Student Loans
Public Student Loan Forgiveness
What is Public Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a federal program that forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you make 120 qualifying monthly payments (approximately 10 years). To qualify, payments must be made under an eligible repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.
The amount forgiven under PSLF is not considered taxable income.
UK HealthCare is a qualifying employer under this program.
*Qualifying employers include U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government organizations, eligible not-for-profit organizations, and the U.S. military.
How to Apply for Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
- Go to StudentAid.gov and login or create an account. If you create an account please wait 1-3 days as they need to verify your Social Security information.
- Once logged in, you will see a Quick Links area on your dashboard. Select the PSLF Help Tool.
- This tool will examine your loan status, the types of loans you have and repayment options available to you. Only after 10 years of making qualifying payments while working at a non-profit will you qualify for PSLF.
- Employment History- You will be prompted to add your employment history for that 10 year duration. You must have your previous Employer ID Number (EIN) to see if that establishment qualifies. UK's EIN is 61 600 1218. Enter your employment status, hours worked etc.
- Loan Tips- The next section will discuss which loans apply to PSLF and which loans need to be consolidated in order to qualify.
- Attest if you have or have not made 120 qualifying payments.
- Enter your personal information
- Review and Save
How to Apply for Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
- Go to StudentAid.gov and login or create an account. If you create an account please wait 1-3 days as they need to verify your Social Security information.
- Once logged in, you will see a Quick Links area on your dashboard. Select the PSLF Help Tool.
- This tool will examine your loan status, the types of loans you have and repayment options available to you. Only after 10 years of making qualifying payments while working at a non-profit will you qualify for PSLF.
- Employment History- You will be prompted to add your employment history for that 10 year duration. You must have your previous Employer ID Number (EIN) to see if that establishment qualifies. UK's EIN is 61 600 1218. Enter your employment status, hours worked etc.
- Loan Tips- The next section will discuss which loans apply to PSLF and which loans need to be consolidated in order to qualify.
- Attest if you have or have not made 120 qualifying payments.
- Enter your personal information
- Review and Save
How the GME Office Can Assist
GME is able to assist UK residents and fellows with completion of Student Loan Verification of Training forms. You may also be eligible for federal income-based repayment plans and forgiveness programs designed for employees who work in higher education.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
University of Kentucky residents and fellows can submit their Student Loan verification of training forms to the GME office through the link below. A blank Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): Employment Certification Form can be found here. The GME team will complete the verification of your training and provide the completed documents back to you. It is your responsibility to then transmit the completed form to your lender for processing. Please allow up to one week for GME completion. You can direct questions to GMEAdmin@uky.edu Thanks!
Additional Resources and Links
Savi
You may be eligible for federal income-based repayment plans and forgiveness programs designed for employees who work in higher education. TIAA has joined forces with Savi, a company created to help you navigate the complexities of federal programs, which may help you lower monthly payments and work toward loan forgiveness.