information

Step 5: Review entire application and sign.

If at any time during the application process, you require assistance, www.studentloans.gov offers technical assistance that you can receive by clicking the "Contact Us" tab at the top of their webpage.

Common federal loans that are available for consolidation are:

• Direct Subsidized Loans
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Direct PLUS Loans
• PLUS loans from the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program
• Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
• Federal Perkins Loans
• Federal Nursing Loans
• Health Education Assistance Loans