How long will it take for my student loan to be forgiven?

Asked by: Vance Goldner  |  Last update: January 28, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (26 votes)

If you repay your loans under an IDR plan, any remaining balance on your student loans will be forgiven after you make a certain number of payments over 20 or 25 years. Past periods of repayment, deferment, and forbearance might now count toward IDR forgiveness because of the payment count adjustment.

How long until student loans are forgiven?

Borrowers who have reached 20 or 25 years (240 or 300 months) worth of eligible payments for IDR forgiveness will see their loans forgiven as they reach these milestones. ED will continue to discharge loans as borrowers reach the required number of months for forgiveness.

Will I be notified if my student loan is forgiven?

PSLF counts will continue to be adjusted each month until the IDR counts for all federally held FFEL Program and Direct Loans are adjusted in 2024. Your student loan servicer(s) will notify you directly after your forgiveness is processed.

How do I check the status of my student loan forgiveness?

If you've been making payments toward PSLF, you can view your progress in your My Aid page by following these steps:
  1. Log in to your StudentAid.gov account.
  2. From your Dashboard, navigate to “My Aid.”
  3. Select “View Details” to open your My Aid page, then scroll down to PSLF/TEPSLF Payment Progress.

Did the student loan forgiveness get approved?

Statement from President Joe Biden on Approving Student Debt Cancellation for Over 5 Million Americans. Today, my Administration is approving student loan relief for more than 150,000 borrowers – bringing the total number of Americans who have had their student debt cancelled by my Administration to over 5 million.

Student Loan Forgiveness For All? Not So Fast...

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How long is the approval process for student loan forgiveness?

Once we've received all of the documentation needed to determine whether you qualify for loan forgiveness, you'll be notified. A final review of your account will be done to process forgiveness, which will take at least 90 business days.

Has anyone received student loan forgiveness yet?

First, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) approved 6,100 borrowers for $465 million through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Second, the Department approved nearly 85,000 borrowers for $1.26 billion in relief based upon borrower defense findings.

Why is my student loan showing a zero balance?

If your student loan balance is suddenly showing zero, some of the many reasons could be: Your federal student aid or private student loans were forgiven. You've completed one of the student loan forgiveness programs. You qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), or.

What happens when PSLF is approved?

Don't forget to submit the PSLF form with your employment certification every year. If your PSLF form is approved for forgiveness, then you'll be notified that the entire remaining balance of your eligible Direct Loans will be forgiven, including all outstanding interest and principal.

Are Mohela loans being forgiven?

If you work in certain public service jobs and make 120 payments on your Direct Loan(s), you may be eligible to have your loans forgiven. If you are a teacher in a low-income school or educational service agency, you may be eligible for Teacher Loan Forgiveness.

Will I automatically get student loan forgiveness?

Any borrowers with loans that have accumulated eligible time in repayment of at least 20 or 25 years will see automatic forgiveness, even if they are not currently on an IDR plan.

Why did my student loan disappear?

Student loans disappear from credit reports 7.5 years from the date they are paid in full, charged-off, or entered default. However, education debt can reappear if you dig out of default with consolidation or loan rehabilitation. Student loans can have an outsized impact on your credit score.

Do you get a confirmation after applying for student loan forgiveness?

After you submit your Student Loan Debt Relief Application, you will receive an email confirmation. The federal government will review your application and determine whether you are eligible for relief. They will contact you with instructions if they need more information.

Will student loans take my taxes in 2024?

No, the government will not take your refund (for now). But before you start celebrating, here are five things you need to know about your student loan in 2024. Your student loan interest will continue to accrue.

How long will student loans take to pay off?

Average Time to Pay Off Student Loans. It takes 10 years to pay off student loan debt on the standard federal loan repayment plan. However, some undergraduate borrowers may be able to pay off student loans faster by making larger payments.

How will I be notified if my student loans are forgiven?

You will receive notification of your loan discharge via email, mail and/or your online loan servicing account (depending how your communication preferences are set). It will also be reflected when you log in to the Federal Student Aid site using your FSA ID.

Why does my student loan say paid in full?

You may notice your former servicer has cleared your loan account. For example, your loan balance may come up as “paid in full” on your former servicer's website or on your credit report. This does not mean you've received loan forgiveness. This is part of the loan transfer process.

How do I know if my PSLF went through?

Track Your PSLF form status and history

Once you've submitted a PSLF form, you can track its progress by logging in to StudentAid.gov using your account username and password and selecting “My Activity” in the dropdown menu under your name in the upper right-hand corner.

Why do my student loans say no payment due in 2024?

You don't get reported when you're in forbearance. During the on-ramp period (through Sept. 30, 2024), we automatically put your loan in a forbearance for the payments you missed. Here's what this means: Your account was no longer considered delinquent and was made current.

Does $0 payment count towards PSLF?

Yes. Any month when your scheduled payment under an income-driven plan is $0 will count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness if you also are employed full-time by a qualifying employer during that month.

Can student loan mess up your credit?

Student loans are a type of installment loan, similar to a car loan, personal loan, or mortgage. They are part of your credit report, and can impact your payment history, length of your credit history and credit mix. Paying on time could help your score.

How soon will I get my student loan forgiveness?

If you repay your loans under an IDR plan, any remaining balance on your student loans will be forgiven after you make a certain number of payments over 20 or 25 years. Past periods of repayment, deferment, and forbearance might now count toward IDR forgiveness because of the payment count adjustment.

What is the approval rate for PSLF?

Applications are approved at roughly the same rate. 2.3% of processed applications for PSLF had been approved since the program's inception. In the program's first year, 0.32% of applications were approved. Prior to 2021, 3.3 million student loan borrowers were eligible to apply for PSLF (though only 6.9% applied).

Why are so many PSLF applications denied?

Errors, even as minor as spelling mistakes, can cause rejections. For PSLF for example, borrowers must thoroughly fill out an Employer Certification Form (ECF) with all of their previous employers, their Federal Employer Identification Numbers, tax status, and other details.