The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in full-time public service employment by forgiving the remaining balance of their Direct loans after they satisfy the public service and loan payment requirements of the program.

Jobs That Qualify for PSLF

PSLF Loan Forgiveness is granted to student borrowers who were employed in a public service job at the time of such forgiveness AND has been employed in a public service job during the period in which the borrower makes each of the required 120 payments.

Public Service Jobs

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 defines “public service job” to mean:

‘‘(i) a full-time job in emergency management,
government, military service, public safety, law
enforcement, public health, public education (including
early childhood education), social work in a public child
or family service agency, public interest law services
(including prosecution or public defense or legal
advocacy in low-income communities at a nonprofit
organization), public child care, public service for
individuals with disabilities, public service for the
elderly, public library sciences, school-based library
sciences and other school-based services, or at an
organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from
taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; or

‘‘(ii) teaching as a full-time faculty member at a
Tribal College or University as defined in section 316(b)
and other faculty teaching in high-needs areas, as
determined by the Secretary.’’.

Specific Jobs

The Regulations for Public Service Loan Forgiveness established by the United States Department of Education further defines the above jobs:

Government employee means an individual who is employed by a local, State, Federal, or Tribal government, but does not include a member of the U.S. Congress.

Law enforcement means service performed by an employee of a public service organization that is publicly funded and whose principal activities pertain to crime prevention, control or
reduction of crime, or the enforcement of criminal law.

Military service, for uniformed members of the U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard, means ‘‘active duty’’ service or ‘‘full-time National Guard duty’’ as defined in section 101(d)(1) and (d)(5) of title 10 in the United States Code, but does not include active duty for training or attendance at a service school. For civilians, ‘‘Military service’’ means service on behalf of the
U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard performed by an employee of a public service organization.

Peace Corps position means a full-time assignment under the Peace Corps Act as provided for under 22 U.S.C. 2504.

Public interest law refers to legal services provided by a public service organization that are funded in whole or in part by a local, State, Federal, or Tribal government.

Public service organization means:

(1) A Federal, State, local, or Tribal
government organization, agency, or
entity;
(2) A public child or family service
agency;
(3) A non-profit organization under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code that is exempt from taxation
under section 501(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code;
(4) A Tribal college or university; or
(5) A private organization that—

(i) Provides the following public services:
Emergency management, military
service, public safety, law enforcement,
public interest law services, early
childhood education (including licensed
or regulated child care, Head Start,
and State funded pre-kindergarten),
public service for individuals with disabilities
and the elderly, public health
(including nurses, nurse practitioners,
nurses in a clinical setting, and fulltime
professionals engaged in heath
care practitioner occupations and
health care support occupations, as
such terms are defined by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics), public education,
public library services, school library
or other school-based services; AND
(ii) Is not a business organized for
profit, a labor union, a partisan political
organization, or an organization
engaged in religious activities, unless
the qualifying activities are unrelated
to religious instruction, worship services,
or any form of proselytizing.

 

Heath Care Practitioner Occupations and Health Care Support Occupations

The Bureau of Labor Statistics includes the following jobs for heath care practitioner occupations and health care support occupations. It’s important to remember that another requirement for these jobs is the second prong:

“Is not a business organized for
profit, a labor union, a partisan political
organization, or an organization
engaged in religious activities, unless
the qualifying activities are unrelated
to religious instruction, worship services,
or any form of proselytizing.”

Heath Care Practitioner Occupations

• • 29-0000

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

• • 29-1011

Chiropractors

• • 29-1021

Dentists, General

• • 29-1022

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

• • 29-1023

Orthodontists

• • 29-1024

Prosthodontists

• • 29-1029

Dentists, All Other Specialists

• • 29-1031

Dietitians and Nutritionists

• • 29-1041

Optometrists

• • 29-1051

Pharmacists

• • 29-1061

Anesthesiologists

• • 29-1062

Family and General Practitioners

• • 29-1063

Internists, General

• • 29-1064

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

• • 29-1065

Pediatricians, General

• • 29-1066

Psychiatrists

• • 29-1067

Surgeons

• • 29-1069

Physicians and Surgeons, All Other

• • 29-1071

Physician Assistants

• • 29-1081

Podiatrists

• • 29-1111

Registered Nurses*

• • 29-1122

Occupational Therapists

• • 29-1123

Physical Therapists

• • 29-1124

Radiation Therapists

• • 29-1125

Recreational Therapists

• • 29-1126

Respiratory Therapists

• • 29-1127

Speech-Language Pathologists

• • 29-1128

Therapists, All Other*

• • 29-1131

Veterinarians

• • 29-1181

Audiologists

• • 29-1199

Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All Other

• • 29-2011

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

• • 29-2012

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

• • 29-2021

Dental Hygienists

• • 29-2031

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

• • 29-2032

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

• • 29-2033

Nuclear Medicine Technologists

• • 29-2037

Radiologic Technologists and Technicians*

• • 29-2041

Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics

• • 29-2051

Dietetic Technicians

• • 29-2052

Pharmacy Technicians

• • 29-2053

Psychiatric Technicians

• • 29-2054

Respiratory Therapy Technicians

• • 29-2055

Surgical Technologists

• • 29-2056

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

• • 29-2061

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

• • 29-2071

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

• • 29-2081

Opticians, Dispensing

• • 29-2091

Orthotists and Prosthetists

• • 29-2799

Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other*

• • 29-9011

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

• • 29-9012

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

• • 29-9091

Athletic Trainers

• • 29-9799

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other*

 

 

Health Care Support Occupations

• • 31-0000

Healthcare Support Occupations

• • 31-1011

Home Health Aides

• • 31-1012

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants*

• • 31-1013

Psychiatric Aides

• • 31-2011

Occupational Therapy Assistants

• • 31-2012

Occupational Therapy Aides

• • 31-2021

Physical Therapist Assistants

• • 31-2022

Physical Therapist Aides

• • 31-9011

Massage Therapists

• • 31-9091

Dental Assistants

• • 31-9092

Medical Assistants

• • 31-9093

Medical Equipment Preparers

• • 31-9094

Medical Transcriptionists

• • 31-9095

Pharmacy Aides

• • 31-9096

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

• • 31-9799

Healthcare Support Workers, All Other*

 

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