You only need to fill out the MOHELA deferment form when automatic in-school deferment hasn’t happened on its own. For most federal student loan borrowers, MOHELA places loans into in-school deferment automatically once your school reports your enrollment to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).1Federal Student Aid. Get Temporary Relief: Deferment and Forbearance Log into your account first. If it already shows “In-School Deferment,” you’re done. If it still shows repayment weeks after classes started, or you’re a Parent PLUS borrower, or you recently transferred, then the paper form is how you force the issue.
Confirm You Actually Need to File
The Department of Education directs servicers to send paper deferment forms to schools only when enrollment can’t be verified through NSLDS.2FSA Partner Connect. School Responsibilities Upon Receiving Paper In-School Deferment Situations where the automatic process tends to break down:
- Your school hasn’t reported your enrollment yet, which happens more often at smaller institutions or those using third-party reporting.
- You transferred and there’s a gap between your old and new school’s records.
- Your account still shows “repayment” and you’re getting bills despite being enrolled.
- You’re a Parent PLUS borrower — automatic deferment based on the student’s enrollment often doesn’t trigger for you.
Filling Out Sections 1 Through 3
Download the current version of the In-School Deferment Request from studentaid.gov so you’re working with the right edition.3Federal Student Aid. In-School Deferment Request You’re responsible for Sections 1, 2, and 3. Section 4 is for your school. Section 5 contains instructions.
Section 1: Your Personal Information
Enter your Social Security Number, date of birth, name, mailing address, phone numbers, and email. If any contact information has changed since you last updated your MOHELA account, check the box at the top of the section marking it as updated. The form doesn’t ask for your MOHELA account number here, but Section 5 instructs you to write your name and account number on any supporting documents you attach.4Federal Student Aid. In-School Deferment Request
Section 2: Eligibility
Section 2 isn’t a fill-in section. It explains who qualifies: you must be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school.3Federal Student Aid. In-School Deferment Request For standard semester-based undergraduate programs, half-time generally means at least six credit hours per term.5FSA Partner Connect. Enrollment Status Minimum Requirements Graduate and clock-hour programs use different thresholds; the financial aid office at your school can confirm yours.
Section 3: Deferment Selection and Signature
Select your deferment option, certify the information is accurate, and sign and date the form. A missing signature is the fastest way to get the form rejected. Use dark ink on paper copies and write dates as month/day/year.
Getting Section 4 Certified by Your School
An authorized school official — usually someone in the registrar’s or financial aid office — completes Section 4. They must confirm your enrollment status (full-time or at least half-time), the start and end dates of the enrollment period, whether you’re enrolled as a regular student, and your expected program completion date. They also provide the school’s name, OPEID code, and their signature.3Federal Student Aid. In-School Deferment Request
There are two alternatives to a completed Section 4. Your school can attach separate documentation from an authorized official containing the same information, or the school can report your enrollment directly to NSLDS. If NSLDS reporting is quick at your school, that route may beat waiting on a paper signature.
Registrar offices are busiest at the start of each term, so start early. Some schools have their own internal handling process, so ask whether they want a blank Section 4 dropped off or submitted through a portal.
Submitting the Form to MOHELA
Once your sections are done and Section 4 (or its equivalent) is in hand, MOHELA accepts three submission methods:
- Upload online through your account at mohela.studentaid.gov in the documents section. MOHELA lists this as the fastest option.6MOHELA. Forms
- Fax to 1-866-222-7060 (toll-free) for Direct Loan servicing.7MOHELA. Contact Us
- Mail to MOHELA, 633 Spirit Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63005-1243. Use certified mail with tracking if you go this route.6MOHELA. Forms
Save a copy of everything: the signed form, the school certification, and any upload confirmation or tracking receipt.
Interest Keeps Running on Some Loans
Deferment pauses your monthly payment obligation, but it doesn’t necessarily pause interest. On Direct Subsidized Loans, the government pays the interest during deferment, and your balance stays flat. On Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and the unsubsidized portion of Consolidation Loans, interest accrues the whole time, and you’re responsible for it.8Federal Student Aid. Student Loan Deferment
When deferment ends on an unsubsidized loan, unpaid interest capitalizes, meaning it’s added to your principal. You then pay interest on the larger balance going forward.9Federal Student Aid. Interest Capitalization Making even small interest-only payments during the deferment prevents that.
Parent PLUS Borrowers
Parents who took out a Direct PLUS Loan on or after July 1, 2008 can defer payments while the student they borrowed for is enrolled at least half-time, plus an additional six months after the student drops below half-time or graduates.10eCFR. 34 CFR 685.204 – Deferment This deferment isn’t automatic. You submit the same In-School Deferment Request form, and the student’s school completes Section 4 certifying the student’s enrollment.
Parent PLUS Loans are always unsubsidized, so interest runs the whole time and will capitalize when the deferment ends.
Think Carefully Before Deferring if You’re Pursuing PSLF
Months spent in deferment don’t count toward the 120 qualifying payments needed for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, because you’re not making payments. If you’re working full-time for a qualifying employer while also enrolled in school, deferring your loans stalls your PSLF progress.
You can opt out of automatic in-school deferment and keep paying.1Federal Student Aid. Get Temporary Relief: Deferment and Forbearance Call MOHELA at 1-888-866-4352 to have an automatic deferment removed or prevented.11MOHELA. Contact Us Confirm you’re on an income-driven repayment plan first so your required payment during enrollment doesn’t jump higher than you expect.
After You Submit
Check the documents section of your MOHELA online account to confirm the form was received; it should show the date it was uploaded or scanned in. MOHELA notifies you through your preferred contact method once the request is approved or denied.
Keep making your regular monthly payments while the request is pending. Your loans stay in their prior status until MOHELA officially approves the deferment, and skipping payments beforehand can push your account into delinquency.12Federal Student Aid. Student Loan Delinquency and Default
Once approved, the deferment covers the enrollment period your school certified. You won’t need to resubmit each semester as long as your school keeps reporting enrollment to NSLDS. If your status changes — dropping below half-time, taking a leave, or withdrawing — tell MOHELA promptly. Eligibility ends when you stop meeting the enrollment requirement, and a six-month grace period follows before repayment begins.