Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Your last chance to have previously ineligible payments on ANY federal loans count toward PSLF ends on June 30, 2024. You must consolidate FFEL Loans and Perkins loans before this deadline to maximize the number of qualifying payments. Complete the consolidation application using Summer or at Federal Student Aid before June 30, 2024.

Apply before the deadline

Here’s why it is critical that you consolidate FFEL and Perkins Loans before June 30, 2024:

The AFT settled a landmark court case in October 2021 that set in motion significant, but temporary, changes to the eligibility requirements for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Since that time, we have heard from hundreds of members who have had their entire loan balances wiped away thanks to our union’s efforts.

If you have student debt and, like most AFT members, work for a public employer or nonprofit organization—regardless of whether you work in education, healthcare or another profession—you could have your entire debt balance forgiven, but YOU MUST CONSOLIDATE FFEL AND PERKINS LOANS before June 30, 2024, to benefit from the temporary PSLF waiver and income-driven repayment readjustment.

You do not have to have made 120 payments over 10 years to benefit from this temporary waiver right now. Even if you have only made some payments to qualify for PSLF, applying before the end of the year may move you significantly closer to achieving loan forgiveness because you may get additional credit for MORE payments AND for periods of deferment or forbearance that exceed 12 months consecutively or 36 months total. Don’t miss out. Consolidate before June 30, 2024, if you want to take advantage of the temporary PSLF waiver and income-driven repayment adjustment.

The right path

Here are steps you can take now to make sure you’re on the right path:

1. Make sure you complete the application to consolidate FFEL Loans and Perkins Loans before June 30, 2024. Complete the application at Federal Student Aid or using the Summer Student Loan member benefit.
   
2. Use the U.S. Education Department’s PSLF help tool to start your application right away.
   • Create or log in to your Federal Student Aid account. This is where your federal student loan information is available from the Education Department. The help tool walks you through the necessary steps to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Create your account or log in here.
   • Fill out the online portion of the PSLF application.
   • Once you’ve completed the help tool, download and print out the auto-generated form. Have your employer(s) sign page 2. Each employer you are trying to certify will need to sign their own page 2. Then submit the form to MOHELA, using the submission instructions at the top of page 4 on the form.
     
3. Need more information? Attend an AFT virtual student debt clinic for more details about how these programs work and what you can do to qualify. Sign up for an upcoming virtual clinic here.
   
4. Sign up for Summer, the free AFT member benefit that helps you navigate your student loans. Summer provides information and additional support to help you navigate applying for PSLF and other loan forgiveness options.