Student loan deferment allows you to temporarily stop making payments. 
Find out if a deferment is the best option for your situation. With deferment , you won t have to make a payment. However , you probably won t be making any progress toward forgiveness or paying back your loan. As an alternative , consider income - driven repayment. 

Get Relief With Lower Payments on an Income-Driven Repayment Plan 
If you re having trouble repaying your loans due to circumstances that may continue for an extended period, or if you re unsure when you ll be able to afford to make your monthly loan payments again , a better option might be to consider changing to an income - driven repayment plan. Income - driven repayment plans base your monthly payments on your income and family size. In some cases , your payment could be as low as $0 per month. Income - driven plans can also provide loan forgiveness if your loan isn t paid in full after 20 or 25 years. Always contact your student loan servicer immediately if you re having trouble making your student loan payments. If you re seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness PSLF or income - driven repayment forgiveness , in most cases deferment will not allow you to make progress toward forgiveness. 

Be Aware That Interest Might Accrue During Deferment 
If you re granted a deferment , you might still be responsible for paying the interest that accrues during the deferment period. The table below shows when you are responsible for paying the interest and when you are not responsible based on loan type. When you are responsible for paying the interest on your loans during a deferment , you can either pay the interest as it accrues , or you can allow it to accrue and be capitalized added to your loan principal balance at the end of the deferment period. If you don t pay the interest on your loan and allow it to be capitalized , the total amount you repay over the life of your loan may be higher. Unpaid interest is capitalized only on Dir

user: What are the loan types eligible for deferment?

assistant: Those are Direct Loan, FFEL Program loan, and Perkins Loan borrowers.

assistant: Have you received a Perkins loan?

user: Yes, I have.

assistant: Then you can also be eligible for a deferment while you are working to fully pay your Perkins Loan.

user:  And about Parent PLUS borrower deferment?

assistant: parents who received a Direct PLUS Loan to help pay their child's education and whose child is enrolled at least half-time at an eligible college or career school, may qualify for this deferment.

user:  What could happen to my requested deferment if I stop paying my student loan?

assistant: if you stop paying your loan before you've been notified that your request for deferment has been granted then your deferment will not be approved and your loan will become delinquent and you may go into default.

user: and what if I'm eligible for the deferment and rolled for at least half-time?

assistant: In most cases, your loan will automatically be placed into a deferment based on enrollment information reported by your school.

user: How will I know if my deferment is granted?

assistant: Your loan servicer will notify you when the deferment is granted.