Publication Date: October 2002
DCL ID: L-02-233
Approval of Loan Deferment Forms for the Federal Family Education Loan Program
Posted on 10-21-02
October 2002
GEN-02-08
G-02-339
L-02-233
Subject: Approval of Loan Deferment Forms for the Federal Family Education Loan Program
Dear Partner:
This letter will serve as the Department of Education's approval of the enclosed student loan deferment forms. There are eight separate application forms used to evaluate borrower eligibility for deferment of Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans. The forms reflect the unique federal requirements pertaining to deferment of an FFEL program loan for the following reasons:
�unemployment
·public service
·parental leave/working mother
·PLUS borrower with dependent student
·in-school
·economic hardship
·education related
·temporary total disability
The title of each form indicates the situations under which the form is used to evaluate the borrower's qualifications for deferment. Note that the worksheets for the economic hardship deferment form are optional.
Implementation and Transition to New Forms
These forms must be used when providing deferment applications to borrowers on or after January 1, 2003. Other deferment applications may still be processed after that date, but all new applications sent to borrowers on or after January 1, 2003 must use the enclosed forms.
On August 6, 2002 the Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing changes to the requirements for obtaining unemployment and economic hardship deferments.   After these regulations are published in final, we will need to make conforming technical corrections to the unemployment deferment form and the economic hardship deferment form. Guaranty agencies should bear this in mind when determining the volume of deferment forms to print. Â
Imaging Technology
Each of the enclosed loan deferment application forms requests the borrower to complete and sign the form in ink. Although this request is made to accommodate imaging technology, a pencil signature does not invalidate the form. This request is consistent with the use of other common FFEL forms.
In developing the form, consideration was given to bar coding. Accordingly, the space at the top, bottom, or sides of the forms may be used for this purpose.
Printing Instructions
The enclosed forms must be printed with black ink on white paper.  The type face, point size, and general presentation of the form may not be changed from the enclosed forms approved by the Secretary.Â
Obtaining Copies for Reproduction
The forms are available in PDF format as attachments to this letter. In addition, the forms are available on the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP) web site at www.nchelp.org
Guaranty agencies are responsible for ensuring that the forms used by the agency are identical to the forms approved by the Secretary. No changes may be made to the forms except those expressly authorized above.
Sincerely,
Jeff Baker, Director
Program Development Division
Federal Student Aid