Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Are you currently employed with or planning to pursue a career with a PUBLIC SERVICE organization?
Are you currently a full-time AmeriCorps or Peace Corps volunteer?
If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, then you may qualify for forgiveness of any remaining balance on your eligible federal student loans thanks to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
What are the Eligibility Requirements for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?
You must…
-
Have Eligible Loan Type(s)
Eligible Loan Types
- Federal Direct Stafford Loans (Direct Subsidized Loans)
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans (Direct Unsubsidized Loans)
- Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Direct PLUS Loans) for parents and graduate or professional students
- Federal Direct Consolidation Loans (Direct Consolidation Loans)
- Special Direct Consolidation Loans
NOTE: Although loan forgiveness under this program is available only for loans made and repaid under the Direct Loan Program, loans made under other federal student loan programs may qualify for forgiveness if they are consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Only payments made on the Direct Consolidation Loan will count toward the required 120 monthly payments.
-
Make 120 Qualifying Payments
Qualifying Payments
- Must have been made after October 1, 2007
- Must be on-time (no later than 15 days after the scheduled due date)
- Must be made each month, satisfying in full the bill that was due for that month
- Must be made when the loan is not in a default status
-
Make Payments Under an Eligible Repayment Plan
Eligible Repayment Plans
- Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan (not available on parent Direct PLUS Loans or Direct Consolidation Loans that paid a parent PLUS Loan)
- Income Contingent Repayment Plan (not available on parent Direct PLUS Loans or Direct PLUS Consolidation Loans)
- Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period
- Any other Direct Loan Program repayment plan with payments that are at least equal to the monthly payment amount that would have been required under the Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period
-
Maintain a Full-Time Employment Status
Full-Time Employment Status
Working in one or more jobs for the greater of:
- An annual average of at least 30 hours per week (or for a contractual or employment period of at least 8 months, an average of 30 hours per week); or
- The number of hours the employer considers full-time, unless your employment is with two or more employers
-
Work for a Qualifying Public Service Organization
Public Service Organizations
- A federal, state, local, or Tribal government organization, agency, or entity (includes most public schools, colleges and universities);
- A public child or family service agency;
- A non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (includes most not-for-profit private schools, colleges, and universities);
- A Tribal college or university; or
- A private non-profit organization (that is not a labor union or a partisan political organization) that provides at least one of the following public services:
- Emergency management
- Military service
- Public safety
- Law enforcement
- Public interest law services
- Early childhood education (including licensed or regulated child care, Head Start, and state-funded pre-kindergarten)
- Public service for individuals with disabilities and the elderly
- Public health (including nurses, nurse practitioners, nurses in a clinical setting, and full-time professionals engaged in health care practitioner occupations and health care support occupations)
- Public education
- Public library services
- School library or other school-based services
NOTE: For purposes of the full-time requirement with a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit or other private non-profit public service organization, a borrower's qualifying employment does not include time spent on job duties that are related to religious instruction, worship services, or any form of proselytizing.
View additional details of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program at the Federal Student Aid website.
What Actions Can I Take Now?
Submit employment certification now and continue to do so every year for any period of time you want your employment to be considered under the program eligibility requirements.
If you submit an Employment Certification Form from a qualifying organization for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and your loans are not already serviced by FedLoan Servicing, all of your U.S. Department of Education owned student loans will be transferred to us. Having all of your loans with FedLoan Servicing will make it easier for you to track your progression in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Since the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program requires 120 separate on-time monthly payments and was just established in 2007, no borrower will be eligible for forgiveness until 2017.
Download Employment Certification Form for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Still Have Questions?
We are here to help you with every step of the process. Contact one of our Public Service Loan Forgiveness specialists at 855-265-4038 for more information.
With Gratitude
We are honored the U.S. Department of Education chose FedLoan Servicing to monitor and track the eligibility for all borrowers who are interested in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
As such, we are here to help you obtain forgiveness through this program in any way we can.
Completed Forms
Mail or fax your completed form (borrower AND employer section completed) to:
FedLoan Servicing
Attn: Loan Forgiveness
P.O. Box 69184
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9184
Fax: (717) 720-1628