PSLF forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Only payments made under certain repayment plans (primarily income-driven repayment plans) qualify for PSLF.
The number of qualifying payments you have made will be updated only when you submit another PSLF form that documents a new period of qualifying employment. Once your cumulative total of qualifying payments reaches 120, we will confirm your eligibility and work with your servicer to forgive your remaining balance.
What will happen if my Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) application is approved? If you are approved for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, you'll be notified that the entire remaining balance of your eligible Direct Loans, including all outstanding interest and principal, will be forgiven.
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).
Contrary to some perceptions, that's not because the Department of Education is capriciously denying borrowers relief to which they are legally entitled; most PSLF applications were rejected because borrowers have not met program requirements.
Is there a limit on the dollar amount that can be forgiven? There is no limit to how much can be forgiven by PSLF.
If you have a large amount of student loan debt, then Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) could potentially save you thousands of dollars. It also might knock years off your student loan repayment timeline. You must meet all of the criteria to be eligible for college loan forgiveness, but the payoff can be worth it.
If you've made more than 120 payments on your Direct Loans and qualify for PSLF, you should be eligible for a refund, according to StudentAid.gov. Refunded payments are typically based on one of the following, whichever is most recent: The date you reached 120 payments for PSLF.
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.
It may initially lower your credit score as the forgiven debt could be reported as “income,” which may increase your overall income-to-debt ratio. However, over time, having fewer loans and lower debt could improve your credit score.
If you work in certain public service jobs and have made 120 payments on your Direct Loans, you may be eligible to have your loans forgiven.
If your federal student loans are forgiven, you could get a refund, and you might see your credit score dip.
Yes. However, you must submit a PSLF Form showing that you were employed full-time by a qualifying employer at the time you made each of the required 120 payments.
After you've reached 120 payments and all other PSLF requirements are met, you must request forgiveness of your remaining loan balance using the PSLF form. After this request is made, a final review of your account will be performed to process forgiveness, which will take about 60 business days.
If you have not consolidated your Direct Loans, you can buy back months starting with Oct. 2007, when the PSLF program was established by law. If you have Direct consolidation loans, you can buy back starting with whichever is most recent: Oct. 2007 or the earliest disbursement date of your Direct Consolidation Loan.
You're entitled to a refund if the PSLF Waiver credits you for more than 120 qualifying payments on an existing Direct Loan. But if you made those payments towards a Federal Perkins Loan or FFEL Loan and then consolidated, you won't get a refund.
Are private education loans eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? No. Private education loans aren't eligible for PSLF and can't be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Was this page helpful?
Why did my college send me a check? A refund check is money that is directly deposited to you by your college. It is the excess money left over from your financial aid award after your tuition and additional fees have been paid. Your college may send you a check or the money may be deposited into your checking account.
One of the notable drawbacks of PSLF for doctors is the required commitment. To be eligible for forgiveness, you must make 120 qualifying payments, which essentially means 10 years of service in a qualifying organization.
PSLF has had a rocky history, with current applicants only seeing a 2% success rate, but the Biden Administration has made it clear that it's one of their top priorities. As the Department of Education strives towards lasting reforms to the program, they've implemented a “Limited Waiver Opportunity” in the meantime.
To maximize your PSLF benefit, repay your loans on the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan, the Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan, or the Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan, which are three repayment plans that qualify for PSLF. PSLF is best under IBR, Pay As You Earn, or ICR.
Does my income level determine my eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? There is no income requirement to qualify for PSLF.
PSLF allows qualifying federal student loans to be forgiven after 120 qualifying payments (10 years), while working for a qualifying public service employer.
Typically, months in forbearance and deferment do not count towards PSLF. However, months during the COVID-19 payment pause (March 2020-September 2023), months that qualify under the IDR Adjustment, and months where loans are being placed on administrative forbearance after the repayment restart will count toward PSLF.