Education and Treasury Departments Launch Online Portal for Student Loan Borrowers in Default

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of the Treasury launched the Defaulted Loans Support Center on September 30, 2026. The portal is available at studentaid.gov/default-support.

The platform replaces older paper-based and fax-based processes for borrowers with defaulted federal student loans. It gives borrowers a single digital destination to manage their accounts using existing StudentAid.gov credentials.

The portal offers five main functions: educational resources about the consequences of default, side-by-side comparisons of loan rehabilitation and consolidation options, online applications for both paths, direct payment tools, and information on repayment plans and discharge options.

Borrowers pursuing rehabilitation can upload documents, view estimated monthly payments, sign agreements electronically, and track their progress in real time. Those pursuing consolidation can apply online and access a temporary 1% interest rate reduction by enrolling in auto pay.

The Education Department says the partnership with Treasury has already produced results. Approved rehabilitation applications have increased 69%, and consolidations out of default have risen 95% since the partnership corrected earlier technical issues.

Early user feedback is positive. The department reports that 89% of users found the application easy to complete, and 84% said the process took a reasonable amount of time.

The launch comes as the department faces criticism over confusing deadline extensions for borrowers in forbearance. Some borrowers have reported receiving 14- to 30-day extensions on 90-day forbearance deadlines, creating confusion about their repayment timelines.