Fill Out Direct Consolidation Loan Application Online
Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note
Federal Student Aid
Applies to combine multiple federal education loans into a single Direct Consolidation Loan by paper submission.
Reviewed July 2026
How it works
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Open the form. The official PDF loads straight into the editor, no download needed first.
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Fill it out in the editor. Click anywhere to type, add checkmarks and place your signature.
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The Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note combines multiple federal education loans into a single Direct Consolidation Loan with one monthly payment. This is the paper version of the application; most borrowers can also apply online at StudentAid.gov/consolidation, and the paper route exists for those who prefer it or cannot use the online flow.
The application asks for detailed information about every loan you want to consolidate, so gather your account statements before you start. You can type everything into the Universal PDF editor, then download and print the pages that must be mailed, sign them in ink, and send them in for processing.
What the Direct Consolidation Loan application is used for
Consolidation replaces one or more federal loans, including Direct Loans, FFEL Program loans, Perkins Loans, and several older loan types listed by code on the form, with a single new Direct Consolidation Loan. The interest rate is fixed at the weighted average of the rates on the loans you consolidate, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent, and the Department does not charge an application fee.
Consolidation is also how FFEL and Perkins borrowers become eligible for Direct Loan benefits such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The form explains that for Direct Loans you consolidate, PSLF credit carries over as a weighted average of the qualifying payments made before consolidation, while payments made on FFEL or Perkins loans before consolidating do not count.
Who should use this application
Borrowers with multiple federal loans or multiple servicers who want one payment, and borrowers who need to convert FFEL or Perkins loans into a Direct Loan to reach programs limited to Direct Loans. Note that consolidating a Perkins Loan means giving up Perkins-specific cancellation benefits, a tradeoff the PSLF form calls out explicitly.
Repayment rules for newly consolidated loans have been changing; the current IDR form notes that loans consolidated on or after July 1, 2026 will be repaid under newer plans. Check StudentAid.gov for the repayment plans currently available to new consolidation loans before applying.
How to fill out the application
The paper application runs 34 pages, but only pages 2 through 14 are submitted. The key sections are:
- Section 4: borrower information, including your SSN, date of birth, driver's license, addresses, and employer
- Section 5: two references, adults with different addresses who have known you for at least three years and do not live with you
- Section 6: the loans you want to consolidate, each listed separately with its loan type code, loan holder or servicer, account number, and estimated payoff amount, plus a separate list for eligible loans you want to keep out of the consolidation
- Repayment plan selection: the application requires you to choose a repayment plan for the new loan, which may mean attaching a completed Repayment Plan Request or IDR Plan Request
- Promissory note and certifications: read the terms, then sign and date in ink
How to submit it
Mail pages 2 through 14, along with any required repayment plan forms and documentation, to the address shown in Section 2 of your copy; if no address is printed, send the application to the servicer handling your Direct Consolidation Loan. Make a copy of everything for your records first.
Keep making payments on your existing loans until you receive written notice that the consolidation is complete. If you are still in your grace period, you can enter your expected grace period end date in Item 19 so processing waits until your grace period is nearly over.
Frequently asked questions
A fixed rate equal to the weighted average of the interest rates on the loans being consolidated, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. The Department sends a notice stating the exact rate once the loan is made.
The Department does not charge an application fee for a Direct Consolidation Loan, and you never need to pay an outside company to submit the application. Your servicer will answer questions about the form at no cost to you.
Direct Loans, FFEL Program loans including Stafford and PLUS, Perkins Loans, and a list of older federal loan types shown by code in Section 6, such as HPSL and HEAL loans. Loan types not on the form's list are not eligible. Private student loans can never be included.
For Direct Loans included in the consolidation, you receive PSLF credit based on a weighted average of the qualifying payments you already made. Payments made on FFEL or Perkins loans before consolidation do not count, which is why borrowers consolidating for PSLF are told to consolidate first and then start certifying employment.
The online application at StudentAid.gov/consolidation walks you through the same information and can retrieve your loan details from your federal aid account, which reduces manual entry errors. The paper application is the alternative when you want to prepare offline or a servicer asks for it.
Yes. The instructions say to continue making any required payments until you receive written notification that the consolidation is complete and repayment on the new loan begins. If payments are difficult in the meantime, ask your current servicer about deferment or forbearance options.
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