 TITLE: What Is a Subsidized Loan? CONTENT: When Do I Start Paying Off Subsidized Loans?\n--------------------------------------------\nWith subsidized student loans, as long as you're in school at least half time, you don't owe anything on your loans.\nAfter you leave school, your loan servicer will contact you and let you know when your first payment is due and how to pay. It's best to start paying the loans back as soon as possible and pay more than the minimum if you can.\nIf you make minimum payments, it can take many years to be free of your loans. If you're able to contribute more, you'll be done with them sooner—and you can reduce the overall cost of the loan since you won't be paying interest as long. If you want to make a larger payment, let your loan servicer know you want that extra amount applied to the current month's payment so they don't inadvertently add it to the next month's payment.\nSome students aren't able to get by on subsidized loans alone and have to also take out unsubsidized federal loans or private loans. If you have multiple student loans, determine which have the largest balances and the highest interest rates. Anytime you are able to pay more than the minimum, put that extra money toward these more expensive loans since it will save you the most money over time.\nAlso, be aware that federal loans have several different repayment plans to choose from. While yours may come with one automatically, you can change plans for free at any time. Contact your loan servicer to find out which plan would work best for you or to change your plan. END