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HOW TO CHECK —
How to Find Out If You Qualify — In Less Than 10 Minutes
One of the biggest reasons eligible borrowers don’t apply for forgiveness is that they assume they don’t qualify. The process of checking is actually simpler than most people think.
Step 1: Log Into StudentAid.gov
Go to studentaid.gov and log in with your FSA ID. If you don’t have an FSA ID, create one. This is your central hub for all federal student loan information.
Once logged in, you can see:
- Your total loan balance
- Your loan types (Direct, FFEL, Perkins, etc.)
- Your current repayment plan
- Your loan servicer
Step 2: Check Your Loan Type
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This is critical. Most forgiveness programs — including PSLF — only apply to Direct Loans. If you have Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) loans or Perkins Loans, they are not directly eligible for PSLF. However, you can consolidate them into a Direct Consolidation Loan to make them eligible.
Important warning for 2026: If you consolidate your loans on or after July 1, 2026, you will be subject to the new repayment rules (including the longer 30-year timeline for IDR forgiveness under RAP). If you need to consolidate, doing it before July 1, 2026 may preserve your access to the more generous current IDR plans.
Step 3: Use the PSLF Help Tool
If you work for a government agency, nonprofit, or other potentially qualifying employer, use the PSLF Help Tool at studentaid.gov/pslf. This online tool will:
- Confirm whether your employer qualifies
- Show you how many qualifying payments you’ve already made
- Generate your Employment Certification Form automatically
- Track your progress toward the 120-payment requirement
Step 4: Use the Loan Simulator
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The Loan Simulator tool at studentaid.gov lets you compare different repayment plans and see how much you’d pay under each one. It factors in your income, family size, and loan balance to estimate:
- Your monthly payment under each plan
- Total amount you’d pay over the life of the loan
- Whether you’d receive forgiveness and how much
- How long until forgiveness kicks in
This is one of the most useful (and underused) tools available to borrowers.
Step 5: Check Your State’s Programs
Search for “[your state] student loan forgiveness programs” or visit your state’s higher education agency website. Many states maintain searchable databases of available programs filtered by profession, location, and loan type.
Step 6: Talk to Your Loan Servicer
Call your loan servicer and ask them directly about your options. Tell them you want to explore income-driven repayment plans and forgiveness programs. They are required to provide this information. If they push you toward forbearance instead of an IDR plan, push back — forbearance stops your payments but doesn’t count toward forgiveness, and your interest keeps growing.
[NEXT PAGE: The 2026 Changes That Could Cost You Thousands →]
