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In the fall of 2024, more than 19 million students attended American colleges and universities.

As exciting as this phase of life can be, experiencing some level of homesickness during the home-to-college transition is common. As a parent, you may feel a sense of responsibility when it comes to helping your now-adult child get over their homesickness. And there could be a reason for concern, since studies have shown that emotional or mental distress in college students can impact academic performance.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways parents can help their child adjust to being away from home (perhaps for the first time) and get the most out of their college experience. Read on to learn some simple ways you can help your child feel less homesick at college.

Strategies to Help Your Child Cope with Homesickness

Watching your child experience homesickness from afar can be challenging. It may be tempting to rush to the rescue, but it is also important that your child find their footing on campus. These tips and ideas may be helpful as you support your child as they navigate homesickness and life on-campus.

Acknowledging the Situation

It can be comforting to know that you’re not the only one struggling with a given situation. As a parent, it might be helpful to share with your child how common homesickness is among first-year students. Providing comfort and reassurance that they are not alone and that in time, their feelings of homesickness will pass, can go a long way.

Keeping In Touch

As you and your child adjust to your new dynamic, you may need to find new ways to keep in touch. Keep in mind that while your child is adjusting to on-campus life, you don’t want to be overbearing. Try setting up a weekly video chat or sending over fun updates from home in a text message. Remember to give your child the space they need to find their footing at school.

Recommended: College Planning Guide for Parents

Sending a Care Package

When packing for college, adding a few items that bring the comfort of home could be helpful if your child starts feeling tinges of homesickness. Things like a favorite book, a blanket, or a stuffed animal could be just the thing when homesickness creeps in.

Sending over a care package with some of their favorite cookies, candies, or snacks and a photo of a fun memory can provide a touch of home, too.

Encouraging Your Child to Get Help if They Need It

If your homesick college student seems like they may benefit from professional help, you might encourage them to visit their campus counseling center. Many colleges also offer mental health services and counseling on campus, often at little to no cost.

If there are fees involved, they may be covered (at least partially) by health insurance. If your child is no longer on a family medical plan, it’s likely you’ve enrolled them in a college health insurance plan, which is often rolled into costs of tuition, room, and board.


💡 Quick Tip: You can fund your education with a low-rate, no-fee private student loan that covers all school-certified costs.

Helping Your Child Find a New Familiar

It’s probably not the best idea for parents to visit their child every weekend — though it may be hard to control yourself if your child’s university is easily accessible. As lovely as it is that you’re a familiar face, it might be more helpful for your child to find a new familiar.

Instead, you might encourage your child to find ways to make their not-yet-so-familiar home feel more known. If your college student loves coffee, they might want to find a local shop they can visit frequently — turning it into their own personal hang-out spot.

If they’re into museums, discovering the best ones nearby could help them feel more grounded in their new environment.

Getting Involved on Campus

When someone is feeling down, it can be tempting to stay indoors and wallow in those feelings. Getting involved on campus can help students build community and connect with their peers. Colleges often have many clubs and extracurriculars that can help students find like-minded individuals.

If committing to a club feels like too much, your child might connect with peers in a more casual way, from making friends in class or meeting new people during a dorm hall function.

Developing Healthy Routines

Physical health and mental health go hand in hand, so if your homesick college student is making less-than-healthy choices during this tough transition period, you might encourage them to make some changes in their routine.

This might look like starting their day with a walk to the campus coffee shop or finding a weekly exercise class. Creating a schedule and finding new, healthy routines can give your student something to look forward to.

Recommended: What Percentage of Parents Pay for College?

Developing a Plan to Pay for College

In addition to homesickness, paying for college can be an added layer of stress for both parents and students. If your child is worried about money or constantly working at a job to help cover costs (rather than acclimating to college), you might want to look into additional sources of funding, such as scholarships and grants and/or student loans.

It’s important to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year, since this is required for a student or parent to qualify for federal funding.

For some students, federal student loans and other sources of aid may be enough to fund their college education. If it’s not, parents also have the option of taking out loans, such as the Direct PLUS Loan or a private student loan.

When comparing federal vs. private student loans, keep in mind that private student loans aren’t required to offer the same borrower protections, like deferment options or income-driven repayment plans, as federal student loans. For this reason, you generally want to look at private student loans only after you’ve exhausted federal loan and aid options.


💡 Quick Tip: Parents and sponsors with strong credit and income may find much lower rates on no-fee private parent student loans than federal parent PLUS loans. Federal PLUS loans also come with an origination fee.

The Takeaway

The transition to college life can be stressful for both students and their parents. Being in an unfamiliar environment, while trying to balance classes and making new friends can lead to feelings of apprehension, anxiety, and homesickness. As a parent, providing support from a distance can include things like sending a care package, checking in with a video call once a week, and encouraging your child to get involved in extracurricular activities.

Hopefully, in time, your child will settle into their life on campus — finding a new normal. If money worries are adding to your child’s (or your own) college stress, it can also be a good idea to explore funding options you or they might qualify for. Once the financial side of college is taken care of, your child will be free to focus solely on assimilating into campus life and fully embracing this exciting time in their life.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

FAQ

How common is homesickness during college?

Homesickness is incredibly common in college students, with 94% experiencing it in the first 10 weeks. Homesickness is an emotional response to being in a new environment and can affect a student’s academic performance and overall well-being.

How can parents support their homesick college student from afar?

Parents can support their child by acknowledging that homesickness is normal, maintaining regular but nonintrusive communication, sending care packages with familiar items, and encouraging their child to seek campus resources if needed.

What strategies can help students adjust to college life and alleviate homesickness?

Encouraging students to get involved in campus activities, establish healthy routines, and find local spots that bring comfort can help them build a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of homesickness.

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. We encourage you to evaluate all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.

Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SoFi Private Student loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, such as completion of a loan application and self-certification form, verification of application information, the student's at least half-time enrollment in a degree program at a SoFi-participating school, and, if applicable, a co-signer. In addition, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa, and must meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements, including verification of sufficient income to support your ability to repay. Minimum loan amount is $1,000. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change. This information is current as of 4/22/2025 and is subject to change. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SOISL-Q225-012

Federal student loans could be either Direct Loans or “indirect loans” until 2010, when Congress voted to eliminate the latter. Yet many borrowers of indirect loans, also known as Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs), continue to struggle with repayment today.

Here’s what student borrowers should know about the two different loan types.

Indirect vs Direct Student Loans

Indirect Student Loans

The Federal Family Education Loan Program was funded by private lenders (banks, credit unions, etc.), but guaranteed by the federal government. The program ended in 2010, and loans are now made through the Federal Direct Loan Program.

The government didn’t directly insure FFEL Program loans. Instead, it acted through a guarantor, which paid the lender if the borrower defaulted. Then, the government reimbursed the guarantor.

When it came to questions about payment, borrowers dealt with the lender, the guarantor, the servicer, or a collection agency — not the government.

Direct Student Loans

With a Direct Loan, made through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, the funds come directly from the U.S. Department of Education, which gets the money from the U.S. Treasury. The loans are made by the Department of Education and backed by the federal government.

Direct Loans consist of Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans.

Before 2010, every school made its own decision about whether to participate in a direct or indirect loan program, or possibly both. But there were some differences in interest rates, fees, and repayment options of these types of student loans.

What Kind of Loans Do You Have?

If you’re thinking about how to best address your student loan debt, it’s important to know what kind of loan or loans you have, including whether they are Direct Loans or FFELs.

To figure out your loan types, log into your account on StudentAid.gov and click on “My Aid” in the dropdown section. In the “Loan Breakdown” section, you’ll see each loan you have and your loan balances. You can also find information there on who your loan servicers are, including their contact information, and your loan amounts. On each loan servicer’s website, you’ll find information about your monthly payments and payment history, and your loan interest rates and terms.

Repaying FFEL Program Loans

Even though indirect student loans ended on June 30, 2010, there are still 7.29 million borrowers who hold $165.4 billion in FFEL loans as of 2024.

Borrowers must consolidate their FFEL loans before they can apply for one of the income-driven repayment plans, which base monthly loan payments on your discretionary income and family size over a period of 20 or 25 years, typically resulting in lower payments.

FFEL loan holders also must consolidate loans to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), which allows those who work in qualifying public service jobs for the government or nonprofit organizations to have certain loan balances forgiven after 120 on-time payments.

Here are more on repayment options.

Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan

Only low-income FFEL borrowers may qualify for this FFEL repayment plan. The lender determines the monthly payment based on a fixed percentage of the borrower’s gross monthly income. Payments are made for a maximum period of 10 years.

Consolidating Your Loans

Consolidating loans with a federal Direct Consolidation Loan combines your loans into one loan with one payment. The interest rate on a Direct Consolidation Loan is the weighted average of the borrower’s current federal loans, rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of a percentage point.

This loan does not lower your interest rate, and may even increase the amount of interest that is paid over the life of the loan. If you decide to lengthen your payment period (for example, from 10 to 20 or even 30 years), your monthly payment may be lower, but the total interest you’ll pay over the life of the loan will most likely be higher.

A Direct Consolidation Loan may be an option for borrowers who want to streamline their payments rather than those who are looking to save money.

If you don’t have any indirect loans, you still can consider consolidating your Direct Student Loans. (Note that only federal student loans, not private student loans, are eligible for consolidation into a Direct Consolidation Loan.)

Refinancing Your Loans

Another option is to apply to refinance your student loans — federal, private, or both — into one new loan through a private lender. Ideally, the new loan will have a lower interest rate or better loan terms.

Before deciding to refinance federal loans, it’s important to note that when you refinance, you lose access to federal benefits. This includes income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

If you have a lower debt-to-income ratio after graduation and have built your credit over time since you first took out your student loans — and you don’t foresee a need for federal benefits — refinancing may be an option to consider, especially if you can qualify for a lower interest rate.

You can see how much you could save with our student loan refinancing calculator.

The Takeaway

Approximately 7.29 million borrowers are repaying FFEL Program loans as of 2024. The last of these “indirect loans” were issued in 2010, when federal Direct Loans largely took over.

Whether you’re repaying a FFEL loan, Direct Loan, or private loan, it’s a good idea to learn your options and figure out which makes the most sense for your situation.

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.

FAQ

What is an indirect student loan?

Indirect student loans are also known as Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL). These loans were discontinued in 2010. Before that time, the Department of Education worked with private lenders through the Federal Family Education Program to provide these student loans, which were backed by the federal government. Student loans are now made through the Federal Direct Loan Program. However, about 7.29 million borrowers in the U.S. are still repaying FFEL loans.

How do I know if my loan is direct or indirect?

To determine if your loan is direct or indirect, log into your account on StudentAid.gov and click on “My Aid” in the dropdown section. In the “Loan Breakdown” section, you’ll see each loan you have. Direct loans start with the word “direct,” while indirect loans start with “FFEL.”

What is better, a subsidized or unsubsidized loan?

A subsidized Direct loan is generally preferable to an unsubsidized loan. The main difference between them is the way the interest is handled. With a Direct Subsidized Loan, you won’t be charged interest on the loan while you’re in school or during the six-month grace period after graduation. With a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, interest starts accumulating from the time the loan is disbursed and you are responsible for paying that interest.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
Terms and conditions apply. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FORFEIT YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Learn more at SoFi.com/eligibility. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.