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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
MD Education

Defer Prior Loans

You may be eligible to defer payment on prior educational loans while you are enrolled at least half-time as a student at Northwestern. Contact your lender to determine if you qualify for a student deferment. Incoming students enrollment cannot be certified until after matriculation.

The deferment process will depend on the loan type.

Federal Stafford, Federal Graduate PLUS & Alternative Loans

  1. The University Registrar sends your enrollment information to the National Student Loan Clearinghouse once a month.
  2. The Clearinghouse notifies your lender(s) and/or servicer(s) that you are in school.
  3. If your lender(s) or servicer(s) send you a deferment form you may email it to fsm_records@northwestern.edu. For your security do not include your social security number on the form(s) you email to FSM Records. After the form is certified by the Registrar, it will be returned to you to submit back to your lender(s) or servicer(s).
  4. Continue making payments until you receive notification from your lender that your deferment has been processed.

Federal Perkins Loan

  1. Contact your former school to obtain a student deferment form (your former school is your lender for a Federal Perkins Loan).
  2. Complete the "Student Section" of each deferment application as directed.
  3. Email the deferment form to fsm_records@northwestern.edu. For your security do not include your social security number on the form(s) you email to FSM Records. After the form is certified by the Registrar, it will be returned to you to submit back to your lender.
  4. Continue making payments until you receive notification from your lender that your deferment has been processed.

If you attended Northwestern University previously and had a Perkins loan, you are still required to follow the steps listed above. 

Your Responsibilities While in Deferment

  • Notify your lender(s) of any change in circumstance (e.g., change in address, phone number, name, enrollment status) that might affect your deferment(s).
  • Contact your lender(s) immediately if you continue to receive requests for payment after school has started and/or you have submitted a student deferment form. The Registrar may need to send an enrollment history to your lender(s) to verify your eligibility.