Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Programs: Full List & Eligibility Guide

Student loan forgiveness can discharge some or all of your federal loan debt, but the path to qualifying depends on the program. Your job, repayment plan, loan type, and personal circumstances can all affect whether you’re eligible.

This guide breaks down the current student loan forgiveness programs available in 2026, how to qualify, and what to know about recent changes to federal repayment and forgiveness options.

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What is student loan forgiveness?

Student loan forgiveness eliminates some or all of your student loan debt, so you no longer have to repay that amount. Depending on the circumstances, this may also be called student loan cancellation or discharge.

Forgiveness programs generally apply to federal student loans. Private student loans don’t have formal, nationwide forgiveness programs, although some lenders may cancel a balance in cases such as death or permanent disability.

What types of federal forgiveness programs are available?

The following federal forgiveness, discharge, and repayment assistance programs are currently available to student loan borrowers:

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Under PSLF, the remaining balance on federal loans is forgiven after you make 120 on-time monthly payments while working full time for a qualifying government or nonprofit employer, including first responders and emergency service employees. You must also be enrolled in an eligible income-driven repayment plan. To find a qualifying employer, use the Federal Student Aid search tool.

Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF)

TEPSLF can help you qualify for forgiveness if you worked for a qualifying employer but made loan payments under a repayment plan that doesn’t count toward PSLF.

To qualify for TEPSLF, you must have:

• Direct Loans (excludes Direct PLUS loans) that aren’t in default
• Made 120 qualifying on-time payments under a Graduated or Extended plan or a Consolidation Standard or Graduated plan 
• Worked full time for at least 10 years for a qualifying employer
• Made a payment 12 months before applying, and a final payment before applying, that are each at least as much as the amount due under an IDR plan

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness

IDR Plans calculate monthly payments on your income and family size and forgive any remaining loan balance after you complete the plan’s repayment term. Current IDR options include RAP, IBR, ICR, and PAYE, although ICR and PAYE will be phased out by July 1, 2028. Depending on the repayment plan, forgiveness can take 20 to 30 years. 

Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF)

TLF forgives up to $17,500 in loan balances for teachers who work at least five consecutive academic years in qualifying low-income schools or facilities. You must also meet other basic requirements, which include being considered a “highly qualified teacher.”

The amount of forgiveness you may qualify for depends on the academic subject and school level. You may qualify for forgiveness of up to $17,500 if you taught math or science at the secondary level, or special education at an elementary or secondary level. Full-time elementary and secondary education teachers may qualify for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness.

Military service forgiveness

Military veterans and active-duty members may qualify for PSLF after making 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full time either on active duty or for an eligible government agency. Some service members may also qualify for separate loan repayment assistance through the Department of Defense or their branch of service. 

Doctor, nurse, and healthcare worker forgiveness

If you work in the medical profession, you may qualify for PSLF forgiveness, provided you’ve made at least 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full time for a qualifying employer. 

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals may qualify for federal repayment assistance through programs such as the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps. These programs typically repay a portion of your federal or private student loans in exchange for working in qualifying communities or facilities. 

Disability discharge 

You may qualify to have your federal student loans discharged if a total and permanent disability severely limits your ability to work. To be eligible, you must have a Direct Loan, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), or Perkins Loan.

School-related discharge

You may qualify for a discharge if your school closes while you’re enrolled or soon after you leave. Borrower defense may also provide relief if your school misled you or engaged in certain misconduct.

How do you qualify for student loan forgiveness?

Student loan forgiveness requirements depend on the program and may depend on your job, repayment history, or personal circumstances.

Federal student loan forgiveness changes in 2026

Federal student loan changes that took effect July 1, 2026, changed the path to forgiveness for some borrowers.

Borrowers who take out a new federal student loan on or after July 1, 2026, generally must use the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) if they want to pursue income-driven repayment forgiveness. RAP can also count toward PSLF.

The changes are more significant for parent PLUS borrowers. Parent PLUS loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, aren’t eligible for RAP and no longer have a path to IDR forgiveness or PSLF.

Is student loan forgiveness taxable?

Whether student loan forgiveness is taxable depends on the program. Forgiveness through PSLF and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are not subject to federal income tax, and disability discharges are also tax-free.

However, balances forgiven through an income-driven repayment plan after Dec. 31, 2025, are generally taxable as income. This could lead to a larger tax bill or move you into a higher income tax bracket, depending on your earnings.

Learn More: Taxes on Student Loan Forgiveness: What Will I Owe?

What are my options if I don't qualify for forgiveness?

If you don’t qualify for a federal forgiveness program, you may still have other ways to get help repaying your loans.

“There are also state-based programs, and increasingly, employer-based repayment assistance,” says Jack Wang, a college aid advisor at Innovative Advisory Group.

Start by checking for state or local repayment assistance programs, or ask your employer whether it offers student loan repayment benefits.

Refinancing may also be worth considering if you can qualify for better loan terms. A lower interest rate could reduce your monthly payment, lower your total interest costs, or help you pay off your loans sooner.

Refinancing isn’t right for everyone, though, especially if you have federal student loans.

“Refinancing your federal loans to a private student loan might help if you qualify for a much lower interest rate,” explains Mark Kantrowitz, nationally recognized student loan expert and author of “How To Appeal for More College Financial Aid.”

“But, private student loans do not offer the same benefits as federal student loans, such as income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness options. Once you refinance your federal loans to a private student loan, you can't undo it.”