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What is a federal Direct Loan?

A federal Direct Loan is a federal student loan made directly by the U.S. Department of Education.

Generally, if you took out a federal student loan or consolidated your loans on or after July 1, 2010, you have a federal Direct Loan. There are four types of Direct Loans:

  • Direct Subsidized Loans
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans
  • Direct PLUS Loans
  • Direct Consolidation Loans

You can learn more about what type of loan you have through the U.S. Department of Education .

TIP: All federal Direct Loans are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income-driven repayment plans. Some Direct Loans may be eligible for Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE), which may offer even lower monthly payments for some borrowers. Direct Parent PLUS loans consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan are eligible for the Income-Contingent Repayment plan.

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