How to Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Apply for PSLF by confirming eligibility, consolidating loans, submitting employment certification, and filing your forgiveness application.

1. Confirm your job and employer qualify. You must work full-time (30+ hours per week) for a qualifying employer: government organizations at any level, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, or other nonprofits providing qualifying public services like emergency management or public safety. Use the PSLF Help Tool on Federal Student Aid's website to verify your employer's eligibility. Private companies, for-profit organizations, and labor unions don't qualify.
2. Consolidate non-Direct Loans if needed. Only Direct Loans qualify for PSLF — FFEL, Perkins, and other federal loan types don't count. If you have non-Direct Loans, submit a Direct Consolidation Loan application through your federal loan servicer. This creates a new Direct Consolidation Loan, but resets your payment count to zero, so do this early in your career.
3. Switch to an income-driven repayment plan. Standard 10-year repayment plans technically qualify, but most people use income-driven plans like Income-Based Repayment (IBR) or Pay As You Earn (PAYE) to lower monthly payments. Submit an Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request through your servicer. You'll need to recertify your income annually, and payments adjust based on family size and income.
4. Submit annual employment certification forms. File the PSLF Employment Certification Form every year and whenever you change jobs to track your qualifying payments. Your employer's HR department must sign the form confirming your employment dates and full-time status. Submit it to your loan servicer, who will update your qualifying payment count and notify you of any issues.
5. Make 120 qualifying monthly payments. Payments must be on time, for the full amount due, and while employed full-time at a qualifying organization. Partial payments, late payments, and forbearance periods don't count toward the 120 total. This typically takes 10 years of consistent employment and payments, though the timeline can vary if you change jobs or take breaks.
6. Apply for loan forgiveness after 120 payments. Submit the PSLF Application for Forgiveness through your loan servicer once you've made your 120th qualifying payment. Include employment certification for any periods not already certified. The Department of Education reviews your application and payment history, then notifies you of approval or denial within 90 days.