Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program provides partial forgiveness of federal loans for borrowers who work in eligible public service employment for 10 years after graduation. This program is available for Federal Direct Loans, or other federal loans that have been consolidated. Borrowers must be participating in an income-driven repayment plan and have made 120 qualifying payments toward their student loan debt while employed with a government agency or non-profit organization.

Borrowers seeking loan forgiveness should submit an Employment Certification Form to the federal government annually to certify their payments and confirm that their employer makes them eligible for this program.

To learn more about this program and to download necessary forms, we recommend you visit this FAQ from Federal Student Aid. You can also learn more by watching Module 8: Public Service Loan Forgiveness, part of the Financial Wellness @ Penn “Understanding Student Loans” series.