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PSLF

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Forgives 100 percent of your remaining federal Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years) while working full-time for a government or 501(c)(3) nonprofit employer. The foundation program every other loan-repayment award stacks on top of.

U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid

Award

100 percent of remaining federal Direct Loan balance, forgiven after 120 qualifying monthly payments. Payments do not have to be consecutive. There is no dollar cap and no service-area requirement beyond working for a qualifying employer.

Eligible professions

  • →Any profession (eligibility determined by employer type, not job title)

Eligible employer types

Government Nonprofit Publichospital Fqhc Ihs Academic

Application cycle

Rolling. Certify employment annually using the PSLF Help Tool, then submit the forgiveness request after reaching 120 qualifying payments.

PSLF interaction

This is PSLF. NHSC, IHS, and NURSE Corps service can count toward PSLF concurrently when you have Direct Loans on a qualifying repayment plan and work full-time for a qualifying employer. The award funds themselves do not count as qualifying payments.

Tax treatment

PSLF-forgiven amounts are not federally taxable under IRC §108(f). State tax treatment varies.

Common pitfalls

  • !Loans must be Direct Loans. FFEL, Perkins, and private loans do not qualify, but FFEL and Perkins can be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan to become eligible going forward.
  • !Payments must be on a qualifying repayment plan (10-year Standard or any IDR plan).
  • !For-profit hospitals and clinics do not qualify regardless of the patient population they serve.
  • !Final PSLF rules published October 30, 2025 take effect July 1, 2026. Federal Student Aid has stated no current impact to existing payment counts or discharges. Recertify after July 1 to confirm your status.

Next step

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Sources

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026. Program rules and award amounts change. Always confirm directly with the agency before applying. If you find an error, email hello@blackhealth.org and we'll correct it within 48 hours.