How to Get Student Loans Forgiven

Student loan debt weighing you down? You may be eligible for student loan forgiveness. Read on to see how you can qualify and other ways to reduce your debt.

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Graduating college with tens of thousands in student loan debt can be frightening. Then there are the impending payments.

Luckily, you have some options. Loan forgiveness programs pay for a portion of student loan debt—and some eliminate monthly payments altogether. This is a great way to reduce, delay, or reorganize your payment or repayment status.

To explore loan forgiveness, you first need to know whether you have federal or private student loans. Keep reading to learn more.

Federal vs Private Student Loans

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As a student, you might have received federal, private, or even both types of loans. Here are the differences:

• Federal student loans
  Subsidized and issued by the government. Most federal student loans are eligible for loan forgiveness and income-based repayment plans.

• Private student loans
  Issued through banks and private lenders. They are NOT eligible for government-issued loan forgiveness programs. However, certain lenders may offer loan repayment assistance.

Standard Repayment Plan

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This is the default option. The plan evenly divides monthly payments over 10 years. Here's what that looks like using the average college debt of $37,172:

• Loan amount: $37,172
  
• Interest rate: 5%
  
• Monthly payment: $394.27
  
• Interest paid over the life of the loan: $10,140.01

Thanks to interest, that $37,000 you borrowed turned into $47,000 - and that's if you make your payments on time.

But don't worry, there are other ways to repay your student loans, including some that offer loan forgiveness. Read on to learn more.

Income-Driven Plans with Forgiveness

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There are 4 income-driven repayment options. With each, your monthly payment is based on your income. If you earn very little, your payments could be as low as $0. The remainder of the loan balance will be forgiven after 20–25 years of repayment.

Here are important things to know about the income-driven forgiveness program:

• Only federal loans are eligible
  Direct and Direct PLUS Loans are eligible. If you have other loans (such as Federal Stafford Loans or Perkins Loans), you may need to consolidate them into a Direct Consolidated Loan. Private loans and Parent PLUS loans are not eligible.

• Your payment is based on discretionary income
  Your monthly payment can be as little as 10% of your discretionary income.

Read on for a breakdown of income-driven payment plans.

Income-Based Repayment (IBR)

You must have Federal Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans (Stafford, Federal PLUS Loans, and Federal Consolidation Loans) to qualify.

• Loans taken out before July 1, 2014: Students pay 15% of their discretionary income. After 25 years of payments, any amount left over is forgiven.

• Loans taken out after July 1, 2014: Students pay 10% of their discretionary income. After 20 years of payments, any leftover amount is forgiven.

As your income increases, so does your payment. The maximum payment is the amount of the Standard Repayment Plan's payment.

Pay as You Earn Repayment (PAYE)

Fewer graduates will be eligible for this program because of date restrictions.

• You must be a new borrower after October 1, 2007. In other words, you must not have any student loans dating before this date. You must also have taken out an eligible loan after October 1, 2011.

• Payments are 10% of your discretionary income. If you don't have an income right now, you don't have a payment.

• Your outstanding balance is forgiven after 20 years of payments.

This loan's max payment also equals the Standard Repayment plan payment. Interest payback begins when you reach that amount.

Revised Pay as You Earn Repayment (REPAYE)

The REPAYE program is for those who don't fall into one of the above categories. Most importantly, there are no date restrictions. Only Parent PLUS loans and most private loans are excluded.

• Payments are 10% of your discretionary income.

• There is no cap on the payments, unlike the other plans we discussed thus far. As your income increases, so do your payments. This could make for some hefty payments if you become successful.

• Your outstanding balance is forgiven after 20 years of payment. Because there is no payment cap, you won't have any interest added to your principal balance.

Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR)

This is the only repayment plan available for borrowers with Parent PLUS loans. To be eligible, the Parent PLUS loans must first be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan.

• For the ICR plan, discretionary income = your adjusted gross income - 100% of the poverty level (instead of 150%).

• Your payment is 20% of your discretionary income OR payments based on a 12-year repayment plan, whichever is less. This payment may also exceed the Standard Repayment Plan monthly payment.

• The government does not subsidize any unpaid interest. 100% of the unpaid interest gets added to your loan balance annually. However, no more than 10% of the loan balance will be added.

Read on for other ways to get your student loans forgiven.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

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If you work for a government agency or nonprofit, you may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). To qualify, you must:

• Be enrolled in one of the 4 Direct Loan Program repayment plans to qualify.

• Work full-time and make 120 qualifying payments. Payments made before enrollment don't count as qualifying payments towards PSLF.

After 10 years of payments in any of the above plans, your loan balance may be forgiven. Fill out this form to learn if you are eligible for PSLF.

Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation and Discharge

Perkins Loans are no longer offered. But if you took them out before the expiration, you can still be eligible for Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation. Look into this before you consolidate your Perkins Loans. Once you consolidate, you may no longer be eligible.

This forgiveness program can offer you 100% forgiveness in just 5 years. You get a fixed percentage of loans (plus interest) forgiven for each year of service. They are as follows:

• 15% for the 1st year
  
• 15% for the 2nd year (total 30%)
  
• 20% for the 3rd year (total 50%)
  
• 20% for the 4th year (total 70%)
  
• 30% for the 5th year (total 100%)

A number of professions are eligible for this program, including teachers, nurses, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.

You must have taken out the Perkins Loan before 9/30/2017. And the loan can't be cancelled the same year it was disbursed. It's up to your school to decide if you qualify for forgiveness.

LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS BY CAREER

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Several professions are eligible for this program, including teachers, nurses, firefighters, and law enforcement officers. Read on for more information.

Loan Forgiveness for Teachers

Teachers working at a low-income school for five consecutive years may qualify for loan forgiveness for teachers.

• You must have state certification and have a license to teach in your state. Your loan cannot be in default, either.

• Elementary school and middle school teachers may receive up to $5,000 in forgiveness. Teachers who specialize in math, science or special education may receive up to $17,500 in forgiveness.

Loan Forgiveness for Nurses

Nurses have a lot of forgiveness programs available to them.

• Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
  Eligible for nurses, RNs, APRNs, and nurse educators who work in an eligible Critical Shortage Facility or teach in an eligible public or private nonprofit school of nursing. After 2 years of service, you can get 60% of loan repayment. After another year, you can get 25% more.

• National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program
  Provides loan repayment for health professionals working in medically underserved areas. This includes nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives. You can get up to $50,000 of repayment for a 2-year service.

Loan Forgiveness for Doctors

National Health Service Corps provides up to $50,000 towards your medical school debt for those serving in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

• Eligible fields include primary care medical, dental, and behavioral health professional.
  
• After your 2-year commitment, you can apply to continue your service in exchange for further loan forgiveness.

Loan Forgiveness for Military

• Army
  Student Loan Repayment Program. Active members can get 33.33% of your loan balance paid for each year of service, up to $65,000 for 3 years.

  You must request the Loan Payment Program before enlisting. Also, you must score at least a 50 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Those in the Reserves can get 15% each year, up to $20,000.

• Navy
  Student Loan Repayment Program. Navy service members can receive up to $65,000 over the course of 3 years.

  To qualify, you must have had the loan prior to enlisting in the Navy. Also, you must include your application for the Repayment Program prior to enlisting.

• Air Force
  Student Loan Repayment Program. Eligible for members of the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps. You can get up to $65,000 over a 3-year period. This is paid directly to your student loan provider.

• National Guard
  Members enlisted for a minimum of six-year terms of service are eligible for up to $50,000 a year in repayment assistance as long as they meet any additional eligibility criteria outlined in the ARNG Select Reserve Incentive Program Policy.

Loan Forgiveness for Attorneys

Attorneys have several loan forgiveness options available.

• Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program
  Any Justice employee serving in or hired to serve in an attorney position may request consideration for the ASLRP.

  Awards are determined annually and are paid directly to the loan holder. A three-year service obligation to the Justice is required following the acceptance of funding.

• John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program
  Public defenders can apply for the JRJ Student Loan Repayment Program and earn up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $60,000 from The Bureau of Justice Statistics.

  A three-year service obligation is required following the acceptance of the award. The award is issued state by state with different requirements for each state.

Loan Forgiveness for Health Professions Faculty

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) provides up to $40,000 for those interested in pursuing a career as a faculty member at a health professions school.

Applicants must:

• Come from a disadvantaged background, based on environmental and/or economic factors.

• Hold an eligible health professions degree or certificate.

• Commit to employment as a faculty member at an approved health professions institution for a minimum of two years.

Loan Forgiveness for Federal Employees

Pay & Leave Student Loan Repayment Program permits agencies to repay federally insured student loans as a recruitment or retention incentive for candidates or current employees of the agency.

• Payments may be made for the loan holder of the employee up to $10,000 maximum per calendar year and a total of no more than $60,000 for any one employee.

• The federal employee must agree to remain in the service of the paying agency for a period of at least three years.

Loan Forgiveness for Indian Health Service Professional

Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment for health professionals practicing in specific health facilities serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

• Awards are given up to $20,000 per year for qualified student loans for an initial two-year service obligation.

Loan Forgiveness for National Health Service Corps Practitioners

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC LRP) awards practitioners serving NHSC-approved service sites in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

• Awards are given up to $50,000 for two years of full-time service and up to $25,000 for two years of half-time service, depending upon the NHSA-approved site.

• A minimum commitment of two years at the NHSA-approved site follows the award.

Loan Forgiveness for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Participants

The five National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Forgiveness extramural programs include the:

• Clinical Research LRP

• Pediatric Research LRP

• Contraception & Infertility Research LRP

• Health Disparities Research LRP

• Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds.

Program awardees are bound to service obligations to conduct qualifying research supported by a domestic nonprofit or United States government (federal, state, or local) entity for 50% of their time (at a minimum of 20 hours per week based on a 40-hour week) for at least two years.

Payment projections are based on eligible student loan debt at the start date of the program contract. The program will repay 25% of the eligible education debt, up to a maximum of $35,000 per year.

Loan Forgiveness for Veterinarians

The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program pays towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years.

• Up to $25,000 is paid annually for qualified student loans for a maximum of three years.

STATE FORGIVENESS PLANS

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Forty-four states offer state-specific loan forgiveness programs. Click on the links provided to learn more about specific qualification requirements for each loan forgiveness program.

Loan Forgiveness Programs by State, 2019

Alabama
Alabama does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs. If you reside in Alabama, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Alaska
Alaska offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Support-for-Service Program (SHARP)
  For health care practitioners who practice as outpatient clinicians as designated by the program.

Arizona
Arizona offers four loan forgiveness programs.

• Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (PCPLRP)
  For primary care providers with current or prospective employment with a public or private nonprofit entity providing services in a federally designated health professional shortage area (HPSA) in Arizona.

• Rural Private Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (RPPCPLRP)
  For primary care providers with current or prospective employment with rural private primary care practices in federally designated health professional shortage areas or Arizona medically underserved areas.

• Arizona Teacher Student Loan Program
  For teachers who enter an agreement with the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE) to teach in an Arizona public school and meet other designated qualifications.

• Joyce Holsey's ALL (Arizona's Legal Legacy) Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For law school graduates employed in certain programs associated with low-income Arizonans.

Arkansas
Arkansas offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• State Teacher Education Program
  For teachers who teach in a public school located in a geographical area of the state designated as having a critical shortage of teachers or in a subject matter area designated as having a critical shortage of teachers of the state.

• Arkansas Veterinary Loan Repayment Program
  For veterinarians who attended Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and practice food supply veterinary medicine within the State of Arkansas.

California
California offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment (STLRP)
  For patient care professionals in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) in California.

• California State Loan Repayment Program
  For health care professionals practicing in certain federally designated California Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA).

• CDA Foundation Student Loan Repayment Grant
  For graduates or dental school students of an American Dental Association accredited school.

Colorado
Colorado offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Colorado Health Service Corps
  For health care professionals providing services to certain low-income and uninsured patients on a sliding scale.

• DU Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For alumni of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law who choose to work in a public service field.

  University of Colorado Law School graduates with ongoing employment in a qualifying public interest legal field.

• Colorado Loan Repayment Assistance Program

Connecticut
Connecticut does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs. If you reside in Connecticut, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Delaware
Delaware offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Delaware State Loan Repayment Program
  For primary care, dental, and mental health care professionals with advanced or mid-level degrees with employment in identified health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).

Florida
Florida offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program
  For nursing school graduates employed in areas of the state where critical nursing shortages exist.

• Florida Bar Foundation Repayment Assistance Program
  For civil legal aid staff attorneys who are employed by legal assistance organizations that receive grant funding from The Florida Bar Foundation.

Georgia
Georgia offers five loan forgiveness programs.

• Physicians for Rural Area Assistance Program
  For physicians serving rural and medically underserved areas in Georgia.

• Georgia Physician Loan Repayment Program
  For physicians practicing the specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, geriatrics, or psychiatry in Georgia.

• Dentists for Rural Areas Assistance Program
  For dentists practicing in underserved and rural counties in Georgia.

• Physician Assistant Loan Repayment Program
  For physician assistants providing patient care in medically underserved rural areas in Georgia.

• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Loan Repayment Program
  For advanced practice registered nurses practicing in an underserved rural Georgia county.

Hawaii
Hawaii offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program
  For primary care and behavioral health providers who provide patient care at designed health professional shortage areas in Hawaii.

Idaho
Idaho does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs. If you reside in Idaho, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Illinois
Illinois offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Illinois Teachers Loan Repayment Program
  For teachers employed in Illinois schools in low-income areas.

• Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program
  For nurse educators instructing practical or professional nurses in an approved Illinois institution.

• Veterans' Home Medical Providers' Loan Repayment Program
  For medical providers employed in State of Illinois veterans' homes.

Indiana
Indiana does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs. If you reside in Indiana, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Iowa
Iowa offers four loan forgiveness programs.

• Teach Iowa Scholar Program
  For teachers currently teaching in Iowa schools in designated shortage areas.

• Iowa Health Professional Recruitment Program
  For osteopathic doctors, physician assistants, podiatrists, and physical therapists practicing in high-need communities in Iowa.

• Iowa
  For nurse and nurse educators teaching full-time at eligible Iowa colleges and universities, as well as applicants who agree to practice full-time as registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in designated service commitment areas.

• Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program
  For physicians who graduated from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine or the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and practice in eligible service areas in Iowa.
  Kansas: Kansas offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Rural Opportunity Zones Student Loan Repayment Program
  For graduates holding an associate's, bachelor's, or post-graduate degree and have established residency in a designated Rural Opportunity zone in Kansas.

• Kansas State Loan Repayment Program
  For health care professionals with qualifying educational loans.

• Kansas Bridging Plan
  For primary care and psychiatry residents who agree to practice in an eligible Kansas county for a 36-month commitment.

Kentucky
Kentucky offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Kentucky Academy for Equity in Teaching (KAET)
  For educators entering the Kentucky teaching profession.

Louisiana
Louisiana offers three loan forgiveness e programs.

• Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
  For primary care providers who serve in health professional shortage areas in Louisiana.

• Louisiana Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For members of the Louisiana State Bar Association employed by a nonprofit legal organization assisting low-income individuals meeting certain eligibility conditions.

Maine
Maine offers seven loan forgiveness programs.

• Educators for Maine Program
  For students pursuing careers in education or child care in Maine and planning to work in Maine after graduation.

• Alfond Leaders Program
  For people who work in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) designated occupation at a Maine-based employer.

• Maine Dental Education Loan Program
  For students pursuing a career as a dentist and planning to work in Maine after graduation in an underserved area of the state in an eligible dental care facility.

• Maine Veterinary Medicine Loan Program
  For students pursuing a career as a veterinarian in Maine who show an interest in an area with insufficient veterinary services.

• Tuition Waiver Program (Foster Care)
  For certain foster children and adopted children/wards students who are under subsidy from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for a participating Main public college/university.

• Tuition Waiver Program (Public Servant)
  For children or spouses of Maine firefighters, law enforcement officers, or emergency medical services providers killed in the line of duty for a participating Maine public college/university.

• Main Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For University of Maine School of Law graduates who pursue public interest careers that meet certain eligibility requirements.

Maryland
Maryland offers six loan forgiveness programs.

• Maryland SmartBuy
  For homebuyers with student loan debt who purchase a home owned by the Department of Housing and Community Development in the state of Maryland.

• Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program (LARP)
  For lawyers, nurses, licensed clinical counselors, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, speech pathologists, and teachers who provide public service in Maryland State or local government or nonprofit agencies.

• Maryland Dent-Care Loan Assistance Repayment Program (MDC-LARP)
  For dentists employed full-time in Maryland and provide care to Maryland Medical Assistance (MMAP) recipients.

• For former foster care recipients who are employed by Maryland State, county, or municipality government.
  Maryland Loan Assistance
  Repayment Program (MLARP) For Foster Care Recipients

• State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians (MLARP)
  For physicians and physician assistants who serve in a health professional shortage area (HPSA) or medically underserved area (MUA).

Massachusetts
Massachusetts offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Massachusetts Loan Forgiveness Programs
  For health care professionals in the fields of dental, medical, and mental health who serve in communities with barriers to access.
  Michigan: Michigan offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Michigan State Loan Repayment Program
  For the recruitment and retention of primary medical, dental, and mental health care providers who meet eligibility and program requirements.
  Minnesota: Minnesota offers thirteen loan forgiveness programs.

• Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness Program
  For the recruitment and retention of health care professionals and educators to needed areas and facilities in Minnesota and meet specific eligibility requirements.

• Minnesota Rural Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program
  For students or practicing veterinarians at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, who serve or dedicate to serving in designated rural areas in Minnesota.
  Mississippi: Mississippi offers one loan forgiveness program.

• For teachers employed in a critical geographical or subject area in the state of Mississippi.

• Mississippi Teacher Loan Repayment Program.

Missouri
Missouri offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Primary Care Resource Initiative for Missouri (PRIMO)
  For students pursuing primary care physician, dentist, and dental hygienist professions leading to licensure in the state of Missouri.

• Missouri Nurse Student and Nurse Loan Repayment Program
  For students pursuing careers as licensed practical nurses or professional nurses in underserved areas of Missouri.

Montana
Montana offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Montana Rural Physician Incentive Program
  For physicians to encourage service to rural and medically underserved areas in Montana.

• Montana Institutional Nursing Incentive Program
  For registered nurses who are employed full-time by either the Montana state prison or the Montana state hospital.

Nebraska
Nebraska offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Nebraska Loan Repayment Program
  For health professionals who are fully licensed and practicing in designated shortage areas for their specialty. The areas of health profession specialties include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, clinical psychologists, licensed mental health practitioners, pharmacist, occupations therapists, and physical therapists.

Nevada
Nevada offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Nevada Health Service Corps
  For health professionals who meet licensure standards in Nevada and practice in specific health professions in assigned communities to encourage the serving of rural communities lacking in health resources and support.

New Hampshire
New Hampshire offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• New Hampshire State Loan Repayment Program
  For specific health care professionals working in areas of the state of New Hampshire designated as being medically underserved.

• New Hampshire Bar Foundation Loan Forgiveness Program
  For the recruitment of law school graduates who accept state attorney positions at legal services agencies that assist the poor and elderly in New Hampshire.

New Jersey
New Jersey offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program of New Jersey (NJLRP)
  For primary care physicians, dentists, certified nurse midwives, certified nurse practitioners, and certified physician assistants agreeing to practice in state-designated underserved areas or federally designated health professional shortage areas.

• New Jersey STEM Loan Redemption Program
  For professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in New Jersey in designated STEM occupations.

• Nursing Faculty Loan Redemption Program
  For graduates a nursing degree program employed full-time at a school of nursing in the State of New Jersey.

New Mexico
New Mexico offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• New Mexico Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
  For health professionals in specific programs committed to practicing full-time in designated medical shortage areas in New Mexico.

• New Mexico Public Law Loan Repayment Program (LRAP)
  For attorneys who provide legal services to low income or underserved residents of New Mexico at eligible employment sites.

New York
New York offers twelve loan forgiveness programs.

• New York State Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
  For graduates who pursue careers in farming in the state of New York on a full-time basis.

• NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
  For individuals who provide direct care services at a New York State-licensed child welfare agency.

• NYS Direct Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness (DALF) Program
  For attorneys employed as District Attorneys, Assistant District Attorneys, or Indigent Legal Services Attorneys throughout New York State.

• NYS Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness (LSWLF) Program
  For licensed social workers working in critical human service areas designed in the state of New York.

• NYS Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness (NFLF) Incentive Program
  For licensed registered nurses who have taught in the field of nursing in New York State.

• NYS Get on Your Feet Loan Forgiveness Program
  For New York State college graduates who are participating in a federal income-driven repayment plan whose payments are generally capped at 10% of their discretionary income.

• Albany Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
  For graduates of Albany Law School pursuing careers in public interest law, as well as city, county, and state attorney's offices, and agencies operated by a city, county, or state.

• Doctors Across New York
  For doctors seeking and serving communities in a variety of settings and specialties to care for New York's diverse population.

• Teach NYC
  For New York State certified teachers and school-based pedagogic clinicians working on specified shortage areas and bilingual education.

• Steven C. Krane Student Loan Assistance for the Public Interest Program (SLAPI)
  For attorneys in the state of New York who undertake careers in public services.

• New York National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
  For soldiers and officer candidates (09S) who have one or more qualifying and disbursed Title IV federal loans.

• Regents Physician Loan Forgiveness Award Program
  For physicians practicing in areas designated by the New York State Board of Regents as having a shortage of physicians.

North Carolina
North Carolina offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• North Carolina State Loan Repayment Program
  For mental health professionals who provide primary and psychiatric care to people in rural and underserved areas in a variety of practice settings.

• Forgivable Education Loans for Service Program
  For students committed to working in critical employment shortage professions in North Carolina.

• North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Foundation Loan Forgiveness Program (LEAF)
  For public interest attorneys with the least ability to repay their law school debt and those who meet other qualifying criteria.
  North Dakota: North Dakota offer three loan forgiveness programs.

• North Dakota STEM Loan Forgiveness Program
  For college graduates who work in STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in North Dakota.

• North Dakota Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program
  For teachers in North Dakota teaching in grade levels, content areas, and geographical locations designated as having a teacher shortage or critical need.

• North Dakota Dentists Loan Repayment Program
  For dentists providing services in the cities or surrounding areas, or both, which are designated as having a defined need for dental services.

Ohio
Offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment Program
  For dentists who practice in areas of Ohio designated as having a dental professional shortage.

• Ohio Physician Loan Repayment Program
  For physicians committed to practice at an eligible site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Health Resource Shortage Area and meet other qualifying requirements.

Oklahoma
Oklahoma offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Oklahoma Physician Loan Repayment Program
  For physicians who practice in a community in Oklahoma in rural and underserved areas with special emphasis on Medicaid and Medicare recipients.

• Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Program (ODLRP)
  For dentists serving and caring for those dependent upon the state for dental care accessible to underserved metropolitan and rural areas.

• Physician/Community Match Program
  For primary care physicians practicing in selected communities in Oklahoma, particularly those in communities of less than 10,000 population.

Oregon
Oregon offers three loan forgiveness programs.

• Health Care Provider Incentive Loan Repayment Program
  For health care providers who serve patients regardless of their source of coverage or ability to pay at qualifying practice sites.

• Oregon Primary Care Loan Forgiveness (PCLF)
  For primary care students in approved rural training tracks who contract with an approved practice site.

• Oregon State Bar Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For practicing attorneys within the State of Oregon with civil legal aid organizations, or other private nonprofit organizations providing direct legal representation of low-income individuals, as public defenders or as deputy district attorneys.
  Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Pennsylvania Primary Care Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
  For primary care practitioners willing to serve Pennsylvania residents and to make a commitment to practicing in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation - PA IOLTA Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For attorneys employed at IOLTA-funded legal services organizations in public service in Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island offers four loan forgiveness programs.

• Rhode Island Educational Loan Repayment Program for Primary Care Providers
  For primary care professionals to promote and provide health care needs in the state of Rhode Island.

• Rhode Island Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program
  For primary care, dentistry, and mental health professionals who have made a commitment to practice in medically underserved communities.

• Rhode Island Student Loan Authority Loan Forgiveness for Internships
  For students who have completed internships for loans held by the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA).

• Wavemaker Fellowship Program
  For graduates pursuing a career or starting a business in Rhode Island in technology, engineering, design, and other key sectors.

South Carolina
South Carolina offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Public Interest Law Loan Forgiveness Fund (PILLFF)
  For graduates of the School of Law who obtain employment in the field of public interest law and who need assistance in repayment loans used to fund their legal obligation.

• South Carolina Teacher Loan Forgiveness
  For teachers who obtained a Teachers Loan, Career Changer Loan, or a PACE loan and teach in certain critical geographic and/or subject areas in the South Carolina public school system.
  South Dakota: South Dakota offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Delta Dental Philanthropic Fund Dentist Loan Repayment for Service Program
  For private practice dentists who commit to treating underserved populations.

Tennessee
Tennessee does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs.

If you reside in Tennessee, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Texas
Texas offers six loan forgiveness programs.

• Nursing Facility Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For nurses who serve as faculty at eligible institutions of higher education in a position that requires an advanced degree in professional nursing.

• Physician Education Loan Repayment Program (PELRP)
  For physicians who practice medicine in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and provide health care services in approved primary care specialties.

• Teach for Texas Loan Repayment Assistance Program (TFTLRAP)
  For teachers in fields and communities that have a shortage of teachers in Texas.

• State Bar of Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (SLRAP)
  For attorneys who pursue legal aid careers in Texas.

• Texas Loan Repayment Program for Mental Health Professionals
  For mental health professionals practicing in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MHPSA).

• Texas Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program
  For teachers who teach math or science in Texas Public Schools.

Utah
Utah does not sponsor any state-level loan forgiveness programs. If you reside in Utah, seek loan forgiveness at either the federal level or with your lender.

Vermont
Vermont offers four loan forgiveness programs.

• Vermont Educational Loan Repayment Program for Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants
  For primary care nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychiatric nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, or physicians meeting qualifying criteria practicing in the state of Vermont.

• Vermont Nursing Educational Loan Repayment Program
  For nurses (RN or LPN) employed at eligible work sites designated by the program.

• Vermont Educational Loan Repayment Program for Dentists
  For dentists practicing in a site or region with a need for dentists, or in an underserved area as defined by the program.

• Vermont Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program (VBF-LRAP)
  For attorneys employed in nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the civil legal needs of low-income individuals and families in Vermont or employed by the Office of the Defender General.

Virginia
Virginia offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (VA-SLRP)
  For primary health care providers including specialty area physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dental professionals, mental health professionals, registered nurses, and pharmacists practicing and working in eligible practice sites.

• Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
  For attorneys employed by LSC-funded legal services programs (LSC grantees).

Washington
Washington offers one loan forgiveness program.

• Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
  For health care providers including specialty areas and sites as outlined by the program.

West Virginia
West Virginia offers five loan forgiveness programs.

• West Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
  For primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurse midwives serving in a Health Shortage Area (HPSA) in West Virginia including federally qualified health clinics.

• Health Sciences Service Program (HSSP)
  For health care students in qualifying specialties and programs in the state of West Virginia.

• Recruitment & Retention Community Project (RRCP)
  For primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dentists practicing in underserved areas of West Virginia.

• West Virginia Medical Student Loan Program
  For participants practicing in the field of family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, or psychiatry and practice in an underserved area of West Virginia.

• WVU Family Medicine Rural Scholars Program
  For medical students committed to a career in family medicine in a rural/small town in West Virginia.

Wisconsin
Wisconsin offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• Wisconsin Health Professions Loan Assistance Program
  For health care professionals including physicians, psychiatrists, dentists, dental hygienists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives working full-time in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

• Wisconsin Rural Physician Loan Assistance Program
  For primary care physicians and psychiatrists practicing in a rural community as defined by the state program.

Wyoming
Wyoming offers one loan forgiveness program.

• For veterinarians practicing in Wyoming in approved areas including areas that are underserved and in need of Food Animal Veterinary Services according to the loan repayment program.

• Wyoming Veterinary Loan Repayment Program

U.S. Territories

The District of Columbia: Washington, D.C., offers two loan forgiveness programs.

• DC Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
  For health practitioners practicing full-time at HPLRP-certified sites in health professional shortage and medically underserved areas (MPSA's and MUAs) in DC.

• DC Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
  For attorneys working in DC in for program-specific employers and designated areas with a focus on serving low-income DC residents.

EMPLOYEE STUDENT LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Student Loan Repayment Plans (SLRPs) are gaining popularity as a company benefit offered by employers as part of employee assistance packages.

Common SLRP options:

• Employer pays the student loan off in full.

• Employer pays a portion of the student loan.

Check with your employer to find out if they offer the SLRP benefit, and what specific eligibility and benefit parameters they have in place.

Loan Discharge Options

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Federal loans may be discharged due to a catastrophic event. These may include the following scenarios.

Closed school

Maybe you went to a school, either in the United States or overseas, that closed. You may be eligible for a federal loan discharge in that case.

• Did your school close after you obtained your student loan?

• Did the school close while you were enrolled?

• Did the school close within 120 days after you withdrew?

Passing of a student

Another type of discharge available is when a student, or a parent borrower of a PLUS loan, has passed away. The federal loan servicer handling the student's loans will require a certified death certificate to authenticate it and then discharge the loans.

• Did your parent take out a PLUS loan for your education, and are they now deceased?

• Are you the parent, and the student is now deceased?

Disability

If a student becomes disabled and is no longer able to perform the duties for which they received the federal student aid, they may be eligible for a discharge.

• Are you permanently disabled?

• Does your disability prohibit you from doing the work for which you took out the student loan?

Students who went to a career college for Commercial Driver's License training may be eligible for a discharge if they became an insulin-dependent diabetic. Or, if you are a veteran, you may qualify for discharge if you have received a VA disability.

Bankruptcy

In rare cases, you may have your federal student loan discharged if the bankruptcy court determines that repayment would impose undue hardship on you and your dependents. You must declare Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and the hardship must be decided through proceedings in bankruptcy court.

• Have you filed Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy?

• If you have not filed for bankruptcy, and you feel you meet the financial and hardship qualifications, meet with a bankruptcy attorney.

False certification of eligibility or unauthorized signature/unauthorized payment

You may be eligible for discharge of your Direct or federal loans if criteria surrounding false certifications, signatures, or authorization by your school are met.

• Did your school falsely certify your eligibility to receive the loan based on your ability to benefit from its training?

• Was your loan falsely certified because you were a victim of identity theft?

• Did the school certify your loan eligibility but due to extenuating circumstances you cannot meet state requirements for employment in the area for which you were trained?

• Did the school sign your name on the application or promissory note without your authorization?

• Did the school endorse your loan check or authorized for electronic funds transfer without your knowledge, and the money was not given to you or applied to charges that you owed to the school?

Unpaid refund discharge

Your school may be required to return a portion of your loan money if you withdrew from school after receiving a student loan.

• Did you attend the school for less than 60% of the academic period for which your loan was issued?

  If so, check with them to find out how federal refund policies apply to federal aid. You may also contact your loan servicer for additional information.

Refinancing won't remove your student loans, but it can save you a lot of money in repaying them. Read on for more information.

Refinancing Your Student Loans

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Refinancing your student loans can lower your interest rate, which may mean thousands of dollars saved on interest. A higher percentage of your monthly payments will now go toward your principal balance.

Student loan refinance options vary, so you'll want to shop around with private lenders to find the best deal. Look for refinancing terms that offer:

• Lower Interest Rates
  Interest rates vary because they are based on individual credit and income. Check the rates from several lenders and keep the search within a 14-day window. This way it only counts as one credit inquiry on your credit report.

• Fixed Rate
  With a fixed interest rate, your payments won't change over the life of your loan.
  Keep in mind: A variable rate might be a better option IF you can pay your loan off early. Variable rates are often lower than fixed rates, which can save you money.

  But your monthly payment might go up if the interest rate increases. If you aren't sure how long it will take to pay off your debt, stick with a fixed rate.
  

• No Fees
  You don't have to pay origination fees for a private student loan. Steer clear of lenders that include early repayment penalties in the contract. You do not want to pay more for a loan simply because you are paying it off early.

How to Qualify for Refinancing

Follow these steps:

1. Visit one or more of the websites here and fill in your information. You will receive offers for loan refinancing.

2. Read and understand the rates and terms of your offer(s).

3. Choose an offer and accept the terms.

Still have questions about loan forgiveness? Find the answers below.

Common Questions

• How long does it take to have a student loan forgiven?
  It depends on the program you apply for. For an income-driven repayment plan, it can take up to 25 years of payments before your loans are forgiven.

  The PSLF program forgives your loans after 10 years. Other programs for teachers, nurses, and doctors can have loans forgiven in a little as 2 years.

• Are federal student loans forgiven at age 65?
  No. In the US, age-based loan forgiveness does not exist. In fact, the federal government can reduce your Social Security retirement benefits if you default on your student loan.

• Do they forgive student loans after 20 years?
  The federal income-driven repayment plans will forgive any remaining federal student loan debt after 20 or 25 years of payments (depending on your plan). You can enroll in one of the forgiveness programs if you have Direct Federal Loans.

• Can student loans be removed from my credit report?
  Student loans are only removed from credit reports after they are fully paid. Negative remarks (such as a late payment) will stay on your credit report for 7 years before being removed.

  If you're in default with federal loans, a one-time rehabilitation option is available that will remove negative remarks and bring your loan current.

Bottom Line

Paying off student loan debt takes a lot of discipline and hard work. Your ultimate focus should be on keeping the cost of repayment down over the life of your loan. But take the time to research loan forgiveness and other types of assistance.