Student Debt & Public Service Loan Forgiveness | American Federation of Teachers

Student Debt & Public Service Loan Forgiveness | American Federation of Teachers
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Student Debt & Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Learn About Your Options
Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a federal program for people who work full time in the public sector or for certain nonprofit organizations. It can lead to borrowers having their remaining federal student loan balance forgiven after 120 qualifying payments. Almost every AFT member is eligible for this program!
Register for a free AFT Student Debt Clinic
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has changed lives—lifting the burden of student debt for educators, healthcare professionals, public service workers and countless others who have dedicated their careers to serving our communities. While
the PSLF program itself still exists
, the repayment landscape around it has changed significantly. The most affordable income-driven repayment plan—the Saving on a Valuable Education, or
SAVE, plan—is ending
, most other income-driven repayment plans are being phased out by 2028, and a new option—
the Repayment Assistance Plan—launches July 1, 2026. Parent PLUS borrowers face a critical consolidation deadline of July 1, 2026
, after which new Parent PLUS loans will lose access to income-driven repayment and PSLF entirely. The Direct Consolidation Loan must be disbursed before July 1, 2026, so Parent PLUS borrowers should apply NOW.
The AFT is committed to making sure you have accurate, up-to-date information to protect your path to debt relief.
Protect Your Path to Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Student loan rules are changing. Here’s what you need to do—and what to watch out for—to keep your PSLF progress on track.
Register now
for an upcoming AFT student debt clinic.
Three Things to Do Right Now:
Know your repayment plan.
Log in to
studentaid.gov
and confirm which repayment plan you’re on.
If you’re on SAVE, you will have 90 days from when you receive notice from your servicer to select a new plan; notices will begin going out on
July 1, 2026
. If you’re on Pay as You Earn or Income-Contingent Repayment plans, you will need to switch plans
before July 1, 2028
. Understanding where you are now is the first step.
Certify your employment—
every year and every time you change jobs
Submit your PSLF form using the
PSLF Help Tool
. Don’t let gaps build up. Annual certification ensures your qualifying payments are tracked accurately and helps catch servicer errors early. Even if your new job qualifies for PSLF, submit a new certification as soon as possible.
Save your records.
Download and screenshot your loan documents, payment history and PSLF payment tracker from
studentaid.gov
. Go to your Federal Student Aid Dashboard, click “View Details” in the “My Aid” section, then click “Download My Aid Data.” Your own records are your best protection if servicer errors occur.
Important Deadlines
Parent PLUS Borrowers: Act Before It’s Too Late
If you have Parent PLUS loans, you must consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan and enroll
before July 1, 2026
Start your consolidation application
SAVE borrowers: 90-day window to switch plans starting on or after July 1, 2026
Starting July 1, 2026, federal loan servicers will begin issuing notices to borrowers, instructing them to exit SAVE and enroll within 90 days in another existing repayment plan, including PAYE, IBR, ICR and the new Repayment Assistance Program. Borrowers who do not transition plans within the 90-day period from the date they receive notice from their servicer will be automatically enrolled in either the Standard Repayment Plan or the new Tiered Standard Plan that will be available beginning July 1. Servicers will notify borrowers of their specific 90-day deadline.
PAYE / ICR borrowers: Switch by July 1, 2028
The PAYE and ICR plans are being phased out under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. You must switch to an Income-Based Repayment Plan or the new Repayment Assistance Plan by
July 1, 2028
. If you don’t choose a plan, you’ll be auto-enrolled in RAP.
RAP qualifies for PSLF.
For borrowers who are not eligible for PSLF, RAP has a 30-year forgiveness timeline. Use the
Loan Simulator
to compare your options.
Take the Next Step
Share your story
Let us know how servicing failures, unexpected forbearances, processing delays or any other issues you may be facing are affecting your lives. As Project 2025 culture warriors and Department of Government Efficiency operatives upend the lives of federal student loan borrowers, policymakers and the public need to hear about the damage being done to working people and their families.
Click here
to share your experience.
For additional support, check out the
free Summer student loan repayment member benefit
As always, you can contact us at
debtclinic@aft.org
with any questions you might have about student debt.
Featured Videos & Stories
AFT Union Talk Podcast "Taking on Trump on Student Debt—and Winning"
Click to listen
Student Debt—AFT’s Landmark Win for Student Loan Borrowers
Click to watch
Fighting for Student Debt Relief—What You Need to Know
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AFT Stories
Locked out of higher education
In 2006, with stars in my eyes, I graduated from college with a degree in music business and a dream job: I was interning for Madonna’s former manager, rubbing elbows with famous musicians and in a field I loved. But like Cinderella at midnight, my time was drawing near: When my student loans went into repayment, I plunged into poverty. Photo credit: Mikhail Yakovlev / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Keeping up with the changing landscape of student debt
As the Trump administration takes aim at higher education, withholding federal funding from colleges and universities that won’t bend to Trump’s will and squelching free speech in the process, it is also attacking student debt relief—a tool that makes college more accessible and affordable to those who might benefit most. With policies changing and threats spreading across all different aspects of student aid, the AFT held a webinar May 8 to sort it all out. Photo credit: AndreyPopov/Getty
Save student debt relief: Here’s why
We all know that federal student loans can mean the difference between attending college to pursue your dreams and settling for far less. We also know that student debt can hold us back and that debt relief can set us on a path toward achieving career and family goals that would be impossible without it. Photo credit: OLIVIER DOULIERY / Contributor / AFP / Getty Images
Fire MOHELA: Finding a way to student debt relief
Stark black-and-white signs flanked a determined group of activists and legislators gathered on Capitol Hill May 22, amplifying their bold, unequivocal message: “Fire MOHELA.” Hosted by the Debt Collective, the event featured members of the Student Borrower Protection Center, the AFT and others who described how the notorious student loan servicer has abused borrowers with mishandled paperwork, misinformation, miscalculations and hourslong hold times. The group demanded that the government cut ties to stop the abuse.
AFT settles student debt lawsuit
The AFT, AFT President Randi Weingarten and eight individual AFT member plaintiffs have reached a landmark settlement with the U.S. Department of Education in the case
Weingarten
v.
DeVos
Read the story
AFT Voices on student debt
From frontline nurses to college counselors and teachers, AFT members are among the millions who struggle with student debt.
Read their stories.
Guiding faculty to student debt relief
Adjunct faculty are among the lowest-paid staff on campus, and adding student debt to the equation is crushing.
Learn more.
A ray of hope for massive student debt relief
Half a million borrowers finally have a clear path to discharging their loans with the overhaul of PSLF.
Read more.
The Big Ugly Betrayal threatens access to higher education in every state.
To learn more about the impact of these cuts on students and colleges in your state click below:
AK
AL
AR
AZ
CA
CO
CT
DC
DE
FL
GA
HI
IA
ID
IL
IN
KS
KY
LA
MA
MD
ME
MI
MN
MO
MS
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH
NJ
NM
NV
NY
OH
OK
OR
PA
PR
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
VT
WA
WI
WV
WY
Take action with AFT
Fact Sheets
11/03/25
Breaking News: AFT lawsuit secures Trump administration agreement to reopen student debt relief
Press Releases
03/19/26
Linda McMahon’s Illegal Transfer of Student Loans to Treasury Will Raise Costs: Weingarten
02/18/2026
New Findings: Vast Majority of Working Families Live Paycheck to paycheck and Growing Number Rely on Debt to Afford Essentials, AFT Member Survey Finds
01/16/26
MOHELA Hit with Fresh Charges of Ongoing Student Loan Mismanagement
12/17/25
‘Completely unacceptable’: AFT President Randi Weingarten Slams Trump Administration’s 800,000-Borrower Student Loan Forgiveness Backlog
11/03/25
Cities, Unions, Civil Society Organizations Sue Trump-Vance Administration for Weaponizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness to Silence Critics and Stifle Dissent
10/17/25
Following Lawsuit by the AFT, Trump Administration Agrees to Deliver Student Debt Relief and Protect Borrowers from Tax Liability Due to Red Tape and Delays
09/17/25
AFT v. ED Update: AFT Demands Student Debt Cancellation By End of Year, Adds Class Action Plaintiffs
03/19/25
AFT Sues U.S. Department of Education, Demands Justice for Student Loan Borrowers Blocked from Affordable Loan Payments
01/13/25
AFT’s Weingarten on President Biden’s Approval of Student Debt Relief for 5 Million Borrowers
07/22/24
Embattled Student Loan Servicing Giant MOHELA Hit with Groundbreaking Consumer Protection Lawsuit for Failing 8 Million Student Borrowers
Join Summer
If you’re eligible for AFT membership at your work site, contact your local union to become a member! But if you’re not eligible for AFT membership at your worksite, you can become an Associate Member here and be on your way to accessing Summer.
JOIN NOW
Download the report
US Department of Education Settles with AFT in Public Service Loan Forgiveness Suit
Read the press release
What the AFT’s student debt settlement means for borrowers and the public.
Read the full settlement agreement.
Read Facts for Borrowers
PSLF for adjunct and contingent faculty
Are you an adjunct or contingent faculty member? Below are the steps you and your employer can take to benefit from the PSLF waiver.
Letter from AFT president Randi Weingarten
Employer guidance
$73,000 of student loans forgiven
Watch: Randi Weingarten & plaintiffs announce loan settlement