If you have multiple student loans, VA lenders will consider each loan individually. For loans in repayment, they’ll use the payment listed or 5% of the balance divided by 12 months. For loans deferred beyond 12 months, those payments won’t be included in your DTI ratio. Consolidating your loans may help simplify your payments and could reduce your monthly obligations, which may improve your DTI and your chances of qualifying for a VA mortgage.