Application Period/Due Date: July 2025  

Criteria:

Awarded to licensed social workers working in critical human service areas, including but not limited to the following fields: home care, health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS and child welfare or communities with multilingual needs.

Eligibility:

1. Be a NYS resident and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to applying for this Program. 

2. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. 

3. Be a social worker professionally licensed to practice in NYS.

4. Have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan debt.

5. Full-time employment as a licensed social worker in a critical human service area for at least 35 hours per week during the calendar year prior to his or her application. To determine if your workplace is an eligible service area, visit Eligibility by County. 

6. Be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award. 

7. Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.

8. Eligible student loans include NYS and federal government student loans, and private student loans made by commercial entities subject to governmental examination.

9. Parent PLUS loans are not eligible.

10. Ineligible loans also include non-educational student loan consolidations and home equity loans used to pay off student loans.

11. Must have a year of qualified service.

Link:

https://www.hesc.ny.gov/repay-your-loans/repayment-options-assistance/loan-forgiveness-cancellation-and-discharge/nys-licensed-social-worker-loan-forgiveness-program.html

Contact scholarships@hesc.ny.gov or 1-888-697-4372 with any questions regarding this program.