How To Get Student Loan Forgiveness for Federal Employees

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Many people want to go into public interest work, but worry about how to repay expensive student loans. If you work for the government, you may be eligible for tens of thousands of dollars in student loan forgiveness for federal employees.

See what programs you may qualify for, how much money you could get for your student loans, and how to apply for forgiveness.

Student loan forgiveness programs for federal employees

Federal employees can take advantage of many different programs designed to help people repay their student debt.

Some of these programs are open to any qualified borrowers, including those who work for eligible nonprofits as well as the federal government. These options include:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Perkins Loan cancellation

In addition to these options, though, there is also a special program just for individuals who work for the federal government — the federal student loan repayment program. While your loans aren’t forgiven through this program, your government employer will help you repay all or a portion of your debt.

Federal student loan repayment program

Under this program, the federal agency you work for will repay up to $10,000 per year of eligible federal student loans, including:

• Direct Loans, including Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans
• Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL)
• Perkins Loans
• Loans made or insured under the Public Health Service Act, including loans for disadvantaged students, primary care loans, nursing student loans, and health education assistance loans

The maximum amount you can have repaid under this program is $60,000. However, employees must also make a three-year service commitment to a federal agency in order to be eligible for any repayment help. If you quit or are fired before your service is complete, you may need to repay any loan money you received.

Federal agencies determine who is eligible for federal employee student loan forgiveness, but in general, the program is open to highly qualified candidates and current employees.

There is no specific application, but the Office of Personnel Management instructs current employees or potential candidates to contact their employing agency for further information, as each agency has its own implementation rules.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is another avenue through which federal employees can earn student loan forgiveness. It’s not restricted to just federal employees, though — anyone who works for a qualifying employer can benefit from it.

The program is available to borrowers with Direct Loans who work for an eligible nonprofit or federal, state, or local government agency. To qualify, you must work full time and make 120 on-time payments under an income-driven repayment plan. After you complete your 120 payments, any remaining balance of your eligible federal loans can be forgiven.

You will need to apply for this program, which you can do by using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness help tool. If your employer qualifies, you’ll use this same tool to certify your employment each year and, once you’ve met the requirements, apply for loan forgiveness.

Related: The Complete List of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

What to do if you need more help paying off student loans

Taking advantage of these options for student loan forgiveness can be helpful in repaying eligible federal loans, but you may still need some extra assistance. That’s especially true since you’re still responsible for making your monthly payments while you work toward loan forgiveness.

Thankfully, there are a number of options you can use, including:

• Research non-government loan assistance: Look for other loan repayment assistance programs, which may be offered through schools or public or private organizations — especially if you’re doing public service work or are employed in health care, law, or teaching.
• Change your repayment plan: Income-driven repayment plans are required if you want to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. However, income-driven plans also enable you to set your monthly payment based on a percentage of your income — a potentially useful strategy if your payments are too high.
• Refinance student loans: This could be a good option for private student loans, which aren’t eligible for income-driven payment plans or most loan forgiveness or repayment assistance programs. Refinancing your loans can reduce your interest rate, which can lower both your monthly payment and total payoff costs in some circumstances. Be cautious refinancing federal loans, though, as doing so means you’ll lose access to all federal loan benefits.

The right option for you will depend on what loans you have, as well as the type of assistance you need and the kinds of programs you’re eligible for based on your job and income.

The companies in the table below are Credible’s approved partner lenders.

Lender	Variable rates from (APR)	Fixed rates from (APR)
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	4.99%+	4.4%+
Fixed APR: 4.4%+ Variable APR: 4.99%+ Min. credit score: 720 Loan amount: $10,000 to $400,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Military deferment, forbearance Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must have a credit score of at least 720, a minimum income of $60,000, and must be a resident of Texas Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: 720 Cosigner release: No Loan servicer: Firstmark Services Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 – $149,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $200,000 – $400,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Does not disclose
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	6.75%+1	6.8%+1
Fixed APR: 6.8%+1 Variable APR: 6.75%+1 Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $10,000 to $750,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Immediate repayment, academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay, loyalty Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have at least $10,000 in student loans Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 24 to 36 months Loan servicer: Firstmark Services Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 to $149,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: Less than $150,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	5.99%+2	5.99%+2
Fixed APR: 5.99%+2 Variable APR: 5.99%+2 Min. credit score: Does not disclose Loan amount: $5,000 to $300,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 Repayment options: Military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: All states except for ME Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 24 to 36 months Loan servicer: College Ave Servicing LLC Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $100,000 to $149,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: Less than $300,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	7.88%+5	6.0%+5
Fixed APR: 6.0%+5 Variable APR: 7.88%+5 Min. credit score: 700 Loan amount: $7,500 to $200,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Immediate repayment, academic deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and submit two personal references Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 36 months Loan servicer: Granite State Management & Resources (GSM&R) Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $150,000 to $249,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $150,000 to $199,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing : Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	5.03%+3	5.08%+3
Fixed APR: 5.08%+3 Variable APR: 5.03%+3 Min. credit score: 680 Loan amount: $10,000 to $250,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Forbearance Fees: None Discounts: None Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have at least $15,000 in student loan debt, and have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved school Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: No Loan servicer: Mohela Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $250,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $250,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	7.6%+4	5.61%+4
Fixed APR: 5.61%+4 Variable APR: 7.6%+4 Min. credit score: 670 Loan amount: $5,000 to $250,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15, 20 Repayment options: Academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance Fees: Late fee, returned payment fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident Customer service: Email, phone, chat Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: Yes Max undergraduate loan balance: $250,000 Max graduate loan balance: $250,000 Offers Parent PLUS refinancing: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	5.02%+	4.49%+
Fixed APR: 4.49%+ Variable APR: 5.02%+ Min. credit score: 700 Loan amount: $5,000 to $300,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15 Max. undergraduate Loan Balance: $125,000 Time to Fund: 10 to 30 days Repayment options: Immediate repayment, forbearance Fees: Late fee Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have already graduated with at least an associate degree from an eligible institution Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: After 12 months Loan servicer: LendKey Technologies Inc. Max. graduate Loan Balance: $175,000 Credible Review: LendKey Student Loans review Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: No
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	N/A	5.5%+
Fixed APR: 5.5%+ Variable APR: N/A Min. credit score: 670 Loan amount: $10,000 up to the total amount Loan terms (years): 7, 10, 15 Repayment options: Military deferment, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: None Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have at least $10,000 in student loans Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes Cosigner release: No Loan servicer: AES Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: No maximum Max. Gradaute Loan Balance: No maximum Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	5.34%+ – 10.54%+8	7.27%+ – 13.92%+8
Fixed APR: 5.34%+ – 10.54%+8 Variable APR: 7.27%+ – 13.92%+8 Min. credit score: Mid-to-high 600’s FICO8 Loan amount: $5,000 to $500,000 (depending on degree) Loan terms (years): 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25 years8 Time to fund: 3 business days Repayment options: Immediate Fees: Late fee, NSF fee Discounts: Autopay8 Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency status with a valid U.S. Social Security number Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Yes8 Cosigner release: After 24 months8 Loan servicer: Firstmark Services Max. undergraduate loan balance: $125,000 Max. graduate loan balance: $500,000 Offers Parent PLUS loans: Yes Min. income: You or your cosigner must meet Nelnet Bank’s income criteria
Credible Rating Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. The rating criteria for lenders encompass 78 data points spanning interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirement transparency, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more. Read our full methodology.	N/A	5.79%+
Fixed APR: 5.79%+ Variable APR: N/A Min. credit score: 680 Loan amount: $7,500 to $250,000 Loan terms (years): 5, 10, 15 Repayment options: Academic deferment, military deferment, forbearance, loans discharged upon death or disability Fees: None Discounts: Autopay Eligibility: Available in all 50 states; must also have at least $7,500 in student loans and a minimum income of $40,000 Customer service: Email, phone Soft credit check: Does not disclose Cosigner release: No Loan servicer: Rhode Island Student Loan Authority Max. Undergraduate Loan Balance: $150,000 – $249,000 Max. Graduate Loan Balance: $200,000 – $249,000 Offers Parent PLUS Refinancing: Yes
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All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | 1Citizens Disclosures | 2College Ave Disclosures | 5EDvestinU Disclosures | 3 ELFI Disclosures | 4INvestEd Disclosures | 7ISL Education Lending Disclosures  | 8Nelnet Bank Disclosures

Frequently asked questions

Do federal jobs pay off your student loans?

With some federal jobs, you may be eligible for the federal student loan repayment program. This program provides payment for up to $10,000 of eligible federal loans each year, with a maximum payout of $60,000 total. You will need to make a three-year service commitment.

Government workers with eligible loans may also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which will forgive any remaining debt after you make 120 payments while working for a qualifying employer.

Can you negotiate student loan repayment assistance with a federal agency?

You can ask the agency you are employed by, or are interested in working for, if you might qualify for the federal student loan repayment program. The Office of Personnel Management recommends discussing eligibility directly, as each agency must develop a plan regarding how it will implement this repayment assistance.

Can you double-dip into PSLF and other forgiveness programs?

It may be possible to qualify for both PSLF and other forgiveness programs. For example, you could qualify for both PSLF and the federal student loan repayment program, assuming you’re eligible for both. But depending on how loan assistance is applied to your student loans, it may not count toward the 120 required payments for PSLF.

Check out Federal Student Aid for more information, or contact the administrators of your forgiveness programs.

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