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A law passed last year allows cancer patients to temporarily halt their federal student loans during treatment and for six months after. However, until now, there was no formal way to request a deferment.
Here is the cancer treatment deferment application, provided by the US Department of Education. To apply, you must submit a doctor's letter confirming your cancer treatment, including the start and expected end dates. If your treatment exceeds one year, another letter will be required to extend the deferment.
After completing the form, submit it to your loan servicer, and continue making payments until you receive approval for the deferment request.
The Washington Post states that deferment can be applied to federal loans issued on or after September 28, 2018, when the law was established, as well as to loans that were being repaid at that time. There is no deadline for applying, meaning you can request a deferment if you are diagnosed with cancer, or if it returns in the future, even years later.
