To qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), a monthly payment must meet all of the following requirements:
- Made after October 1, 2007
- Made under a qualifying repayment plan (see below)
- Made for the full amount due as shown on your bill
- Made while you are employed full-time by a qualifying employer
Qualifying Repayment Plans
The following repayment plans count toward PSLF:
- Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) — available for Direct Loans starting July 1, 2026. Only on-time payments under RAP count toward PSLF. Months spent in deferment or forbearance while enrolled in RAP do not count.
- Income-Based Repayment (IBR)
- Standard Repayment Plan
- Graduated Repayment Plan
- Extended Repayment Plan
- PAYE and ICR — only for loans made before July 1, 2026, and only for payments made through June 30, 2028. Payments made on or after July 1, 2028 under these plans will not count toward PSLF.
The Tiered Standard Repayment Plan does not qualify for PSLF.
Getting Credit for Deferment and Forbearance Periods
Outside of RAP enrollment, you may be able to receive PSLF credit for certain months spent in deferment or forbearance if you either:
- Made supplemental payments equal to what you would have paid under a qualifying repayment plan, or
- Would have qualified for a $0 payment under an income-driven repayment plan
Eligible deferment and forbearance types include: cancer treatment deferment, economic hardship deferment, military service deferment, post-active-duty student deferment, AmeriCorps forbearance, National Guard Duty forbearance, Department of Defense Student Loan Repayment Program forbearance, and administrative forbearance.
Qualifying Employer Rules
Your employer must be a qualifying public service organization. Starting July 1, 2026, an employer can lose its qualifying status if the Department of Education determines it has engaged in activities with a substantial illegal purpose. If your employer loses eligibility, payments made after that determination will not count toward PSLF. An organization that loses eligibility may reapply for reinstatement after 10 years.
Note for Parent PLUS Borrowers
If you took out your first Parent PLUS loan on or after July 1, 2026, your loans are only eligible for the Tiered Standard Repayment Plan, which does not qualify for PSLF.
Note: The COVID CARES Act payment pause counts as a qualifying payment period.