What happens after you apply for student loan forgiveness?

Asked by: Hailey Haley  |  Last update: February 27, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (18 votes)

If you qualify for forgiveness of the full amount of your loan(s), you won't have to make any more loan payments. If you qualify for forgiveness of only a portion of your loan(s), you're still responsible for repaying the remaining balance.

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

Your loan servicer will send you a communication about PSLF/TEPSLF forgiveness within 30 business days. You don't need to take any action as you await this update from your loan servicer. To monitor the status of your loan forgiveness, you can log into your account with your servicer.

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 long does it take for student loan forgiveness to be approved?

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.

What happens if your student loan forgiveness is approved?

After submitting your application, you may need to wait several months for approval. Your loan servicer will notify you of the decision. If approved, the remaining balance on your loans may be forgiven. While your forgiveness application is under review, you may still be required to continue making payments.

What Everyone's Getting Wrong About Student Loans

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Can I get student loan forgiveness if I apply now?

Yes, student loan forgiveness remains an option. Various federal programs, such as PSLF, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, and forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans, are still available. These programs have specific requirements, so it's important to understand the eligibility criteria and application process.

Will I get a refund if my student loans are forgiven?

If your federal student loans are forgiven, you could get a refund, and you might see your credit score dip.

Why have my student loans disappeared?

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.

What happens after I submit my PSLF application?

Once you submit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) form, we will review it to ensure that it's complete and to determine whether your loans and employment qualify for the PSLF or TEPSLF Program. If we verify that your employment qualifies, we'll then review your payment history.

How long has student loan forgiveness been in effect?

Federal Student Aid began accepting and reviewing applications from borrowers seeking loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program in the fall of 2017.

Will I automatically get student loan forgiveness?

If you have loans that have been in repayment for more than 20 or 25 years, those loans may immediately qualify for forgiveness. 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.

What will happen to my credit when my student loans are forgiven?

Credit mix: Those who qualify for loan forgiveness may see their scores drop by a few points if the student loan was their only installment loan, as their credit mix (i.e., the different types of credit accounts they have) accounts for 10% of their FICO Score.

Why did I get a student loan refund check?

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.

What happens after you apply for loan forgiveness?

If you qualify for forgiveness of the full amount of your loan(s), you won't have to make any more loan payments. If you qualify for forgiveness of only a portion of your loan(s), you're still responsible for repaying the remaining balance.

Will I be notified if my student loan forgiveness is denied?

What will happen if my Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) application is denied? If we determine that you're not eligible for loan forgiveness at this time, you'll be notified and will be provided with the reason(s) we determined you were ineligible.

How many years are 120 payments?

Because you have to make 120 qualifying monthly payments, it will take at least 10 years before you can qualify for PSLF. Important: You must still be working for a qualifying employer at the time you submit your form for forgiveness.

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.

How do I know if my PSLF was approved?

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.

How long does it take for MOHELA to process loan forgiveness?

Loans serviced by MOHELA? If you faxed or mailed your PSLF form to MOHELA it may take up to 14 days for your mohela.com account to note that the form was received. Please allow at least 90 business days for your form to be processed.

Why are my student loans suddenly paid off?

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.

When can I expect my student loans to be forgiven?

The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you've made the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full time for a qualifying employer.

What is the 7 year rule for student loans?

Both federal and private student loans fall off your credit report about seven years after your last payment or date of default. You default after nine months of nonpayment for federal student loans, and you're not in deferment or forbearance.

How do I know if I am getting a PSLF refund?

If your qualifying payment total is at 120 or more, your account is eligible to be placed into forbearance and no payment is due. If you continue making payments, any overpayments will be refunded if you have no additional outstanding loans. To find out your forbearance status, log in to your StudentAid.gov account.

Has student loan forgiveness been approved?

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.