How to download your MyStudentData loan file
Find the Download My Aid Data text file on StudentAid.gov, understand what is inside it, and prepare it for a federal student loan comparison.
By Clevara LLC · Published · Federal rules last reviewed
Where do I find Download My Aid Data?
Sign in directly at StudentAid.gov using your own account. Open My Loans in your account’s aid information, then choose Download My Aid Data at the top right and follow the download prompt. The result is a text file, commonly named MyStudentData.txt. Menu labels and screen layout can change.
Clevara does not need your StudentAid.gov password or access to that account. Download the file yourself, then select the text file in Clevara. The shorter in-product guide walks through the same process.
Open the step-by-step file guide →What information does the file contain?
The export contains federal aid records, including loan descriptions, reported balances, rates, statuses and dates. It also contains personal information. Loan records are reported as of their stated dates; the file is not a real-time payoff quote.
Check that you selected the text export, not a servicer statement, screenshot or PDF. Renaming a PDF to end in .txt does not turn it into the federal data file. If the export has no loan records, there is no loan portfolio for Clevara to analyze.
What happens when I open it in Clevara?
The loan file is read and analyzed inside your browser. Questionnaire answers supply information that the file may not contain, such as income and household details. No borrower account is created with Clevara.
When checkout opens, a recovery copy is saved in that browser. A completed report can be reopened by anyone using the same browser profile. The Privacy page explains deletion and the 30-day expiry. Stripe separately receives the email and payment details entered in its checkout.
Read about local reports and checkout data →Can I see the report without using my own file?
Yes. The sample report uses illustrative loan data. It shows the comparison, cost projections, sources and assumptions without requiring a personal file. Your own report can differ because loan types, balances, dates and questionnaire answers affect the calculations.
Read the sample report →Sources
Related
Clevara compares modeled repayment amounts and program criteria using a loan file and questionnaire answers. The sample shows the report and its limitations using illustrative data.
See a sample report →