PSLF Limited Waiver Fact Sheet

Student loan borrowers working towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) have struggled to navigate the program’s frustratingly complex rules and requirements. A “limited waiver” of specific PSLF program requirements was announced by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on Oct. 6, 2021.

To earn PSLF, a borrower must make 120 “qualifying payments” while employed full-time for a qualifying public service employer. Through October 31, 2022, the Department of Education will count additional payments as qualifying that had previously been ineligible. Borrowers may certify previous public service employment and many public service professionals may now qualify for the PSLF program, to include individuals submitting first time applications for benefits as well as applicants that were previously denied forgiveness.

Here’s what you need to know:

Under the new, temporary rules, any prior period of repayment will count as a qualifying payment, regardless of loan program, repayment plan, or whether a payment was made in full or on time. Periods of deferment or forbearance, and periods of default still do not qualify.

And here’s what you need to do:

1. Verify your loan types. If you have FFEL, Perkins, or other federal student loans that are not already Direct Loans, you’ll need to consolidate those loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan by Oct. 31, 2022. Periods of repayment on parent PLUS loans are not eligible under the limited PSLF waiver.
2. Certify eligible employment using the PSLF Help Tool. If you haven’t already, you must file a PSLF form certifying your full-time qualifying employment during each period for which you want credit toward PSLF.

How Do I Verify My Loan Types?
Log in to studentaid.gov using your Federal Student Aid (FSA) username and password and visit Aid Summary.

• Scroll down to the Loan Breakdown section.
• Click View Loans then View Loan Details to see a more detailed name for that loan. Direct Loans always begin with the word “Direct.”
• If you have loans that are not already Direct Loans, such as Federal Family Education Loan Program loans or Perkins Loans, consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan by Oct. 31, 2022.

How Do I Consolidate My Loans?
Log in to studentaid.gov and select Apply for Loan Consolidation and Consolidate Your Loans. After the consolidation is complete, you must submit a PSLF form for all periods of qualifying employment.

How Do I Certify Eligible My Employment?
Log in to studentaid.gov, use the PSLF Help Tool to generate a PSLF form, have your employer sign the certification, and submit the signed forms to FedLoans by Oct. 31, 2022.