When you first start paying off your student loans, the end seems miles away. You may not even think to check the balance until months or even years after beginning the repayment process.

By that time, you may not even remember where to find your loan balance. That's why we've put together this quick rundown of all the ways to check your student loan information.

Log On Your Student Loan Account

The federal government outsources student loan management to several different companies, and you may have student loans with multiple providers. If you already know who your student loan servicers are, you can log on to their websites to view your total balance. The balance may be listed on your most recent statement or on the main dashboard.

If you're having trouble finding the balance, contact the customer service department and ask them where to look.

Once you're logged in, you can view your total balance. Your balance may change throughout the month if your loans are deferred, and the lender is still charging you interest during this time. 

How to Find Federal Student Loans

If you're wondering how to check student loan balance, follow the steps below to find your federal student loans:

Visit the National Student Loan Data System

The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) tracks federal loans. If you have any federal loans, they will be listed on the NSLDS website. Parent PLUS loans taken on your behalf will not be listed here. 

To view your loan balance, visit the NSLDS website or call them at 1-800-4-FED-AID. 

Log on to Your Federal Student Aid Account

Your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account lists your federal student loans. To log on, visit the FSA website. You'll need your FSA username, which may be a username, email address, or phone number. You'll also need to provide your password.

Contact School's Financial Aid Office

If you suspect you have more student loans or want to verify that you've identified all your loans, call your school's financial aid office and ask for help. They will only be able to give you information about your federal loans and not your private loans. They will be able to tell you about any Parent PLUS loans, which will not be listed in your NSLDS.

If you attended multiple schools, make sure to contact each financial aid office. They'll only be able to tell you about the loans you took out for their specific program.

How to Find Private Student Loans

Check Your Credit Report

Private student loans are not listed on the NSLDS or FSA website. If you know who your loan servicer is, visit their website to create an account.

If you're not sure who your loan servicer is, the best strategy is to check your official credit reports at www.AnnualCreditReport.com. A credit report shows all your current and past loans and credit cards. It will show both federal and private student loans, but it will not show any Parent PLUS loans. Those will only be on your parent's credit report. 

You can view your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. While each credit report should contain the same information, it's a good idea to check all three in case one has an error or discrepancy.

Due to changes made since the Covid-19 pandemic, you can view each credit report for free once a week. Usually, you can only check your credit report for free once a year.

Once you've accessed your credit report, scroll down until you see your student loans. It should show the current lender, current balance, original balance, and current monthly payment. It will also show your payment history if you've made any payments so far.

After you view your total loan balance, you can view that lender's website and create an online account to easily check your loan balance.

Refinance Student Loans

After viewing your student loan balance, you may be surprised at how much you owe. If you want to pay off your loans faster or pay less in interest, consider refinancing your loans for a lower interest rate. Refinancing your student loan balance could save you hundreds or even thousands in total interest.

Juno partners with lenders including Earnest, Splash, and Laurel Road to offer special deals on student loan refinancing. 

Borrowers who refinance with Earnest or Laurel Road through Juno will receive an extra .25% interest rate discount compared to if they went through those lenders on their own. Splash provides Juno customers up to $1,000 cashback when they refinance. 

You can choose to refinance your federal loans, private loans, or both. Refinancing federal loans will remove all the associated protections like income-driven repayment, extended deferment and forbearance periods, and loan forgiveness options.

Juno can help you find the most affordable possible rates on refinancing student loans. Juno negotiates on behalf of borrowers with partner lenders to help each student qualify for the best refinance rates they can given their financial situation. 

Join Juno today to find out more about how you pay off your student debt faster.