Can recent graduates apply for loan forgiveness?

Asked by: Mr. Louie Ledner V  |  Last update: December 12, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (50 votes)

Does graduate student debt qualify? Yes, federal student loans taken out to cover graduate degrees qualify for forgiveness.

Do new grads qualify for loan forgiveness?

Nearly every type of federal student loan qualifies for forgiveness, including direct subsidized or unsubsidized loans and graduate or parent PLUS loans. If your loans qualified for the federal student loan payment pause, they're eligible for this forgiveness opportunity.

When can you no longer apply for student loan forgiveness?

The deadline to apply for student loan debt relief is December 31, 2023.

Would student loan forgiveness apply to current students?

Current students can apply for forgiveness for federal loans if they received them before June 30, 2022. (Unfortunately, this means that freshmen who started this fall aren't eligible.)

Would Biden student loan forgiveness apply to current students?

THE ANSWER. Yes, current college students qualify for student loan forgiveness, if they or their parents meet certain income requirements and the loans were taken out before July 2022.

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23 related questions found

Who doesn't qualify for student loan forgiveness?

What student loans are not eligible for forgiveness? Private student loans, by definition, are private and are not eligible to be forgiven. These are loans the borrower owes to student loan providers and not the federal government.

Which years qualify for student loan forgiveness?

Under the Higher Education Act and the Department's regulations, a borrower is eligible for forgiveness after making 240 or 300 monthly payments—the equivalent of 20 or 25 years on an IDR plan or the standard repayment plan, with the number of required payments varying based upon when a borrower first took out the ...

What student loans are eligible for forgiveness?

Borrowers with direct loans or those made through the Federal Family Education Loan, or F.F.E.L., program and held by the Education Department may qualify, including borrowers with Parent PLUS loans.

How do you know if you qualify for student loan forgiveness?

Under the Higher Education Act and Dept. of Ed. regulations, a borrower is normally eligible for forgiveness in income-driven plans after making 240 or 300 monthly payments — the equivalent of 20 or 25 years on a standard repayment plan.

Is Biden forgiving $10,000 in student loans?

If you received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt relief. If you did not receive a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you will be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt relief.

Are 2023 student loans eligible for forgiveness?

No. The Supreme Court struck down Biden's student loan cancellation plan on Jun. 30. The ruling concluded that the administration does not have the authority to cancel student loan debt under the HEROES Act.

Is student loan forgiveness the same as public service loan forgiveness?

PSLF is different from the one-time student loan debt relief of up to $20,000. PSLF is a program for people who work in public service in federal, state, tribal, or local government, or for a non-profit organization.

Who qualifies for student loan forgiveness july 2023?

Under such plans, borrowers are eligible for forgiveness if they made 240 or 300 monthly payments, which is the equivalent of 20 or 25 years on an IDR or standard repayment plan.

Who qualifies for Biden's new student loan forgiveness program?

Eligibility for Biden's Student Loan Cancellation Plan

You must have current outstanding debt on federal student loans, including parent PLUS loans, obtained before June 30, 2022. You must earn less than $125,000 a year for individuals, or $250,000 for married couples and/or head of households.

Who gets student debt canceled?

The 804,000 borrowers whose debts will be eliminated are those who, after the adjustments, have made the required 240 or 300 monthly payments (depending on their payment plan) to have their remaining debt forgiven.

Can undergraduate students apply for loan forgiveness?

Current students and borrowers who have federally held undergraduate, graduate and Parent PLUS loans that were distributed on or before June 30, 2022 are eligible for the relief, says Megan Walter, a policy analyst for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

What happens if you never pay your student loans?

If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability. Also, the government can collect on your loans by taking funds from your wages, tax refunds, and other government payments.

Can you be denied student loan forgiveness?

You will remain responsible for repaying your loan according to the terms of the promissory note you signed. You should talk to your loan servicer about repayment options if you have a Direct Loan or Federal Family Education Loan Program loan.

Is teacher loan forgiveness better than Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

This program is best for qualifying teachers who don't have a large amount of debt, as TLF offers less forgiveness but offers it quicker. This program is best for teachers who have a lot of debt, as PSLF offers more forgiveness but requires 120 qualifying payments.

Do direct unsubsidized loans qualify for loan forgiveness?

Will my student loans be forgiven? All federally owned student loans are eligible for forgiveness. If you have Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, Direct Consolidation Loans or FFEL Loans owned by the U.S. Department of Education, they're all included in the forgiveness plan.

Who is considered public service for student loan forgiveness?

The specific job that you perform doesn't matter, as long as you're employed by a qualifying employer. For example, if you're a full-time employee of a public-school system, your employment would meet the requirements for PSLF, regardless of your position (teacher, administrator, support staff, etc.).

What are the new rules for student loan forgiveness for 2023?

Borrowers who have reached 20 or 25 years (240 or 300 months) worth of payments for IDR forgiveness may see their loans forgiven in Spring 2023. ED will continue to discharge loans as borrowers reach the required number of months for forgiveness. All other borrowers will see their loan accounts updated in 2024.

Will Biden refund student loans?

On Aug. 24, 2022, President Biden announced his administration's plan for broad federal student loan forgiveness. Eligible borrowers can receive up to $10,000 in debt relief, plus an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients.

Will student loan forgiveness be automatic?

Any borrowers with loans that have accumulated eligible time in repayment of at least 20 or 25 years will see automatic forgiveness, even if they are not currently on an IDR plan,” says updated Education Department guidance. Some borrowers will need to take other steps to benefit from the program.

What is the average student loan debt for a bachelor degree?

The average federal student loan debt is $37,338 per borrower. Private student loan debt averages $54,921 per borrower. The average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor's degree. A total of 45.3 million borrowers have student loan debt; 92% of them have federal loan debt.