How do I qualify for public service loan forgiveness?

PSLF is a program that forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.

To qualify for PSLF, you must be employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization, work full-time, and make 120 qualifying payments under a qualifying repayment plan for Direct Loans.

Only loans you received under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program are eligible for PSLF. Loans from other federal programs need to be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan to be eligible.

Qualifying payments are those made after October 1, 2007, under a qualifying repayment plan, for the full amount due, no later than 15 days after the due date, while you are working full-time for a qualifying employer.

Full-time employment for PSLF is working for one or more qualifying employers for the greater of an annual average of at least 30 hours per week or the number of hours that the employer considers full-time.

Yes, if you work part-time for multiple qualifying employers, you may still qualify for PSLF as long as your total work hours average at least 30 hours per week.

The PSLF Employment Certification Form is a form that borrowers must submit periodically to the Department of Education to verify employment and loan payments eligibility for PSLF.

It's recommended that you submit the Employment Certification Form annually or whenever you change jobs to ensure that your employment and student loan payments are correctly tracked and counted toward PSLF.

After making 120 qualifying payments, you can apply for PSLF to have your remaining Direct Loan balance forgiven. You must submit an application for the forgiveness to occur.

No, only payments made on or after October 1, 2007, count toward the 120 qualifying payments needed for PSLF.

To apply for PSLF, complete and submit the PSLF application form after making 120 qualifying payments. This form can be completed online or by submitting a paper application.

No, past payments on Perkins or FFEL Loans do not count. However, you can consolidate these loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan, after which payments on the new loan may be eligible.

Parent PLUS Loans are not directly eligible, but they can become eligible if consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan, then payments made under certain income-driven repayment plans can count toward PSLF.

No, loans in default are not eligible for PSLF. You would need to rehabilitate or consolidate the defaulted loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan for them to qualify.

Most income-driven repayment plans and the Standard Repayment Plan qualify for PSLF. If you are on an income-driven plan, ensure you recertify your income and family size annually.

Yes, payments missed due to the COVID-19 payment suspension (forbearance) count toward PSLF if you meet all other qualifications, such as being employed by a qualifying employer.

You can qualify if your combined part-time work at multiple qualifying employers adds up to full-time hours (30 or more hours per week on average).

While not required, it's highly recommended to certify your employment annually or whenever you change employers to ensure you are on track for PSLF.

The PSLF Limited Waiver, in effect until October 31, 2022, allowed some more payment types to qualify toward forgiveness. Borrowers should check if any of the past payments now qualify.

The processing time can vary but typically takes several months. It is important to continue making payments until you receive confirmation of forgiveness.