Student loan truth: Most people with overdue arrears are not going to be arrested if they come home for Christmas. But some people are at risk. In most cases the people at risk have large arrears and have been warned that they might be arrested. If you are concerned, the best thing to do is to deal with your situation. The first step is to find out what your options are and then come up with a plan. Not dealing with the problem will make it worse and also causes lots of anxiety. If you start now there is a good chance that your student loan problem will be under control before Christmas and that you can travel without worry.