Public Service Loan Forgiveness Information
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) is the preeminent federal loan forgiveness program available to school psychologists who meet various qualifiers and requirements, including working for 10 consecutive years in a public service role and making all payments over the 10-year period on time. Only certain federal loans are eligible for forgiveness. The resources below can give you a general overview of the program, if and how you might qualify, how to apply for forgiveness, and more.
Press Release: Department of Education Announces Actions to Fix Longstanding Failures in the Student Loan Programs (April 2022)
This release from the Department of Education covers planned corrective actions that will address forbearance steering, income driven repayment plans, and public service loan forgiveness.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Overhaul Policy Matters Blog (October 2021)
In this Policy Matters Blog post, Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, describes announced changes to the PSLF program and answers some commonly asked questions.
Lunch and Learn: Public Service Loan Forgivenss (October 2021)
This recording from an Instagram live session facilitated by Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach answers questions about the upcoming PSLF changes from school psychologists.
Fact Sheet: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Overhaul (October 2021)
This fact sheet from the Department of Education outlines upcoming changes to the PSLF program that would increase the number of borrowers eligible for forgiveness, streamline the forgiveness process, and improve outreach and communication with eligible borrowers among other changes.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program CQ Article (May 2020)
In this CQ Article, Caden Fabbi, NASP Manager of Policy and Advocacy, details the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program's requirements and outlines a checklist and other resources for potential participants.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Q+A (June 2020)
In this Policy Matters Blog post, Karah Chapman, school psychologist and NASP Board Member, answers a Q+A regarding her successful experience with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) Policy Matters Blog (April 2017)
In this FAQ, Kelly Vailancourt Strobach, NASP Director of Policy and Advocacy explains in detail how the PSLFP applies to school psychologists.
Please go to the Federal Student Aid website for more detailed information. The website has many tools and resources to help with any additional questions you might have.
How to Apply
Contact your loan servicer if you think you qualify for a forgiveness plan.
Depending on the type of forgiveness you apply for, you may need to continue to make payments while your application is in review. Check with your loan servicer for more details.
Other Avenues for Loan Forgiveness
Depending on your contract language, as a practicing School psychologist, you may also be eligible for Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Specifically, in some districts, School Psychologists are hired under teacher contracts. You may be eligible for loan forgiveness of amounts between $5,000-$17,500. Please note that Teacher Loan Forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness cannot be applied concurrently.