There are two kinds of forbearance: mandatory and general. If you qualify for mandatory forbearance, your loan servicer is required to grant it to you. Depending on the type of loan you have, you may be eligible if you’re in a medical or dental internship or residency, serving in AmeriCorps or the National Guard, or working as a teacher and performing a teaching service that qualifies for teacher loan forgiveness. You may also qualify if your monthly student loan payment is at least 20% of your gross monthly income, for up to three years, again depending on the type of loan you have. Note: You can be granted mandatory forbearance for up to a year at a time. After that, you can request it again.