Federal Education Loans Eligible for Direct Loan Consolidation

Direct Direct Direct PLUS

Subsidized Unsubsidized Consolidation
Consolidation Consolidation Loans
Loans Loans

Subsidized Federal Unsubsidized Federal Federal PLUS Loans

Stafford Loans Stafford Loans (includes
Nonsubsidized Stafford Parent Loans for
Guaranteed Student Loans made before Undergraduate
Loans (GSL) 10/1/92) Students (PLUS)
Federal Insured Federal Supplemental Federal Direct PLUS
Student Loans (FISL) Loans for Students (SLS) Loans
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Federal Federal Direct PLUS
Stafford/Ford Loans Consolidation Loans Consolidation Loans
Federal Direct Federal Direct
Subsidized Unsubsidized
Consolidation Loans Consolidation Loans
Federal Perkins Loans Federal Direct
Unsubsidized
National Direct Student Stafford/Ford Loans
Loans (NDSL)
Auxiliary Loans to Assist
National Defense Students (ALAS)
Student Loans (NDSL)
Health Professions
Subsidized Federal Student Loans (HPSL)
Consolidation Loans
Health Education
Assistance Loans (HEAL)

Nursing Student Loans

(NSL)

Loans for Disadvantaged

Students (LDS)

Borrowers must consolidate at least one Direct Loan or FFEL1 but

generally are not required to consolidate all their outstanding federal
education loans. For example, a borrower may choose not to consolidate a
loan with an interest rate lower than a Direct Consolidation Loan’s
interest rate. A borrower may not, however, exclude SFA loans in default
unless he or she has met the requirements for regaining SFA loan
eligibility (see Section 2).

Nonfederal loans made by state or private lenders are not eligible for
consolidation.

1“Consolidating” one loan is generally done so the borrower can receive a lower interest rate
or other Direct Loan Program repayment benefit.
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