Deferment
Also called: loan deferment, deferred payments
Deferment postpones payments on a loan for a qualifying reason — study, unemployment, military service — and on some subsidised student loans the government pays the interest during the pause, which is the feature that distinguishes it from forbearance. Where interest isn't subsidised, deferment and forbearance are economically similar and both grow the balance. Deferment usually requires you to qualify and apply, rather than simply asking.