Deferring Financial Aid

It is important to note that deferring enrollment at BYU-Idaho may affect a student’s financial aid and does not defer past or present federal student loans. If you defer a semester you have already started, for financial aid purposes you are withdrawing from the semester. Click here to determine how withdrawing from a current semester will affect your financial aid. You will likely be required to pay some funds back.

If you are deferring for longer than 6 months, you will need to contact your loan servicer to avoid defaulted loans:

1. Log into studentaid.gov
   • Call the Federal Student Aid Student Loan Support Center at 1-800-557-7394
2. Ask the loan servicer about loan options
   • Deferment
   • Income-driven repayment plans

Students who properly defer through the Admissions Office for a mission will have their BYU-Idaho Grants deferred until they get back. If returned missionaries have any questions or concerns about their deferred BYU-Idaho Grant, contact Financial Aid.

Federal student loans will not be deferred by BYU-Idaho on the student’s behalf. This must be done by the student and/or parent, depending on the loan, prior to the mission start date in order to avoid potential loan default.
For questions about loan deferments, contact your loan servicer.

Student Loans
Student Loans: Student loan funds that have been accepted through the financial aid portal but not yet disbursed will be canceled. Students out of school for six consecutive months or more will be required to begin making payments on federal loan(s) when the six-month grace period is expended. These students are required to complete student loan exit counseling. For questions or concerns about loan repayment, contact your loan servicer.

PLUS Loans
PLUS Loan funds that have been accepted but not yet disbursed will be canceled. Loan repayment will begin when the student has been out of school for 60 consecutive days. For questions or concerns about loan repayment, parents should contact their loan servicer.

Pell Grants
Pell Grants for the semester being deferred will be canceled. If the student returns to school during the same academic year, the student may be eligible to receive a portion of the Pell Grant. If the student returns to school in a subsequent academic year, they must complete a new FAFSA to determine eligibility for federal Pell Grants.

BYU-Idaho Scholarships
BYU-Idaho Scholarships will be canceled for the semester(s) being deferred (unless the student is deferring for a mission). If the student returns to BYU-Idaho in a different academic year, they will need to complete the new BYU-Idaho Scholarship application to be considered for future grants.

Non-BYU-Idaho Scholarships
Any scholarships for the semester being deferred will be canceled and funds will be returned to the awarding agency. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the agency directly about deferring the scholarship.