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 employed by a qualified employer:

   • U.S.-based government organizations at any level (federal, state, local, or tribal) – this includes the U.S. military

   • Not-for-profit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

   • Other not-for-profit organizations that devote a majority of their full-time equivalent employees to providing certain qualifying public services

2. Work full-time for that agency or organization;

3. Have Direct Loans (or consolidate other federal student loans into a Direct Loan);

   • Direct Subsidized Loans

   • Direct Unsubsidized Loans

   • Direct PLUS Loans

   • Direct Consolidation Loans

4. Repay your loans under an income-driven repayment plan or a 10-year Standard Repayment Plan; and

5. Make a total of 120 qualifying monthly payments (after October 1, 2007) that need not be consecutive.

Link:

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

If you have any questions regarding this program, please click here to get in touch with the Federal Student Aid Information Center.