Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program Explained

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)¹ is a US government program that was created in 2007 to help ease the federal student loan debt burden for professionals working full-time in public service.

The program allows borrowers employed at qualifying nonprofit organizations and government entities to have their Federal Direct Loans forgiven after ten years of repayment (or 120 qualifying payments) under an Income-driven Repayment (IDR) plan. It is important to note that PSLF is for federal student loans only—it is not available for private student loans.

Let’s explore more details about the PSLF program, including who qualifies, what the eligibility requirements are, and how to enroll.

How does Public Service Loan Forgiveness work?

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is available to borrowers employed by government entities or qualifying not-for-profit organizations, with the opportunity to have Federal Direct Loans forgiven after ten years of qualifying income-driven payments, entirely tax-free.

An important aspect of the PSLF program is income-driven repayment (IDR). If you have federal student loans, you will likely qualify for at least one of the government’s Income-driven (IDR) Repayment plans that aim to make borrowers’ monthly student loan payments more manageable based on their discretionary income. These programs include:

• Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (REPAYE Plan) / Saving on A Valuable Education Plan (SAVE Plan)
• Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE Plan)*
• Income-Based Repayment Plan (IBR Plan)
• Income-Contingent Repayment Plan (ICR Plan)**

*Only new enrollments from borrowers of consolidated Parent PLUS loans are being accepted into the ICR plan. No change for current enrollees.

**New enrollments in PAYE are being accepted until further notice, but this plan will eventually be phased out. No changes for current enrollees.

If you’re pursuing forgiveness through the PSLF program, you will need to enroll in one of these plans. For more details on the differences between IDR programs, see our Guide to Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs. An important distinction between the PSLF and IDR programs listed above is that if you’re enrolled in PSLF, you can qualify for forgiveness in ten years rather than the typical 20 to 25 years with IDR.

Also note that there are currently proposed changes to the PSLF and IDR programs that could change eligibility, requirements, and potentially the amount of money you could save.

Currently, there is a deadline for the one-time account adjustment for eligible IDR borrowers coming up at the end of 2023.

• Past periods of repayment, deferment, and forbearance may count toward your IDR forgiveness.
• For eligible borrowers seeking to take advantage of these changes, they must consolidate their commercially managed FFEL, Perkins, or Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) into a Direct Consolidation loan by the end of 2023.

For more information, visit studentaid.gov or schedule a consultation with a GradFin student loan specialist.²

PSLF eligibility and requirements

To qualify for PSLF, you must meet certain eligibility requirements pertaining to your employer type, employment status, and the type of loan(s) you have. Let’s explore each aspect of PSLF eligibility criteria to understand how to qualify.

Note that on Oct. 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced new regulations to program requirements for PSLF. The new regulations are scheduled to into effect on July 1, 2023. For the most up-to-date information on changes to program requirements, visit studentaid.gov.

Qualifying factors for PSLF

To qualify for PSLF, you must the following program requirements.

Eligible job fields

You can use the employer search tool on studentaid.gov to see if your current and past employers are on the eligible list. Common job fields that are PSLF eligible include:

• Military service
• Law enforcement and first responders
• Education
• Non-profit work
• Compensated volunteer work such as AmeriCorps or Peace Corps
• Healthcare

PSLF for healthcare providers (HCPs)

HCPs such as doctors, nurses, physician associates, therapists, and clinicians working for several different employer types could qualify for PSLF, including:

• Qualifying nonprofit hospitals or organizations
• State hospital systems
• Federal hospitals
• Public schools, including universities and K-12 school systems

How to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

To pursue and qualify for PSLF, you must provide paperwork, including an Employment Certification Form (ECF) filled out by each eligible employer in your work history.

But once you fill out your first ECF, you’re not done. You will need to re-certify your current employment and submit the form at least annually, as recommended by the Office of Student Aid. Note that if you change employers while you’re enrolled in the program, you will need to obtain certification from your new employer and submit the form again.

For the most up-to-date information on how to apply to PSLF, go to studentaid.gov/pslf or learn more here.

Is Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) right for me?

If you qualify, taking advantage of the PSLF program potentially means major savings for you, depending on the size of your federal student loans, income, lifestyle, and other personal financial factors.

However, getting accepted and staying in compliance over the course of ten years until your forgiveness event takes time, effort, and organization. Changes to program eligibility and IDR requirements that happen periodically in response to economic and political events can be challenging to navigate. Additionally, if you are in a financial position to pay off your student loan debt faster than 10 years, it could be preferable to take that route and save money on interest. Unfortunately, once you’re in the PSLF program, you cannot make extra monthly payments to accelerate your forgiveness event.

If you have questions about qualifying for PSLF, a student loan specialist at GradFin can help you understand all your repayment options, and help you determine if PSLF is the right program for you. Learn more here.

Final Words: Public Service Loan Forgiveness

For those working in public service, PSLF can be the fastest path to student loan forgiveness. With several proposed changes to the PSLF program and the possibility of more changes to requirements and eligibility in the future, the rules surrounding PSLF can be dynamic and difficult to keep up with.

To get the most up-to-date rules and requirements for PSLF, understand if you qualify, and learn how to stay on track toward forgiveness, schedule a free 30-minute consultation with a student loan specialist at GradFin today.