# Student Loans in YNAB > YNAB can help you gain total control of your student loans and pay them off. Here's how to use our loan account feature to handle student loans in YNAB. Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/student-loans-in-ynab-a-guide-B1rUVwKSs Last updated: 2026-07-10T01:13:36.946Z Gain control of your student loans, visualize them, and pay them off with YNAB. Learn what information you need to gather before adding a student loan to YNAB. Make payments, edit interest charges if necessary, and learn how to manage deferment or forbearance. #### In This Article [Getting Started: Gather Loan Details](#gather) [Getting Started: How to Add Student Loan Accounts to YNAB](#add) [Making Payments](#pay) [Deferment and Forbearance](#defer) * * * ## Getting Started: Gather Loan Details If you have student loans, you know that they can be complicated. Student loans are often a collection of loans, sometimes managed by multiple lenders. Even if you make a single payment to a lender, it’s common for the lender to split your payment and apply it to several loans. And lenders don't necessarily make it easy to review what you owe, or how your payments are being applied to your various loans! In YNAB, each loan will need to be a separate account in order to accurately calculate the interest and total amount that you owe. Since student loans are often a **collection** of loans, it's helpful to gather the information you need about each loan before you begin adding the accounts to YNAB. This will make the process of creating the YNAB accounts faster, and it will save you time jumping back and forth between the lender's website to YNAB. Open a blank document, or grab a piece of paper and pen or pencil. Then, log into your lender's website and write down the following information for **each** of your loans: * Name of the lender. * Current Balance (if interest has accrued, the Current Balance is the principal + accrued interest). * Interest Rate. * Minimum Monthly Payment (the amount you are required to pay toward **this** loan each month).  * Monthly Payment Due Date.  Now that you've gathered the information you need, you're ready to add these loan accounts! Keep your document or notepad handy, and follow the steps below to add **each loan** to YNAB. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Getting Started: How to Add Student Loan Accounts to YNAB ### iOS 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap the _Add Account_ button. 3. Choose _Add an Unlinked Account_. 4. Select the _Student Loan_ account type and work through the steps to add the loan account to YNAB. Use your notes to help set up the account details (account name, current balance, interest rate, payment, etc.). 5. When YNAB asks which category you'll use for payments, you can either select an existing category, create a new one, or skip this step.  1. If you're adding just one student loan, choose an existing category or create a new one to pair to the loan.  2. If you're adding multiple loans, choose _Skip_. Choosing a category to pair will make it so you can't use that category for any other loans! **We recommend leaving the loan payment category unpaired when dealing with multiple student loans.** 6. Repeat the _Add Account_ process for each loan. As you add each loan account to YNAB, they'll be listed in the Loans section of the _Accounts_ tab.  ### Android 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap the _Add Account_ button. 3. Choose _Add an Unlinked Account_. 4. Select the _Student Loan_ account type and work through the steps to add the loan account to YNAB. Use your notes to help set up the account details (account name, current balance, interest rate, payment, etc.). 5. When YNAB asks which category you'll use for payments, you can either select an existing category, create a new one, or skip this step.  1. If you're adding just one student loan, choose an existing category or create a new one to pair to the loan.  2. If you're adding multiple loans, choose _Skip_. Choosing a category to pair will make it so you can't use that category for any other loans! **We recommend leaving the loan payment category unpaired when dealing with multiple student loans.** 6. Repeat the _Add Account_ process for each loan. As you add each loan account to YNAB, they'll be listed in the Loans section of the _Accounts_ tab.  ### Web 1. Click _Add Account_ in the left sidebar. 2. Choose _Unlinked_. 3. Select the _Student Loan_ account type, working through the steps to add the loan account to YNAB. Use your notes to help you set up the account details (name, current balance, interest rate, payment, etc.). 4. When YNAB asks which category you’ll use for payments, you can either select an existing category, create a new one, or skip this step.  1. If you're adding just one student loan, choose an existing category or create a new one to pair to the loan.  2. If you're adding multiple loans, choose _Skip_. Choosing a category to pair will make it so you can't use that category for any other loans. **We recommend leaving the loan payment category unpaired when dealing with multiple student loans.** 5. Repeat the _Add Account_ process for each loan. As you add each loan account to YNAB, they'll be listed in the Loans section of the left sidebar accounts list. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Making Payments If you make one payment that your lender applies to multiple loans, you can use a single student loan payment category. If you make separate payments or have multiple lenders, create as many categories as you need to track those separate payments. We recommend [adding a target](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-use-targets-rk5kkI9ks) to each student loan payment category in your plan to make it quicker and easier to assign money for your payments each month. The actual payment process steps vary based on whether you're making a payment to one loan only, or if you're applying a payment to multiple loans.  ### How to Make a Payment to One Loan ### iOS We recommend taking these actions from within the **web app** since the Loan Account feature is set up with more visibility and functionality there. It takes a few more steps and taps on mobile, but we can walk you through it! 1. From within the account register where the payment came **from** (e.g. checking), tap the _Transaction_ button. 2. Enter the amount at the top. 3. Tap the drop down menu directly under the amount, then tap _Transfer_. 4. Tap _Transferred to_, then tap your loan account. 5. Choose the category where the payment will come from in your plan. This will be where you've been assigning money for your payments. If you've paired a category to your loan, select that one! If you don't have an existing category, you can create a category by typing the new category name, then tapping _Create "\[new name\]" category_. 6. If the payment happens monthly, you can schedule it to repeat automatically by tapping _Show more_ to make the Repeat field available. Just select the frequency of the payment. You can also add a memo or flag, if you'd like! 7. Tap _Save_ when you're done.  ### Android We recommend taking these actions from within the **web app** since the Loan Account feature is set up with more visibility and functionality there. It takes a few more steps and taps on mobile, but we can walk you through it! 1. From within the account register where the payment came **from** (e.g. checking), tap the _Transaction_ button. 2. Enter the amount at the top. 3. Tap the drop down menu directly under the amount, then tap _Transfer_. 4. Tap _Transferred to_, then tap your loan account. 5. Choose the category where the payment will come from in your plan. This will be where you've been assigning money for your payments. If you've paired a category to your loan, select that one! If you don't have an existing category, you can create a category by typing the new category name, then tapping _Create "\[new name\]" category_. 6. If the payment happens monthly, you can schedule it to repeat automatically by tapping _Show more_ to make the Repeat field available. Just select the frequency of the payment. You can also add a memo or flag, if you'd like! 7. Tap _Save_ when you're done.  ### Web 1. Click on the loan account in the left sidebar. 2. Add the payment in the loan account register by clicking _Add Activity._ 3. Click _Add Payment_. 4. Enter the amount you'd like to pay. If you have a paired plan category for your loans, YNAB will automatically fill the _Payment Amount_ field with the Available funds in your loan's payment category.  5. Choose the account, date, and add a memo if you'd like!  6. Then, click _Save_ to record the payment.  7. YNAB will automatically calculate and apply the monthly interest charge to your payment in the loan account. After the interest charge is paid, the remaining payment funds will be applied to the loan balance automatically. ### How to Make a Payment that is Applied to More than One Loan ### iOS If you make a payment that your lender applies to more than one loan, you’ll need to record the payment as a [split transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/split-transactions-a-guide-SJLEKwY0q) **in the account that made the payment** (e.g. checking). 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Select the account that is **making** the payment (e.g. checking).  3. Tap the _Transaction_ button. 4. Enter the payment amount, ensuring that the drop down menu under the amount shows _Spending_ (not _Transfer_).  5. In the Payee field, enter the lender's name for the payee (**not** a transfer payee option). We'll set up the transfers in a moment.  6. Tap the category section, and then _Split Between Categories_ at the top. 7. Select any two or more categories (you’ll be able to remove them in the next step), and then tap _Next_ in the upper right corner. This will bring up the **Split Transaction** window, which is where you will add all of your transfer splits for the different loan accounts receiving payments. 8. Swipe left on and remove each of the categories you added originally. 9. Tap _Add a Transfer_ and select the first loan account receiving a payment.  10. Choose the category where the payment will come from in your plan. This will be where you've been assigning money for your payments. (If you've paired a category to your loan, select that one!). If you don't have an existing category, you can create a category by typing the new category name, then tapping _Create "\[new name\]" category_. 11. For **each** student loan receiving payment from this transaction, tap _Add a Transfer_ again, select the loan receiving payment, and the category to take the payment from.  12. Repeat that process until the split window shows each loan receiving payment from this transaction. Adjust the amounts of each split section, ensuring that the appropriate amounts are showing for each loan account and category.    13. Tap the checkmark at the top of the screen when you're finished to leave the Split Transaction window. 14. Tap _Save_. **For payments that are split and applied to several loans like this, we recommend creating a** [**Scheduled Transaction**](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/scheduled-transactions-a-guide-BygrAIFA9). That way, you won’t have to re-create this split transaction each time you make a payment. YNAB will automatically calculate and apply the monthly interest charge for each loan that receives payment. After the interest charge is paid, the remaining payment funds sent to that loan will be applied to the balance automatically. **If the estimated interest charge is incorrect**, you can edit it to match what your lender charged that month using the steps below. ### How to Edit Interest Charges in YNAB (Web App Only) 1. Click on the loan account in the left sidebar. 2. Hover over the estimated charge you'd like to change. 3. Click the pencil icon. 4. Edit the amount. 5. Click _Save_. ### Android If you make a payment that your lender applies to more than one loan, you’ll need to record the payment as a [split transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/split-transactions-a-guide-SJLEKwY0q) **in the account that made the payment** (e.g. checking). 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Select the account that is **making** the payment (e.g. checking).  3. Tap the _Transaction_ button. 4. Enter the payment amount, ensuring that the drop down menu under the amount shows _Spending_ (not _Transfer_).  5. In the Payee field, enter the lender's name for the payee (**not** a transfer payee option). We'll set up the transfers in a moment.  6. Tap the category section, and then _Split_ in the upper right corner.  7. Select any category (you'll be able to remove it in the next step), and then tap _Next_ in the upper right corner. This will bring up the **Splits** window, which is where you will add all of your transfer splits for the different loan accounts receiving payments.  8. Tap the gray minus sign to remove the category you selected initially.  9. Tap _Add a Transfer_ and select the first loan account receiving a payment.  10. Choose the category where the payment will come from in your plan. This will be where you've been assigning money for your payments. (If you've paired a category to your loan, select that one!). If you don't have an existing category, you can create a category by typing the new category name, then tapping  _Create "\[new name\]" category_. 11. For **each** student loan receiving payment from this transaction, tap _Add a Transfer_ again, select the loan receiving payment, and the category to take the payment from.  12. Repeat that process until the split window shows each loan receiving payment from this transaction. Adjust the amounts of each split section, ensuring that the appropriate amounts are showing for each loan account and category.    13. Tap _Done_ when you're finished to leave the **Splits** window. 14. Tap _Save_. **For payments that are split and applied to several loans like this, we recommend creating a** [**Scheduled Transaction**](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/scheduled-transactions-a-guide-BygrAIFA9). That way, you won’t have to re-create this split transaction each time you make a payment. YNAB will automatically calculate and apply the monthly interest charge for each loan that receives payment. After the interest charge is paid, the remaining payment funds sent to that loan will be applied to the balance automatically. **If the estimated interest charge is incorrect**, you can edit it to match what your lender charged that month using the steps below. ### How to Edit Interest Charges in YNAB (Web App Only) 1. Click on the loan account in the left sidebar. 2. Hover over the estimated charge you'd like to change. 3. Click the pencil icon. 4. Edit the amount. 5. Click _Save_. ### Web If you make a payment that your lender applies to more than one loan, you’ll need to record the payment as a [split transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/split-transactions-a-guide-SJLEKwY0q) **in the account that made the payment** (i.e. Checking). 1. Click the account that is making the payment. 2. Click _Add Transaction._ 3. Click the category field, selecting _Split_.  4. In the top line of the split transaction, enter the Lender’s name as the Payee, and the total amount of your payment in the Outflow column. 5. For each line of the split, choose the Transfer Payee for the Loan accounts and choose your loan payment category (For example: Debt Payments: Student Loan). 6. Enter the amount that was applied to each loan in the Outflow column. Here’s an example of a split student loan payment transaction: ![A split transaction represents a loan payment applied to more than one loan](https://cdn.bfldr.com/NIEXAZS5/at/kmnhmm9wjbc67pf6533rshbm/Student-Loan-Splits-Web-Help-Article.png?auto=webp&format=png) In this example, the payment total is $358.01, with $123.45 paid to the first loan, and the remaining $234.56 paid to the second loan. 7. Tap _Save_ when you're done! **For payments that are split and applied to several loans like this, we recommend creating a** [**Scheduled Transaction**](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/scheduled-transactions-a-guide-BygrAIFA9). That way, you won’t have to re-create this split transaction each time you make a payment. YNAB will automatically calculate and apply the monthly interest charge for each loan that receives payment. After the interest charge is paid, the remaining payment funds sent to that loan will be applied to the balance automatically. **If the estimated interest charge is incorrect**, you can edit it to match what your lender charged that month using the steps below. ### How to Edit Interest Charges in YNAB (Web App Only) 1. Click on the loan account in the left sidebar. 2. Hover over the estimated charge you'd like to change. 3. Click the pencil icon. 4. Edit the amount. 5. Click _Save_. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Deferment and Forbearance When a loan is in **deferment**, interest is not accruing. Set the loan's interest rate to zero (0) in YNAB, and adjust it when deferment ends. If deferment will end on a particular date, you can record that date and the future interest rate in the [notes section](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-notes-Byytt_YC9) for the loan's payment category, or even add these details to the name of the loan account. Loans in **forbearance** are accruing interest, but payments are not being made. YNAB will not add interest to the loan account without a payment—you will need to add any interest charges manually.  ### How to Add Interest Charges Manually (Web App Only) 1. Click on the loan account in the left sidebar. 2. Click the _Add Activity_ button at the top of the loan account. 3. Click _Add interest_ to add an interest charge. 4. Alternatively, you can adjust the balance each month (or on a schedule of your choosing) by clicking the _Update Balance_ button in the top right corner of the loan account.  [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Help Us Help You! Our Knowledge Base team reviews article feedback responses weekly, and we actively revise these articles to make them as helpful as possible. That's where you come in! Our articles are scored based on the _Yes_ or _No_ ratings received below. We also collect freeform feedback for any _No_ ratings (so our team can focus in on what you were specifically searching for!). **Success**: Found what you were searching for? It would be super helpful if you click _Yes_ below. **Suggestions**: Didn't find what you're searching for and you'd like to share what terms or topics you wanted? Click _No_ below. 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