Guides · Career stage · Match Day

Your Match Day student-loan checklist

Congratulations — you matched. Before intern year starts, a handful of loan moves will protect (or cost you) tens of thousands. Here's the list.

By the AttendingFi research team · Built from studentaid.gov, IRS, and Dept. of Education rules · Our methodology · Last reviewed June 2026

Match Day changes your loan strategy overnight, because you finally know who will employ you. The weeks between Match and intern year are the ideal time to set everything up correctly — and to avoid the one mistake lenders will push you toward. Work this checklist.

The 30-day post-Match checklist

Confirm your residency employer's tax status. Nonprofit or government hospital? PSLF is available. For-profit program? Plan accordingly. This one fact drives everything else.
Don't refinance federal loans — yet. Refinancing is permanent and forfeits PSLF and income-driven plans. Right after Match is exactly when lenders market hardest; for PSLF-bound residents it's usually the costliest possible time to refinance.
Plan your repayment plan. When payments begin, enroll in a qualifying income-driven plan — not forbearance — so your low-income resident payments count toward forgiveness.
Get your loans in the right form. If you have older FFEL loans, consolidating into a Direct Loan may be needed for PSLF — but consolidation is permanent and timing matters, so model it first.
Use your grace period deliberately. You have roughly six months after graduation before payments are due; entering a qualifying plan promptly often beats idling through grace.
Set up the PSLF employment-certification form for your start date so qualifying payments are logged from day one.
Run your numbers with your matched program and likely specialty income, so you start intern year with a plan, not a guess.

The Match-Day trap: a refinance offer lands in your inbox with a tempting rate and a sign-up bonus. If you're headed for a nonprofit residency and might pursue PSLF, taking it can forfeit six figures of tax-free forgiveness for a few thousand in interest savings. Confirm your PSLF path before you touch a refinance.

What you don't need to do yet

You don't need to aggressively pay down loans on a resident's salary, and you don't need to make any permanent decision under pressure. The goal at Match is simply to get into the right federal plan, protect your PSLF optionality, and certify employment. Optimization comes later — and our resident strategy guide covers it.

Start right — before residency even begins

AttendingFi is free, takes minutes, and shows its work. Model your path now so the choices you make in school and at Match set you up instead of costing you.

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FAQ

What should I do with my student loans after I match?

Confirm whether your residency employer qualifies for PSLF, avoid refinancing federal loans, plan to enroll in an income-driven plan (not forbearance) when payments begin, and certify PSLF employment from your start date.

Should I refinance my student loans after Match Day?

Usually not, especially if your residency is at a nonprofit and you might pursue PSLF — refinancing federal loans is permanent and forfeits forgiveness. Lenders market hardest right after Match; confirm your PSLF path before considering it.

When do my student loan payments start after graduation?

Generally after a roughly six-month grace period following graduation. Many new residents are better off entering a qualifying income-driven plan promptly rather than waiting out the full grace period.

Educational estimates, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify program rules at studentaid.gov and confirm major decisions with a qualified advisor. See our methodology and disclosures.