Student loan forgiveness cancels some or all of your remaining federal student loan balance after you meet specific eligibility requirements — such as working in public service for 10 years or completing 20–25 years of income-driven repayment.
Federal forgiveness is not automatic — you must meet specific requirements, apply through the correct program, and often make a set number of qualifying payments first. Forgiveness applies to Direct Loans held by the Department of Education; most private loans are not eligible. Confirm eligibility through StudentAid.gov.
If you work full-time for a qualifying employer — a government agency (federal, state, local, tribal) or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — the remaining balance of your Direct Loans is forgiven after 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years) on a qualifying repayment plan. Use the PSLF Help Tool to check employer eligibility.
Borrowers on IDR plans receive forgiveness of any remaining balance after the full repayment period — 20 years for most undergraduate loans, 25 for graduate loans on certain plans. This applies to all eligible federal borrowers, not just public servants. IDR forgiveness may be taxable; PSLF forgiveness is tax-free.
Teachers who work full-time for five consecutive years at a low-income school may qualify for forgiveness of up to $17,500 on Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, subject to subject-area and eligibility rules. Details at StudentAid.gov.