If you have federal student loans, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge in certain situations. The most common way to apply for loan forgiveness is through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. To qualify for PSLF, you must work full-time for a qualifying employer in public service or a non-profit organization while making 120 qualifying payments on your federal student loans. You can apply for PSLF by submitting the Employment Certification Form to the Department of Education.
Other ways to qualify for loan forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge include being a teacher, government employee, nurse, doctor, or other medical professional, having a disability, repaying your loans under an income-driven repayment plan, and more . You can find more information on these options on the Federal Student Aid website.
To apply for loan forgiveness through any of these programs, you will need to submit an application form. The application form can be obtained by contacting your loan servicer or by calling the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). There is no fee to apply for loan forgiveness.
If you are interested in applying for PSLF specifically, you can find more information on the Federal Student Aid website. The application process involves submitting the Employment Certification Form annually and submitting the PSLF application after making 120 qualifying payments.