The Education Department has extended the deadline for defaulted student loan borrowers to become current.

• The deadline for the Fresh Start program for defaulted student loan borrowers has been extended by the Education Department until Wednesday morning.
• Those who apply for the limited opportunity will be restored to good standing on their loans and shielded from the consequences of delinquency and default.

The deadline for the Fresh Start program for defaulted student loan borrowers in the U.S. Department of Education has been extended until Wednesday morning, as announced by an agency spokesperson.

Those who apply for the limited opportunity will be restored to good standing on their loans and shielded from the consequences of delinquency and default.

The Fresh Start program's deadline was originally Sept. 30, but due to an issue on their website, the department extended the application deadline to Wednesday at 3 a.m., as announced by the spokesperson to CNBC.

The 12-month "on-ramp period" for federal student loan payments still ends on Sept. 30. After the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments ended, the Education Department has safeguarded borrowers from the harshest consequences of missed payments, including collection actions and negative credit reporting.

To learn more about the Fresh Start program and how to apply, visit StudentAid.gov.

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