What “Do Not Advance Due Date” Means for Student Loan Repayment (and Why You Should Select This Option)

A few years after I graduated college, I reached a point where I could start making extra payments to pay down my student debt ahead of schedule. When I logged into my account to do this, I noticed a checkbox that allowed me to select “do not advance due date.”

I soon found out that the simple act of checking that little box was super important. “Do not advance due date” means extra loan payments are applied to the loan’s principal, not fees and interest first. Most lenders will automatically advance your due date if you don’t specify otherwise, so you should always select this option if you can.

If you, too, are ready to make extra payments toward your student loan, here’s a closer look at why you should choose “don’t advance due date” and how to do it to ensure your extra payments are being used most effectively.

Table of Contents

1. What does “do not advance due date” mean on student loans?
   1. How an advanced due date affects your loan
      1. ✖️ Temporary payment break
      2. ✖️Continued interest accrual
      3. ✖️ Higher total costs
   2. How selecting “do not advance my due date” affects your loan
      1. ✅ No payment break
      2. ✅ Reduced interest accrual
      3. ✅ Lower total costs
2. Why should I choose “do not advance due date?”
3. Does it ever make sense to advance your due date on student loans?
4. FAQ

What does “do not advance due date” mean on student loans?

When you make an additional payment to pay down your loan faster, you can typically specify that you want the extra payment applied directly to the principal by checking the box “do not advance due date.” This helps reduce the interest accrual and total cost of your loan.

If you don’t select the “do not advance due date” option, your lender will apply the extra payment as an advanced due date. This means your extra payment will be used in this order:

1. Late payment fees
2. Accrued interest
3. Future payments

Applying payments this way won’t reduce the loan’s balance as quickly as if the payment were applied to the principal. Here’s a closer look at what I mean.

How an advanced due date affects your loan

Imagine you have a $10,000 loan with a 6% interest rate and a regular monthly payment of $200. You decide to make an extra $400 payment, and your lender advances the due date. Here are the implications:

✖️ Temporary payment break

The extra $400 payment is applied to months two and three, so no payments will be due for those months. Regular payments will resume in month four.

Month	Expected payment	Extra payment
1	$200	$400
2	$0	$0
3	$0	$0
4	$200	$0

✖️Continued interest accrual

While you won’t need to make payments during months two and three, the loan balance is still growing due to accrued interest.

Month	Accrued interest	Principal paid
1	$50.00	$150.00
2	$47.25	$0.00
3	$47.49	$0.00
4	$47.72	$152.28

✖️ Higher total costs

Since the principal isn’t reduced as fast, more interest accrues over the life of the loan because your repayment term is still the same length.

Month	Balance
1	$9,450.00
2	$9,497.25
3	$9,544.74
4	$9,392.46

How selecting “do not advance my due date” affects your loan

If you choose the “do not advance due date” option, your lender will apply the extra payment directly to the principal balance after covering any unpaid accrued interest for the current month. This means your extra payment will be used to reduce the principal balance immediately rather than advancing the due date.

Here’s how this would work for a $10,000 loan with a 6% rate and a regular monthly payment of $200 if you make an extra $400 payment.

✅ No payment break

The extra $400 is applied directly to the principal. You will continue making regular monthly payments as scheduled.

Month	Expected payment	Extra payment
1	$200	$400
2	$200	$0
3	$200	$0
4	$200	$0

✅ Reduced interest accrual

By reducing the principal balance immediately, less interest accrues each month, saving you money over the life of the loan.

Month	Accrued interest	Principal paid
1	$50.00	$150.00
2	$47.25	$152.75
3	$46.49	$153.51
4	$45.72	$154.28

✅ Lower total costs

The extra payment will lower the principal balance, reducing interest accrued over the life of the loan and reducing the total amount you pay.

Month	Remaining balance
1	$9,450.00
2	$9,297.25
3	$9,143.74
4	$8,989.46

Why should I choose “do not advance due date?”

As demonstrated in the examples above, selecting “do not advance due date” will reduce your principal balance faster and lead to less interest accrual each month.

Here’s the remaining balance at the end of the fourth month of repayment for each:

Scenario	Remaining balance	Paid down principal
Advanced due date	$9,392.46	$607.54
Do not advance due date	$8,989.46	$1,010.54

As you can see, the “do not advance due date” scenario resulted in a balance that was $403 less than if the due date had been advanced.

This strategy reduces your principal balance faster, minimizes interest accrual, and decreases the overall cost of your loan. You’ll also be on pace to pay off your loan sooner than your original term.

If you’re worried about an extra payment mistakenly being used to advance the due date, contact your student loan servicer before submitting the payment to ensure there is no confusion.

Does it ever make sense to advance your due date on student loans?

There are no scenarios in which we would recommend using extra payments to advance your due date. While this may provide psychological relief knowing that future payments are covered, it isn’t the best use of your money.

If the two options above don’t meet your needs, talk to your loan servicer about lowering your student loan payments or check your eligibility for federal loan repayment plans.

FAQ

How do I tell Nelnet “do not advance due date” when making a payment?

To ensure Nelnet applies your extra payment without advancing your due date, you’ll need to manually specify this when submitting your payment. If you’re paying online, look for a field labeled “special payment instructions” or “billing direction.” Select or write in a request such as:

“Apply to current bill first, then to principal. Do not advance due date.”

If you’re unsure or don’t see that option, it’s best to call Nelnet directly or send a secure message through your online account before submitting the payment. This helps avoid misapplication that could delay your progress on repayment.

What does “billing direction” mean on student loans, and why does it matter?

Billing direction refers to how you want your student loan servicer to apply a payment — especially if it’s more than the amount due. This includes instructions like:

• “Apply excess to principal only”
• “Do not advance due date”
• “Target highest interest loan first”

Giving a clear billing direction ensures your payment strategy is followed. Without it, your servicer may default to advancing your due date or spreading extra payments across multiple loans in a less optimal way. Always check for a billing direction field when making online payments or contact your servicer directly to clarify your instructions.

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