Administrative forbearance is a temporary suspension, reduction, or extension of time for making principal and/or interest payments on a Stafford, SLS, PLUS, or Consolidation loan that is granted by the holder or lender, upon notice to the borrower or endorser, and that does not require a written request from the borrower or an agreement signed by the borrower before the forbearance is granted. It is a period of time during which the borrower may postpone monthly payments or reduce the amount of payments. During the forbearance period, the borrower is responsible for the interest that accrues on the loan. Some forbearances are entitlements for eligible borrowers, while others are granted at the discretion of the lender.

MOHELA, a student loan servicer, offers various forbearance and deferment programs, including Standard Forbearance, Reduced Payment Forbearance, and In-School Deferment. If a borrower has a Direct Loan and works full-time for a qualifying employer during the payment suspension (administrative forbearance), then they will receive credit toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) for the period of suspension as though they made on-time monthly payments in the correct amount while on a qualifying repayment plan.

It is the borrowers responsibility to complete a forbearance request and provide MOHELA with any necessary documentation to support their eligibility. MOHELA will send a letter advising the borrower if the forbearance was approved or denied on their loan(s).