Public Service Loan Forgiveness Calculator
Estimate your forgiveness progress, compare qualifying repayment plans, and track your path toward 120 qualifying payments.
Important Notes
- • Only payments made after Oct 1, 2007 qualify
- • Payments must be made in full and on time
- • Employment must be full-time (30+ hours/week)
- • FFEL and Perkins loans must be consolidated to Direct Loans
Calculator assumptions and limits
These tools provide planning estimates only. Your loan servicer and StudentAid.gov determine your final eligibility, payment amount, due date, and forgiveness credit.
Show calculation assumptions
- PSLF estimates assume qualifying employment, eligible Direct Loans, and qualifying repayment plan participation for the months you count.
- The tool does not verify employer eligibility, loan type, consolidation history, or official qualifying payment counts.
- Only your official PSLF records, servicer records, and StudentAid.gov account can confirm final forgiveness eligibility.
Official sources to verify before acting
- Federal Student Aid PSLF Help Tool
Official PSLF employment certification and application tool.
- Federal Student Aid repayment plans
Official federal repayment plan overview.
- Federal Student Aid IDR application
Official application path for income-driven repayment.
PSLF Requirements Checklist
Direct Loans Only
FFEL and Perkins loans must be consolidated into Direct Loans first. Payments made before consolidation DON'T count toward PSLF.
120 Qualifying Monthly Payments
Payments usually need to be made under a PSLF-qualifying repayment plan, such as RAP, PAYE, IBR, ICR, or qualifying 10-year Standard repayment.
Full-Time Employment
30+ hours per week at a qualifying employer. Multiple part-time jobs with qualifying employers can combine to meet full-time status.
Qualifying Employer
Government organizations (federal, state, local, tribal) or 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Qualifying Repayment Plan
Most PSLF borrowers use IDR, but some 10-year Standard repayment payments can qualify. Extended, graduated, and some consolidation standard schedules can be risky for PSLF.
What Is a Qualifying Employer?
✅ Qualifying Employers
- • Federal government agencies
- • State government agencies
- • Local government agencies
- • Tribal governments
- • 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
- • Public schools (K-12)
- • Public colleges/universities
- • Public libraries
- • Law enforcement
- • Fire departments
- • Public hospitals
- • AmeriCorps/Peace Corps
❌ Non-Qualifying Employers
- • For-profit companies
- • Labor unions
- • Partisan political organizations
- • Religious organizations (non-501(c)(3))
- • Contractors for qualifying employers
Which repayment plan should PSLF borrowers compare first?
If you are choosing a PSLF payment strategy, compare RAP, IBR, and PAYE before you worry about the exact forgiveness amount. The right plan is the one that gives you a qualifying payment you can actually sustain through 120 months.
How to Track Your Payments
Submit the PSLF Form Annually
Use the PSLF Help Tool at StudentAid.gov to submit your Employment Certification Form.
When to Submit
- • Annually (every 12 months)
- • When changing employers
- • As soon as you start at a qualifying employer
What Happens After Submission
- • Your servicer reviews your employment
- • Qualifying payments are credited
- • You'll receive payment count confirmation
- • Errors are flagged for correction
Check Your Payment Count
Log in to StudentAid.gov and view your loan servicer dashboard to see your current payment count. If a past account adjustment affected your record, use the updated official count rather than estimating from memory.
Common PSLF Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong Repayment Plan
Do not assume every non-IDR payment is PSLF-safe. Some 10-year Standard repayment payments can qualify, but extended, graduated, and some consolidation standard schedules may not. Verify plan treatment before switching.
Not Certifying Employment
If you don't submit the PSLF form annually, you won't know if your payments are counting. Many borrowers discover too late that their employment didn't qualify.
Consolidating Without Understanding Impact
Consolidating FFEL or Perkins loans resets your PSLF payment clock to zero. Only consolidate if necessary to gain PSLF eligibility.
Missing Payments
Late or partial payments don't count toward your 120. Set up autopay to ensure you never miss a payment.
Assuming Forgiveness is Automatic
You must submit a PSLF application after making 120 payments. Forgiveness is not automatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need detailed PSLF guidance? Read our complete PSLF application guide and learn about all forgiveness programs available. For narrower tools, use the PSLF qualifying payment calculator or compare PSLF vs IDR forgiveness.
What counts as qualifying employment for PSLF?
Qualifying employment includes working for:
- • Government organizations (federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial)
- • 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
- • Other types of nonprofits that provide public services
Full-time employment is 30+ hours per week or meeting your employer's definition of full-time.
How do I track my qualifying payments?
Submit the PSLF Help Tool form annually (or when changing employers) at StudentAid.gov/pslf.
Your servicer will track your payments and employer certifications. You can also check your payment count by logging into StudentAid.gov and viewing your loan servicer dashboard.
Do payments made before enrolling in an IDR plan count?
Many PSLF borrowers use qualifying income-driven plans such as RAP, PAYE, IBR, or ICR.
Some 10-year Standard repayment payments can qualify, but extended, graduated, and some consolidation standard schedules may not be PSLF-safe. Check the official PSLF Help Tool and your servicer payment count.
What is the IDR Account Adjustment and how does it affect me?
The one-time IDR Account Adjustment gave many borrowers updated credit toward IDR forgiveness and PSLF.
For a 2026 decision, rely on your current StudentAid.gov and servicer payment count rather than assuming another adjustment will apply.
Can I work part-time and still qualify?
Generally, no. PSLF requires full-time employment (30+ hours per week) or meeting your employer's definition of full-time.
However, if you have multiple part-time jobs with qualifying employers, you may qualify if the combined hours meet the full-time requirement.
Does PSLF forgive Parent PLUS loans?
Yes, but only after consolidation. Parent PLUS loans must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan first, then you must enroll in the ICR repayment plan.
Payments made before consolidation don't count toward your 120 required payments.
Ready to Apply for PSLF?
Use the PSLF Help Tool to certify your employment and track your qualifying payments.