Section 1: Borrower information
A box to mark changed details, then your Social Security number, date of birth, name, address, primary and alternate phone numbers, and email.
General Forbearance
General Forbearance Request
- Agency
- Federal Student Aid
- Revision
- OMB No. 1845-0018, expires 12/31/2027
- Fillable fields
- 24
- Pages
- 8
- Official source
- Federal Student Aid form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
General Forbearance Request: Direct Loan, FFEL and Perkins Loan Programs
The General Forbearance Request is a U.S. Department of Education form, published by Federal Student Aid, for loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan), Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Programs. It asks your loan holder to let you temporarily stop making payments, or temporarily make smaller payments, because of a temporary hardship such as financial difficulties, a change in employment or medical expenses.
The form says your loan holder has sole discretion over whether to grant the request and for what dates, and that interest continues to be charged on all your loans during a forbearance. It also names two alternatives: a deferment, which has an interest benefit for some loan types, or a repayment plan based on income (StudentAid.gov/IDR).
The form says you never need to pay for help with your federal student loans and that your loan servicer helps for free. You can fill out the form free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
What's on the General Forbearance Request
Question 1: The hardship
Check one reason: financial difficulties, change in employment, medical expenses, or other, with space to explain. The form says to answer all questions in Section 2.
Question 2: Stop or lower payments
Choose to temporarily stop making payments, or to temporarily make smaller payments of an amount per month that you enter.
Questions 3 and 4: Start and end month
The month and year (mm/yyyy) of the first payment the forbearance should cover, and the month and year it should end. Payments start again the following month.
Section 3: Understandings and signature
Statements about interest, capitalization, time limits and PSLF, your certification, consent to calls and texts at any cell number you give, and the borrower's or endorser's signature and date.
Sections 4 to 8: Instructions and notices
Instructions, definitions, a capitalization chart, where to send the form, where to get help, and the Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction notices.
How to fill out the General Forbearance Request
- 1
Check your details in Section 1
Enter or correct your information and check the box if anything changed. The form says to type or print in dark ink.
- 2
Pick a reason and a payment option
In Section 2, check the hardship and choose whether to stop payments or make smaller payments, entering the monthly amount if smaller.
- 3
Choose the start and end months
Write each month as mm/yyyy. The form says the forbearance ends at the earliest of your end date, 12 months from the start, or any limit your loan holder sets.
- 4
Read Section 3 and sign
The borrower or endorser signs and dates the form after reading the understandings and certifications.
- 5
Send it to your loan holder
Use the address in Section 6, or send it to your loan holder if none is shown. The form says to leave out pages 4 to 8 when mailing or faxing it.
- 6
Answer any follow-up
The form says you will give your loan holder more documents if asked, with your name and account number on each one.
Why fill Form General Forbearance on indox
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
- Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
- Free to fill and free to download, with no account
- The official blank straight from the Federal Student Aid, not a copy someone retyped
- Works on a phone, tablet or computer
Where to send it, interest and limits
Where to send
Section 6 holds the address for your loan holder. If no address is shown, the form says to return it to your loan holder.
Help
Section 7 holds a phone number. If none is shown, the form says to call your loan holder. It also says your servicer helps for free.
Interest
The form says interest is charged during forbearance on subsidized and unsubsidized loans. It is not capitalized on Direct Loans or Department-held FFEL loans, may be on other FFEL loans, and never is on Perkins Loans.
Time limits
Perkins Loans have a cumulative general forbearance limit of 3 years. For Direct and FFEL loans, the form says the loan holder may set a limit. Another forbearance can be requested after one ends if the financial hardship continues.
Time to complete
The Paperwork Reduction Notice estimates an average of 5 minutes per response.
Related forms
IDR Plan Request
Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Request
52 fields, 19 pages
Repayment Plan Request
Repayment Plan Request
19 fields, 7 pages
PSLF
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Application
30 fields, 16 pages
TPD Discharge
Total and Permanent Disability Discharge Application
45 fields, 19 pages
Closed School Discharge
Closed School Loan Discharge Application
55 fields, 12 pages
1098-E
Student Loan Interest Statement
43 fields, 4 pages
Who uses the General Forbearance Request?
The form describes who can send it. The loan holder decides whether to grant it.
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Questions about Form General Forbearance
Does interest stop during a general forbearance?
No. The form says interest continues to be charged on all your loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized. Unpaid interest is not capitalized on Direct Loans or FFEL loans held by the Department, may be capitalized on other FFEL loans, and never capitalizes on Perkins Loans.
How long can a general forbearance last?
The form says it ends at the earliest of the end date you request, 12 months from the start, or when you reach any limit your loan holder has. Perkins Loans have a 3 year cumulative limit. You can ask for another one after it ends if you are still experiencing financial hardship.
Is a general forbearance guaranteed?
No. The form says your loan holder has sole discretion over whether to grant it and for what dates. By signing, you also certify that you will repay your loans under your promissory note even if the request is not granted.
Do payments during forbearance count toward PSLF?
The form says any payment made during the forbearance will not count toward forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans or Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
Can I make smaller payments instead of none?
Yes, the form offers both. Question 2 lets you choose to temporarily stop payments or to temporarily make smaller payments of a monthly amount you enter.
What if my loans are with different servicers?
The form says to send a separate forbearance request to each loan holder. References to your loan holder on the form mean either the loan holder or its servicer.
What does the capitalization chart on the form show?
An example $30,000 unsubsidized FFEL loan at 6% with a 12 month forbearance. Paying the interest gives $333 a month and $41,767 repaid. Capitalizing $1,800 of interest gives $353 a month and $42,365 repaid. The form says the chart applies only to FFEL loans not held by the Department.