What student loan debt relief programs exist and how you explore to each one
Student loan debt relief comes through several different programs, and each one has its own process process. The main routes are Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), income-driven repayment plans with forgiveness after 20 to 25 years, closed school discharge, borrower defense to repayment, and temporary relief programs that the Department of Education has opened and closed over time. You do not explore for all of them the same way — some require you to submit forms to your loan servicer, others require forms to the Department of Education, and some are automatic once you meet the conditions.
The program you can use depends on your loan type, your job, your school situation, and whether you have already been paying. Before you start an process, you need to know which program matches your situation. This guide walks you through how each process actually works, what documents you need, and what happens after you submit.
Key Takeaways
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness requires you to work for a government agency or nonprofit, make 120 may have access to payments, and submit a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Employment Certification Form to your loan servicer.
- Income-driven repayment plans require you to submit an income certification form to your loan servicer and recertify your income every year, and forgiveness happens automatically after 20 to 25 years depending on the plan.
- Closed school discharge and borrower defense claims both go to the Department of Education, not your loan servicer, and require documentation of your school situation.
- Your loan servicer's website shows which programs you may be able to use based on your loan type, and you can contact them to ask which forms to submit.
- Temporary relief programs announced by the Department of Education have specific process windows and important date that change year to year.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: the employment certification route
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) forgives the remaining balance on your federal student loans after you make 120 may have access to monthly payments while working full-time for a government agency or a nonprofit organization. You do not explore for PSLF itself upfront. Instead, you submit an Employment Certification Form to your loan servicer to document that you work in a may have access to job. Your servicer uses this form to count how many payments you have already made and tell you how many more you need.
To submit the form, log into your account on your loan servicer's website or call the servicer's customer service line. Most servicers now accept the form online through their portal. You will need to fill in your employer's name, address, and type of organization (government or nonprofit), and your employer will need to sign the form to confirm you work there and that the organization qualifies. After you submit, your servicer will review it and send you a letter saying how many may have access to payments you have made so far. You can submit this form as many times as you want — many people submit it once a year to track progress.
Once you reach 120 payments, you submit a final Employment Certification Form and request forgiveness. Your servicer will review your payment history and, if everything matches, submit your case to the Department of Education for final approval. The Department then forgives the remaining balance. This process usually takes two to three months after you submit the final form.
Income-driven repayment plans with forgiveness after 20 to 25 years
Four income-driven repayment plans exist: Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE), and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR). All four calculate your monthly payment based on your income and family size, and all four forgive any remaining balance after you make payments for 20 to 25 years (depending on which plan you choose). To enroll in one, you submit an income certification form to your loan servicer.
You can start an income-driven plan through your loan servicer's website or by calling the servicer directly. The servicer will ask you to submit an Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request form, which asks for your income, family size, state of residence, and which plan you want. You can report your income from your most recent tax return, or you can report your current income if it has changed. The servicer uses this information to calculate your new monthly payment. Once approved, your payment amount will drop to whatever the plan calculates — often $0 if your income is very low.
Every year, you must recertify your income by submitting an updated form to your servicer. If you do not recertify, your plan ends and your loans go back to standard repayment. After you have made the required number of payments (usually 240 to 300 payments, depending on the plan), any remaining balance is forgiven. The Department of Education handles the forgiveness automatically — you do not need to submit a separate request.
Closed school discharge: when your school shut down
If your school closed while you were enrolled or shortly after you withdrew, you may be able to have your federal student loans discharged (forgiven) through the closed school discharge program. You explore directly to the Department of Education, not to your loan servicer. The Department will ask you to prove that you were enrolled when the school closed or that you withdrew within a certain timeframe before closure.
To start the process, visit the Federal Student Aid website and look for the closed school discharge process. You will need to provide your name, Social Security number, loan account numbers, the name of the school, and the date the school closed. You can also submit a letter to the Department of Education's Closed School Team with this information. The Department will verify that the school actually closed and that your enrollment dates match their records. This can take several months.
Once the Department approves your discharge, it notifies your loan servicer, and the servicer removes the loans from your account. You will receive a letter confirming that the loans have been discharged. You do not owe any remaining balance, and the discharged loans should not appear on your credit report as unpaid.
Borrower defense to repayment: when your school misled you
Borrower defense to repayment allows you to have your federal student loans forgiven if your school engaged in fraud or misconduct that caused you to take out the loans. Examples include the school misrepresenting job placement rates, lying about accreditation, or falsifying credentials of instructors. You submit a borrower defense claim directly to the Department of Education.
To file a claim, visit the Federal Student Aid website and complete the Borrower Defense process. You will describe what the school did wrong, when it happened, and how it harmed you. You should attach any documents that support your claim — emails from the school, marketing materials with false statements, job placement data that contradicts what the school promised, or communications with other students who experienced the same issue. The more specific and documented your claim, the stronger it is.
The Department of Education reviews your claim and may request additional information. The review process can take many months or even years, depending on how many claims the Department is processing. Once the Department makes a decision, it will notify you in writing. If your claim is approved, the Department will discharge your loans and notify your servicer. If your claim is denied, you will receive an explanation of why.
Temporary relief programs: SAVE plan and other time-limited options
The Department of Education periodically opens temporary relief programs with specific process windows. The most recent example is the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, which is an income-driven repayment plan with lower monthly payments than other plans. Other temporary programs have included one-time payment pauses, interest waivers, or automatic forgiveness for certain borrower groups.
Temporary programs usually have announced start and end dates. To find out whether a program is currently open, visit the Federal Student Aid website or contact your loan servicer. If a program is open and you think you may have access to, your servicer will tell you how to submit an process or whether enrollment is automatic. Some programs require you to submit a form; others enroll you automatically if you meet the conditions. Always check the official Department of Education website for the most current information, because these programs change frequently.
What documents and information you need before you start
Before you submit any process, gather the following information: your loan account numbers (found on your loan servicer's website or on your loan documents), your Social Security number, your most recent tax return or current income information, and your employer's name and address. For PSLF, you will also need your employer to sign the Employment Certification Form, so contact your employer's human resources department ahead of time to ask who can sign it.
For closed school discharge or borrower defense claims, gather any documents related to your school — enrollment letters, course catalogs, marketing materials, emails from the school, or communications about job placement or accreditation. If you are claiming the school defrauded you, write down the specific statements the school made, when you heard or saw them, and why they were false. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for the Department to review your claim.
You do not need to hire a lawyer or pay anyone to help you submit these applications. All applications are free. Be cautious of companies that charge fees to submit forms on your behalf or that promise to get you relief faster — the Department of Education does not work faster for paid services.
What happens after you submit your process
After you submit an process to your loan servicer (for PSLF or income-driven plans), the servicer will send you a confirmation letter within one to two weeks. This letter will tell you whether your process was received and what the servicer needs from you next. Keep this letter. If the servicer needs more information, it will contact you by mail or email.
For applications to the Department of Education (closed school discharge or borrower defense), the review process is slower. The Department will send you a confirmation that your claim was received, but the actual review can take several months. During this time, you can still make payments on your loans if you want to, but you are not required to while your claim is being reviewed. The Department will notify you by mail when a decision has been made.
If your process is denied, you will receive a letter explaining why. You can usually request reconsideration or appeal the decision. The letter will tell you how to do this and what important date you have to respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I explore for more than one relief program at the same time?
Yes. For example, you can be enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan while also working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. You can also submit a borrower defense claim while making payments on your loans. However, if you receive forgiveness through one program, you cannot receive forgiveness through another program for the same loans.
What if I have private student loans instead of federal loans?
These programs only work for federal student loans. Private loans are issued by banks and other lenders, not by the Department of Education, and they have their own forgiveness and relief programs. Contact your private loan servicer to ask what options are available to you.
Do I have to be current on my payments to explore for relief?
For PSLF and income-driven plans, you do not have to be current, but only payments made while you are in good standing count toward the required number. For closed school discharge and borrower defense, being behind on payments does not disqualify you. Contact your servicer or the Department of Education to ask about your specific situation.
What if I already paid off some of my loans — can I still get relief?
For PSLF and income-driven forgiveness, relief only applies to loans that still have a balance. If you have already paid off a loan, that loan cannot be forgiven. For closed school discharge and borrower defense, you may be able to request a refund of payments you already made if your claim is approved, but this depends on the specific program and your situation.
How long does it take to get a decision on my process?
For PSLF and income-driven plans, your servicer usually processes your process within one to two months. For closed school discharge and borrower defense, the Department of Education can take several months to over a year, depending on how many claims it is processing and how complex your case is.