Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility depends entirely on the type of loans you have and your circumstances. Log into your account on StudentAid.gov to confirm you have federal loans.
There is no single “mass forgiveness” program currently available that covers all federal student loan borrowers, but there are several active programs you might qualify for.
The primary categories for federal student loan forgiveness are:
1. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
This is one of the most common and robust forgiveness programs.
| Requirement | Details |
| Employment | Work full-time (at least 30 hours/week) for a qualifying employer. |
| Qualifying Employers | U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government (including military) OR qualifying 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. |
| Loan Type | Must have Direct Loans. (If you have FFEL or Perkins Loans, you can consolidate them into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify). |
| Payments | Make the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years) while working for a qualifying employer and repaying under an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan. |
| Forgiveness | The entire remaining balance on your Direct Loans is forgiven (tax-free). |
| Action | You must certify your employment annually using the PSLF Help Tool on StudentAid.gov. |
2. Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness
All federal IDR plans tie your monthly payment to your income and household size.3 Any remaining loan balance is forgiven after a set period of payments.
| IDR Plan | Repayment Period for Forgiveness |
| Income-Based Repayment (IBR) | 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments. |
| Pay As You Earn (PAYE) | 20 years of qualifying payments. |
| Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) | 25 years of qualifying payments. |
| Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) | 10 to 25 years (forgiveness timeline depends on the original loan balance). |
| Eligibility Update | Recent agreements have ensured that the Department of Education is resuming processing for borrowers who have reached the payment threshold on these plans. |
3. Special Forgiveness & Discharge Programs
You may qualify for forgiveness based on your career or personal hardship:
| Program | Who Qualifies | Forgiveness Amount |
| Teacher Loan Forgiveness | Full-time teacher for five complete, consecutive academic years in a low-income school or educational service agency. | Up to $17,500 (for specific subject areas like Math/Science/Special Ed) or $5,000 (for all other eligible teachers). |
| Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge | Borrowers who are totally and permanently disabled. | The entire remaining balance of federal loans. |
| Closed School Discharge | If your school closed while you were enrolled or shortly after you withdrew, and you did not complete your program. | The entire remaining balance of federal loans. |
| Borrower Defense to Repayment | If your school misled you or engaged in other misconduct in violation of certain state laws. | Can result in partial or full loan discharge. |
Next Steps to Check Your Eligibility
Find Your Loan Type:
- Log into your account on StudentAid.gov to confirm you have federal loans (Direct Loans, FFEL, Perkins). Private loans are not eligible for these federal programs.
Use Official Tools:
- If you work in public service, use the PSLF Help Tool on StudentAid.gov to confirm your employer and track your progress.6
- If you have been repaying for many years, check your payment history against the IDR requirements.
Contact Your Servicer:
- If you believe you are close to qualifying for an IDR or PSLF discharge, contact your current loan servicer to verify your qualifying payment count.
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