How do I qualify for an income-driven repayment plan?

Most federal Direct Loan borrowers qualify for at least one income-driven repayment (IDR) plan — eligibility depends on your loan type, income, and family size. You apply through studentaid.gov and recertify annually. Payments are set as a percentage of your discretionary income, potentially as low as $0.

Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans adjust your federal student loan payment based on your income and family size rather than your loan balance. There are currently multiple IDR plans administered by the Department of Education — each with slightly different eligibility rules, payment percentages, and forgiveness timelines. The full plan comparison is at studentaid.gov.

Which loans are eligible

All Direct Loans are eligible for at least one IDR plan. FFEL (Federal Family Education Loan) Program loans and Perkins Loans generally do not qualify for IDR unless consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan first. Parent PLUS loans have more limited IDR eligibility — they can access Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) only after consolidation. Check your specific loan types at studentaid.gov before applying.

How your payment is calculated

Your payment on most IDR plans is a percentage of your discretionary income — generally defined as the difference between your adjusted gross income and a poverty-guideline threshold that varies by family size and state. If your income is low enough relative to that threshold, your required payment can be $0 per month. A $0 payment still counts as a qualifying payment toward IDR forgiveness and PSLF. Use the studentaid.gov loan simulator to estimate your payment under each plan.

How to apply and recertify

Apply at studentaid.gov — log in, navigate to 'Repayment Plans,' and submit the IDR application. You can allow the servicer to pull your tax data directly or upload your own income documentation.
Your loan servicer processes the application and adjusts your payment accordingly.
Recertify annually — your payment resets each year based on updated income and family size. Missing the recertification deadline can cause your payment to jump temporarily.
Report major life changes (job loss, family size increase) to your servicer promptly — you can recertify early if your income drops mid-year.

What the Department of Education says

Income-driven repayment plans set monthly payments at a percentage of the borrower's discretionary income and family size, with payments potentially as low as $0 per month. — Federal Student Aid
Under most IDR plans, any remaining loan balance is forgiven after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, depending on the plan and loan type. — Federal Student Aid
FFEL Program loans and Perkins Loans are not eligible for most IDR plans unless they are first consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. — Federal Student Aid
The CFPB recommends that borrowers experiencing financial hardship explore income-driven repayment before requesting forbearance, since IDR preserves forgiveness credit. — CFPB

Key takeaways

Most Direct Loan borrowers qualify for at least one IDR plan — check your loan types at studentaid.gov first.
Payments are a percentage of discretionary income; $0 is possible and still counts toward forgiveness timelines.
FFEL and Perkins loans must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan before they qualify.
Recertify every year — missing the deadline resets your payment to a higher amount temporarily.
IDR forgiveness timelines run 20–25 years; pair with PSLF if you work in public service to cut that to 10.