The five requirements
- Employer: a US federal, state, local or tribal government, including the military, or a qualifying not-for-profit.
- Full time for that employer.
- Direct Loans, or other federal loans consolidated into a Direct Loan.
- An eligible repayment plan.
- 120 qualifying monthly payments, which need not be consecutive, so it takes at least 10 years.
Which employers qualify
| Eligible | Not eligible |
|---|---|
| US government organizations at any level, including the military | For-profit organizations, including for-profit contractors |
| Not-for-profits tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) | Labor unions |
| Other not-for-profits that devote most of their full-time staff to certain qualifying public services | Partisan political organizations |
Full-time AmeriCorps or Peace Corps service also counts. Full time means a weekly average of at least 30 hours, alone or combined across qualifying employers; a contract of at least 8 months a year, as many teachers have, counts as full time for the whole year, and non-tenure-track college teaching counts each credit or contact hour as at least 3.35 hours. Paid leave and FMLA leave count toward the hours, unpaid volunteer work does not. The Federal Student Aid PSLF Employer Search shows whether a given employer qualifies.
Which loans qualify
| Eligible | Not eligible |
|---|---|
| Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans | FFEL Program loans, unless consolidated into a Direct Loan |
| Direct PLUS Loans | Perkins Loans, unless consolidated into a Direct Loan |
| Direct Consolidation Loans | Private student loans |
Parent PLUS loans, and consolidation loans that include one, are not eligible for the Repayment Assistance Plan, and Federal Student Aid says they cannot continue to qualify for PSLF even if they did before under IBR or ICR. If you consolidated on or after September 1, 2024, earlier qualifying payments on the Direct Loans in the consolidation are credited as a weighted average by balance: in Federal Student Aid's example, 60 payments on a $30,000 loan combined with 0 payments on another $30,000 loan become 30 payments on the new loan. Certify your employment before consolidating so the average is right.
What counts as a qualifying payment
For borrowers whose loans were all disbursed before July 1, 2026, a qualifying payment is the full billed amount, paid on or before the due date, after October 1, 2007, while working full time for a qualifying employer and under a qualifying plan. Some deferments and forbearances can also count outside the Repayment Assistance Plan. For a borrower with any loan disbursed on or after July 1, 2026 who is on the Repayment Assistance Plan, only full payments made on or before the due date qualify.
| Counts for PSLF | Does not count |
|---|---|
| Repayment Assistance Plan | Tiered Standard Plan |
| Income-Based Repayment (IBR) | Graduated Repayment Plan |
| Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) | Extended Repayment Plan |
| Pay As You Earn (PAYE) | Standard plan for Direct Consolidation Loans |
| 10-year Standard Repayment Plan |
The 10-year Standard plan counts but usually pays the loan off in 120 payments, leaving nothing to forgive, so Federal Student Aid notes you might have to change to an income-driven plan to benefit from PSLF. Several of the non-qualifying plans can count toward the separate Temporary Expanded PSLF opportunity, though the Tiered Standard Plan does not. The student loan calculator shows fixed-plan payments for comparison.
How the count builds over a career
An illustration with full, on-time payments under a qualifying plan:
| Job | Years | Payments added | Running count | Years elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit hospital, 501(c)(3), full time | 4 | 48 | 48 | 4 |
| For-profit company | 2 | 0 | 48 | 6 |
| State government agency, full time | 6 | 72 | 120 | 12 |
The two for-profit years pause the count without resetting it, so 120 payments arrive after 12 years instead of 10.
The PSLF form
- Use the PSLF Help Tool on StudentAid.gov to check your employer, then prepare and e-sign the form and have your employer certify it.
- Certify every year and whenever you change employers, so you get a letter with your count and avoid chasing old employers a decade later.
- Still be employed by a qualifying employer when you submit the final form; mark the period as still employed or have it certified in the same month as the end date.
A related guide, the student loan interest deduction, covers the tax side of payments made along the way.
Frequently asked questions
Do the 120 PSLF payments have to be consecutive?
No. Federal Student Aid says the 120 qualifying monthly payments need not be consecutive. A period with a non-qualifying employer does not erase payments you already made; the count simply pauses.
Does working for a government contractor count?
Generally not. PSLF depends on who employs you, not your job. For-profit organizations, including for-profit contracted organizations, are listed as ineligible, along with labor unions and partisan political organizations.
Which repayment plans qualify for PSLF?
The income-driven plans, which Federal Student Aid lists as the Repayment Assistance Plan, Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment and Pay As You Earn, plus the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan. Graduated, Extended, the Tiered Standard Plan and the Standard plan for consolidation loans do not qualify.
Is PSLF automatic after 120 payments?
No. You submit the PSLF form, ideally every year and whenever you change employers, and you must still work for a qualifying employer when you submit it. Once your count reaches 120, the Department confirms eligibility and works with your servicer to forgive the rest.
Do private student loans qualify for PSLF?
No. Only Direct Loans qualify. FFEL and Perkins loans can become eligible by consolidating into a Direct Consolidation Loan; private loans cannot.