Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs

Congressional research reportJan 29, 2024

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Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan

Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs

Updated January 29, 2024

Congressional Research Service

https://crsreports.congress.gov

R47837

SUMMARY

Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan

Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs

Student loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs enable borrowers to have all or part of

their student loan debt forgiven or repaid on their behalf if they meet specified eligibility criteria.

A primary type of such programs provides benefits to borrowers who complete work or service in

specific fields or professions. These service-contingent student loan forgiveness and loan

repayment programs are typically intended to provide a financial incentive to encourage

individuals to enter public service or a particular profession, occupation, or occupational

specialty, or to remain employed in a high-need profession or occupation (often in certain

locations).

R47837

January 29, 2024

Alexandra Hegji

Analyst in Social Policy

Elayne J. Heisler

Specialist in Health

Services

Sylvia L. Bryan

Research Assistant

The number and availability of service-contingent loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs

have expanded considerably since the establishment of the first major federal loan forgiveness

program under the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Currently, federal law authorizes at

least 47 such programs, approximately 30 of which were operational on or after October 1, 2021,

or became operational sometime thereafter. This report provides information on the characteristics and funding of these

various programs. For more detailed information on each of these programs, along with a discussion of overarching program

design features and policy issues associated with them, see CRS Report R43571, Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and

Loan Repayment Programs (archived).

Loan forgiveness benefits may also be available to certain federal student loan borrowers following a prolonged period

during which their student loan debt burden is high relative to their income. These benefits are provided by various student

loan income-driven repayment plans. Certain other federal student loan borrowers may be relieved of the responsibility to

repay all or part of their loan debt via a loan discharge, which is typically available to borrowers based on a borrower’s

hardship (e.g., total and permanent disability, bankruptcy). These types of benefits are not discussed in this report. For

additional information on student loan income-driven repayment plans and loan discharge options, see CRS Report R45931,

Federal Student Loans Made Through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program: Terms and Conditions for

Borrowers.

Congressional Research Service

Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs

Contents

Tables

Table 1. Operational Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Loan

Repayment Programs ................................................................................................................... 3

Table 2. Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs That Were

Previously Active, Never Active, or for Which Program Information Is Unavailable .............. 15

Contacts

Author Information........................................................................................................................ 19

Congressional Research Service

Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs

urrently, federal law authorizes at least 47 programs to enable borrowers to have all or part

of their student loan debt forgiven or repaid on their behalf in exchange for the borrower’s

completion of specified work or service; approximately 30 of these authorized programs

were operational on or after October 1, 2021, or became operational sometime thereafter.1 These

service-contingent student loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs are typically intended

to provide a financial incentive to encourage individuals to enter public service or a particular

profession, occupation, or occupational specialty, or to remain employed in a high-need

profession or occupation (often in certain locations). Each of the programs has unique

characteristics in terms of their service requirements, benefit amounts, administrative structures,

and program funding.

While all of these service-contingent student loan forgiveness or student loan repayment

programs provide student loan debt relief benefits based on a borrower’s completion of specified

service, a primary distinction among these programs is whether they are considered a loan

forgiveness or a loan repayment program. In general, loan forgiveness benefits are broadly

available to borrowers of qualified loans, and the availability of the benefits is expressed to

borrowers in their loan documents (e.g., in a master promissory note).2 A borrower who satisfies

the loan forgiveness program’s eligibility criteria, as set forth in the loan terms and conditions, is

entitled to the loan forgiveness benefits. Benefits that are entitlements to qualified borrowers are

generally funded through mandatory appropriations and accounted for as part of federal student

loan subsidy costs.

In contrast, under a loan repayment program, the entity that administers the program typically

either directly repays some or all of the qualified borrower’s student loan debt on the borrower’s

behalf or provides funding to a separate entity for purposes of implementing a loan repayment

program and making such payments. Loan repayment benefits are generally offered through

programs that are separate or distinct from the program through which a federal student loan is

made and are generally available to a limited number of qualified borrowers. Typically, the

availability of loan repayment benefits is subject to the discretionary appropriation of funds.

The number and availability of service-contingent loan forgiveness and loan repayment programs

have expanded considerably since the establishment of the first major federal loan forgiveness

program under the National Defense Education Act of 1958. As noted above, currently, 47 such

programs are authorized at the federal level, and approximately 30 of these authorized programs

were operational on October 1, 2021, or became operational sometime thereafter. The tables in

this report provide information on the characteristics of and funding for these various programs.

For more detailed information on each of these programs, along with a discussion of overarching

program design features and associated policy issues, see CRS Report R43571, Federal Student

Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs (archived).

Loan forgiveness benefits may also be available to certain federal student loan borrowers

following a prolonged period during which their student loan debt burden is high relative to their

income. These benefits are provided through repayment under various student loan income-driven

repayment plans. Certain other federal student loan borrowers may be relieved of the

responsibility to repay all or part of their loan debt via a loan discharge, which is typically

available to borrowers based on a borrower’s hardship (e.g., total and permanent disability,

1 CRS chose October 1, 2021, as the cut-off date due to variability in the availability of information and the timing of

agency reports on programs.

2 Some loan forgiveness programs have been established and made available to individuals who have already borrowed

their loans. The resulting change to the terms and conditions of an existing loan program is referred to as a loan

modification.

Congressional Research Service

Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs

bankruptcy). These types of benefits are not discussed in this report. For additional information

on student loan income-driven repayment plans and loan discharge options, see CRS Report

R45931, Federal Student Loans Made Through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan

Program: Terms and Conditions for Borrowers.

This report provides information on federally authorized service-contingent student loan

forgiveness and repayment programs in two tables. Table 1 lists programs that were operational

on or after October 1, 2021. Table 2 lists such programs that were previously operational prior to

October 1, 2021; that were never active; or for which program information is unavailable. Both

tables contain the following information:

•

program name,

statutory citation,

administering agency,

qualifying service required of program participants,

maximum amount of benefits program participants can receive,

most recently available data regarding the amount of funds appropriated for the

program or the amount of benefits awarded under the program, and

resources for additional information.

A relevant feature of these programs not depicted in the tables is the type(s) of loans that are

eligible for benefits under each program. In general, there are three broad categories of loans that

may be eligible benefits under these programs. They are (1) student loans made under Title IV of

the Higher Education Act (HEA), which include the primary federal student loan program—the

Direct Loan program3—and two other programs under which no new loans are being made but

for which borrowers remain responsible for repaying outstanding loan amounts—the Federal

Family Education Loan (FFEL) program and the Federal Perkins Loan program; (2) student loans

made under one of the various loan programs authorized by Title VII and Title VIII of the Public

Health Service Act and that are generally available to individuals pursuing health education

programs;4 and (3) private (nonfederal) education loans. The three existing federal student loan

forgiveness programs are available only to specific types of HEA Title IV program loans, while

many of the federal student loan repayment programs are available to not only HEA Title IV

program loans but also to loans made under the PHSA and, in some circumstances, private

education loans. For information on which types of loans qualify under each of the programs, see

the statutory citations and additional resources provided in Table 1 and Table 2.

In general, both tables are organized by sequential U.S. Code citation. In Table 1, information on

student loan forgiveness programs is presented first, followed by information on student loan

repayment programs.

3 For additional information, see CRS Report R45931, Federal Student Loans Made Through the William D. Ford

Federal Direct Loan Program: Terms and Conditions for Borrowers.

4 For additional information, see CRS Report R46720, Student Loan Programs Authorized by the Public Health Service

Act: An Overview.

Congressional Research Service

Table 1. Operational Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Teacher Loan

Forgivenessa

Department of

Education (ED)

Five consecutive

years of full-time

employment as a

teacher in public or

private nonprofit

schools or education

service agencies

20 U.S.C. §§1078-10

and 1087j

$5,000 in general;

$17,500 for special

education, science

or mathematics

teachers

$223.2 million forgiven in

FY2022

https://studentaid.gov/

manage-loans/

forgivenesscancellation/teacher

Direct Loan Public

Service Loan

Forgiveness

10 years of full-time

employment in

public service jobs

20 U.S.C. §1087e(m)

Remaining loan

balance after 10

years of qualifying

payments

$37.4 billion forgiven in

FY2023b

https://studentaid.gov/

manage-loans/

forgivenesscancellation/

public-service

Federal Perkins Loan

Cancellation

One to five years of

full-time

employment in

specific public

service professions

20 U.S.C. §1087ee

Specified percentage

of loan balance

forgiven for each

year of service; up to

100% of loan balance

forgiven for five

years of service

$12.7 million forgiven in

award year 20202021Error! Reference s

ource not found.

https://studentaid.gov/

manage-loans/

forgivenesscancellation/perkins

Student Loan Repayment Programs

Congressional

Budget Office

(CBO) Student Loan

Repayment Program

CBO

Service as a CBO

employee

2 U.S.C. §610

$6,000 per year;

$40,000 in total

$18,000 repaid in FY2023

https://www.cbo.gov/s

ystem/files/202302/58881-BudgetRequest.pdf

Student Loan

Repayment Program

for Senate

Employees

Secretary of the

Senate

At least one year of

employment in the

U.S. Senate or the

Office of

Congressional

Accessibility Services

2 U.S.C. §4579

$833 per month;

$80,000 in total

$9.8 million appropriated

in FY2023

None

CRS-3

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

2 U.S.C. §4536

$833 per month;

$80,000 in total

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

At least three years

of service with

participating federal

executive branch

agencies or certain

legislative branch

offices

5 U.S.C. §5379

$10,000 per year;

$60,000 total

$75.4 million student loan

repayment benefits

provided in Calendar Year

2021 across 29 agencies

https://www.opm.gov/

policy-data-oversight/

pay-leave/studentloan-repayment/#url=

Overview

Department of

Agriculture, National

Institute of Food and

Agriculture

Three years of

service as a

veterinarian in a

designated

veterinary shortage

situation

7 U.S.C. §3151a

$25,000 per year of

service

$10 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://www.nifa.usda.

gov/

grants/programs/

veterinary-medicineloan-repaymentprogram

See below

Three years of

employment as

DOD acquisition

personnel

10 U.S.C. §1745

$10,000 per year;

$60,000 in total

See below

None

Department of

Defense (DOD),

Department of the

Army

See above

$6.3 million awarded in

FY2021

https://www.hci.mil/

docs/Policy/FY21

DAWDAAnnual

Report.pdf

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

See below

At least one year of

active-duty service

in an officer program

or military specialty

10 U.S.C. §2171

In general, the

greater of 33⅓% of

the outstanding loan

or $1,500 per year.

See below

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Student Loan

Repayment for

House Employees

House Office of the

Chief Administrative

Officer

At least one year of

employment in the

U. S. House of

Representatives

Government

Employee Loan

Repayment

Programd

Various

Veterinary Medicine

Loan Repayment

Program

Defense Acquisition

Workforce Student

Loan Program

Armed Forces

Education Loan

Repayment Program:

Enlisted Members on

CRS-4

Additional

Information

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Active Duty in

Specified Military

Specialties

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

specified by the

Secretary of

Defense. Specific

requirements may

vary by military

department

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Maximum aggregate

benefits may vary by

military department.

DOD, Department

of the Army

At least three years

of service

See above

$65,000

$8.6 million repaid in

FY2023 (estimated)

https://myarmybenefit

s.us.army.mil/BenefitLibrary/FederalBenefits/CollegeLoan-RepaymentProgram(LRP)?serv=122

DOD, Department

of the Navy

At least three years

of service

See above

$65,000

$5 million repaid in

FY2023

—

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

At least four years

of service

See above

$65,000

Air Force: $15 million

repaid in FY2023

https://www.af.mil/

News/Article-Display/

Article/3325584/airforce-securesadditional-funding-forrecruitmentincentive-programs/

Air Force Judge Advocate

General Corps: $5.2

million repaid in FY2023

Active Duty Health

Professionals Loan

Repayment Program

CRS-5

Additional

Information

See below

At least one year of

active-duty service

(or ability to serve

on active duty) as an

officer in a specified

health care

profession. Specific

requirements may

vary by military

department.

10 U.S.C. §2173

In general, $60,000

per year. Maximum

aggregate benefits

may vary by military

department

See below

https://www.esd.whs.

mil/

Portals/54/

Documents/DD/

issuances/dodi/

600013p.pdf

DOD, Department

of the Army

See above

$40,000 per year

Currently unavailable to

CRS

Chapter 4 of

https://armypubs.army

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

.mil/

epubs/DR_pubs/

DR_a/pdf/web/r601_

141.pdf

https://recruiting.army

.mil/

MRB_Medical

Services/

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

$40,000 per year

$468,000 repaid in

FY2023

https://www.med.navy

.mil/

Accessions/

Health-ProfessionsLoan-RepaymentProgram/

DOD Memorandum,

“Health Professions

Officer Special and

Incentive Pay Plan,”

September 6, 2022,

on file with CRS

Education Loan

Repayment Program:

Members of the

Selected Reserve

CRS-6

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

$40,000 per year

Currently unavailable to

CRS

https://static.epublishing.af.mil/

production/1/af_sg/

publication/

dodi6000.13_dafi41110/dodi6000.13_

dafi41-110.pdf

See below

At least one year of

service in the

Selected Reserve in

certain officer

programs or enlisted

10 U.S.C. §16301

In general, the

greater of 15% of

the outstanding loan

or $500 per year,

plus accrued

See below

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

military specialties.

Specific

requirements may

vary by military

department.

Selected Reserve

Health Professionals

Loan Repayment

Program

CRS-7

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

interest. Maximum

aggregate benefits

may vary by military

department.

DOD, Department

of the Army

At least six years of

service

See above

$20,000

Army Reserve: $14.6

million repaid in FY2023

https://myarmybenefit

s.us.army.mil/BenefitLibrary/FederalBenefits/CollegeLoan-RepaymentProgram-(LRP)

DOD, Department

of the Navy

—

See above

—

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

At least six years of

service

See above

$20,000

Air Force Reserve: $1.1

million repaid in FY2023

https://www.arpc.afrc.

af.mil/

Services/

Education/StudentLoan-RepaymentProgram/

See below

At least one year of

service in the

Selected Reserve

while being qualified

(or enrolled in an

educational program

leading to such

qualifications) in a

health profession

determined by the

Secretary of Defense

to be critically

needed to meet

identified wartime

10 U.S.C. §16302

Varies by medical

specialty ($20,000$40,000 per year

and $60,000$250,000 in total)

See below

DOD Memorandum,

“Health Professions

Officer Special and

Incentive Pay Plan,”

September 6, 2022,

on file with CRS

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

combat medical

skills shortagese

DOD, Department

of the Army

See above

Army Reserve:

$19,742,000 repaid in

FY2023

National Guard:

$18,451,000 repaid in

FY2023 (estimated)

https://recruiting.army

.mil/

MRB_Medical

Services/

Department of the

Army Memorandum,

“U.S. Army Reserve

(USAR) Health

Professions Special

and Incentive (HPS&I)

Pay Plan Policy for

Fiscal Year (2023),”

September 29, 2022,

on file with CRS

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

$680,000 repaid in

FY2023 (estimated)

https://www.med.navy

.mil/

Accessions/

Health-ProfessionsLoan-RepaymentProgram

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

Air Force Reserve:

$2,460,000 repaid in

FY2023 (estimated)

https://static.epublishing.af.mil/

production/1/af_sg/

publication/

dodi6000.13_dafi41110/

dodi6000.13_dafi41110.pdf

Air National Guard:

currently unavailable to

CRS

https://www.recruitin

g.af.mil/

CRS-8

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Portals/78/

AFR%2022-004%20

HP%20Loan%20

Repayment%20

Program.pdf

Indian Health

Service (IHS) Loan

Repayment Program

Department of

Health and Human

Services (HHS), IHS

At least two years of

service as a health

provider at an IHS

or at a tribally

operated facility

funded by the IHS

25 U.S.C. §1616a

Up to $50,000 for

two-year term, plus

an additional 24% of

the borrower’s

federal income tax

liability associated

with the repayment

benefit

$80.6 millionf

appropriated in FY2023

https://www.ihs.gov/

loanrepayment/

John R. Justice (JRJ)

Loan Repayment for

Prosecutors and

Public Defenders

Program

Department of

Justice (DOJ),

Bureau of Justice

Assistance (BJA)g

At least three years

of service as fulltime prosecutor,

public defender, or

federal defender

34 U.S.C. §10671

$10,000 per year;

$60,000 total

$5 million appropriated in

FY2023

https://bja.ojp.gov/

program/john-rjustice/overview

Veterans Affairs

Education Debt

Reduction Program

Department of

Veterans Affairs

(VA), Veterans

Health

Administration

(VHA)

At least two years of

service as a VHA

health professional

who provides direct

patient care or

services incident to

direct patient care,

in difficult-to-fill

health professionsh

38 U.S.C. §§76817683

$40,000 per year;

$200,000 total over

a five-year period

$160 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://vacareers.va.go

wp-content/

uploads/sites/5/

EDRP.pdf

Program for the

Repayment of

Educational Loansi

VA, VHA

At least two years of

service as a VHA

health professional

who serves as a

qualified psychiatrist

38 U.S.C. §7681,

note

Up to $30,000 per

year

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

Veterans Affairs

Specialty Education

VA, VHA

At least two years of

service as a VHA

38 U.S.C. §§7691 et

seq.

Up to $40,000 per

year; $160,000 total

$2.6 million appropriated

in FY2022j

https://va-amsinfo.intelliworxit.com/

CRS-9

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Debt Reduction

Program

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

health professional

employed in difficultto-fill medical

specialties

Additional

Information

selrp/about-selrp/

#:~:text=The%20

Specialty%20

Education%20Loan

%20Repayment, U.S.

%20Department%20

of%20Veterans%20

Affairs%20(

Centers for Disease

Control and

Prevention

(CDC)/Agency for

Toxic Substances

and Disease Registry

(ATSDR) Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, CDC &

ATSDR

At least three years

of service as a CDC

or ATSDR employee

in hard-to-fill

positionsk

42 U.S.C. §247b-7

$50,000 per year

Currently unavailable to

CRS

None

National Health

Service Corps Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, Health

Resources &

Services

Administration

(HRSA)

Service as a health

provider at a health

facility located in a

health professional

shortage area that

provides care

regardless of

patient’s ability to

pay

42 U.S.C. §§ 254d254f, 254l-1, 254m,

254n, and 254o

For full-time service,

$50,000 per twoyear term; Substance

Use Disorder (SUD)

providers may

receive up to

$75,000 for threeyear service term,

and SUD providers

in rural areas may

receive up to

$100,000 for threeyear service term

$260 million repaid in

FY2023l

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

loan-repayment/nhscloan-repaymentprogram

National Health

Service Corps

Students to Service

Loan Repayment

Program

HHS, HRSA

Three years of

service in full-time

clinical practice in a

health professional

shortage area

(HPSA),m to which

42 U.S.C. §§254d254f, 254l-1, 254m,

254n, and 254o

Up to $120,000

$20 million repaid in

FY2023l

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

loan-repayment/nhscstudents-to-serviceloan-repaymentprogram

CRS-10

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

individuals must

commit during their

last year of medical,

nursing, or dental

school

National Health

Service Corps State

Loan Repayment

Program

HHS, HRSA

Service as a health

provider in a HPSA

42 U.S.C. §254q-1

$25,000 annually for

full-time providers

$100 million in current

project period (20222025)l

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

loan-repayment/stateloan-repaymentprogram

National Institutes of

Health (NIH)

Intramural Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, NIH

At least two years of

service as an NIH

employee who

conducts research in

specified fields

42 U.S.C. §288–1

Up to $50,000

annually plus an

additional 39% of the

repayment amount

provided for federal

income taxes

$4.6 million repaid in

FY2022

https://www.lrp.nih.go

National Institutes of

Health Extramural

Loan Repayment

Program

HHS, NIH

At least two years of

service as a health

professional who

conducts research in

specified fields and

who is employed by

a domestic,

nonprofit entity

42 U.S.C. §288-2

Up to $50,000

annually plus an

additional 39% of the

repayment amount

provided for federal

income taxes

$85.4 million repaid in

FY2022

https://www.lrp.nih.go

Loan Repayments

for Health

Professional School

Faculty

HHS, HRSA

At least two years of

service as a health

professional faculty

membern

42 U.S.C. §293b

Up to $40,000 plus

additional funds for

tax liability

$2.3 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/

funding/apply-loanrepayment/faculty-lrp

General, Pediatric,

and Public Health

Dentistry Faculty

Loan Repayment

HHS, HRSA

Between one and

five years of service

as a dental school

faculty member

42 U.S.C. §293k-2

Specified percentage

of loan balance

repaid for each year

of service; up to

100% of loan balance

repaid for five years

of service

Currently unavailable to

CRS

https://www.hrsa.gov/

grants/find-funding/

HRSA-23-091

CRS-11

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Pediatric

Subspecialty Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, HRSA

Three years of

service in a HPSA as

a pediatric

subspeciality health

provider or as a

pediatric

subspecialist fellow

in training

42 U.S.C. §295f

Up to $100,000

$10 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/

sites/default/files/

bureau-healthworkforce/funding/

pediatric-specialtylrp-applicationguidance.pdf

Substance Use

Disorder Treatment

and Recovery Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, HRSA

Six years of service

as a SUD provider in

a mental health

HPSA

42 U.S.C. §§295h

Up to $250,000

$40 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

loan-repayment/nhscsud-workforce-loanrepayment-program

Nursing Education

Loan Repayment

Program (Nurse

Corps)

HHS, HRSA

At least two years of

service as a nurse at

a critical shortage

facility

42 U.S.C. §§297n

and 297n-1

Up to 85% of total

nursing educational

loan balance for

individuals with a

three-year service

commitment and up

to 60% for

individuals with a

two-year service

commitment

$92.6 million appropriated

in FY2023o

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/

sites/default/files/

bureau-healthworkforce/funding/

nursecorps-lrpguidance.pdf

Nursing Faculty

Loan Repayment

Program

HHS, HRSA

Service as a nurse

faculty member

42 U.S.C. §§297n-1

Specified percentage

of loan balance

forgiven for each

year of service; up to

85% of loan balance

forgiven for four

years of service

$28.5 million appropriated

in FY2023

https://www.hrsa.gov/

grants/find-funding/

HRSA-23-006

National and

Community Service

Grant Program,

Educational Award

(Segal Award)

Corporation for

National and

Community Service,

the National Service

Trust

Service completion

in AmeriCorps State

and National,

AmeriCorps

National Civilian

42 U.S.C. §12604

Maximum Pell Grant

amount for the year

the recipient’s

position was

approved (e.g.,

$230 million appropriated

in FY2023q

https://americorps.go

membersvolunteers/segal-

CRS-12

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service

Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Community Corps,

or AmeriCorps

VISTA

Temporary

Expanded Public

Service Loan

Forgiveness

10 years of full-time

employment in

public service jobs

Maximum

Amount Repaid

or Forgiven

Most Recent Funding

or Amount Awarded

$7,395 for full-time

positions approved

in FY2024)p

P.L. 115-141; P.L.

115-245; P.L. 11694; P.L. 116-260;

P.L. 117-103

Remaining loan

balance after 10

years of qualifying

payments

Additional

Information

americorpseducation-award

$1.6 million forgiven in

award year 2022-2023r

https://studentaid.gov/

manage-loans/

forgivenesscancellation/publicservice/temporaryexpanded-publicservice-loanforgiveness

Source: CRS analysis of relevant statutes, regulations, and program materials.

a. Program benefits are available only for qualifying Direct Loan program and FFEL program Subsidized Loans and Unsubsidized Loans, as well as the portion of

Consolidation Loans used to repay such Subsidized Loans and Unsubsidized Loans.

b. Figure includes loan amounts forgiven under ED’s Limited PSLF Waiver. In October 2021, ED announced the waiver, which was a series of limited-time waivers of

numerous PSLF program rules for which borrowers could apply through October 31, 2022, and implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The waivers

were intended to enable borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would not otherwise qualify for PSLF.

c. Award year 2020-2021 ran from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.

d. The Government Employee Loan Repayment Program is operated by individual agencies with differing service requirements and maximum awards. OPM publishes a

report (most recently covering CY2020) that provides a general overview of participating agencies and amounts repaid for a given calendar year.

e. Eligible borrowers must be commissioned officers on or before December 31, 2023.

Includes amounts appropriated for the Indian Health Service Scholarship Program.

g. Program is administered as a partnership between BJA and state governors. Funds are awarded to states to operate loan repayment programs.

h. The STRONG Veterans Act of 2022 (Division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)) requires that beginning in FY2022, the Secretary of

Veterans Affairs provide at least 200 program awards for the purposes of recruiting “mental health professionals to the Department of Veterans Affairs in disciplines

that include psychiatry, psychology, advanced practice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance abuse disorder), and social work.

The Program for the Repayment of Educational Loans was established as a pilot program, and its authorization expired in FY2019. However, there are currently two

program awardees who applied prior to the expiration of the program’s authorization and who are currently completing their service obligations. They will continue

to receive program benefits for the remainder of their service obligation.

The Specialty Education Debt Reduction Program was first implemented in April 2021. The VA anticipates an increase in participation and costs as the program

matures. For FY2024, the VA requested an appropriation of $12 million for the program.

CRS-13

CRS-14

Recipients must also have educational loans that are more than 20% of their annual federal salary and must be accepted into one of the five CDC fellowship

programs: the Epidemic Intelligence Service, Laboratory Leadership Service, Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship, Public Health Informatics Fellowship, and the Future

Leaders in Infections and Global Health Threats Fellowship.

These repayment benefits made in FY2023 were made using funds appropriated from the American Rescue Plan (P.L. 117-2). For more information, see CRS Report

R46834, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Public Health, Medical Supply Chain, Health Services, and Related Provisions.

For more information on health professional shortage areas, see CRS Infographic IG10015, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

Qualifying borrowers must also be from an economically or environmentally disadvantaged background.

Includes amounts appropriated for the Nurse Corp Scholarship program and the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment program.

Individuals may earn up to the equivalent of two full-time education awards after completing multiple terms of AmeriCorps service.

Segal Education award funds may be used for student loan repayment or for qualified higher educational expenses at the discretion of the recipient. CNCS is

authorized to transfer additional amounts from AmeriCorps State and National Grants programs funds to support activities of national service participants, including

education awards. Additionally, FEMA makes a contribution to support FEMA Corps (a component of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps)

participants’ education awards.

Award year 2022-2023 ran from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Table 2. Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs That Were Previously Active,

Never Active, or for Which Program Information Is Unavailable

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid or

Forgiven

Most Recent

Funding or

Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Previously Activea

Capitol Police

Student Loan

Repayment

Capitol Police

Service as a Capitol

Police employee

2 U.S.C. §1926

Up to $80,000 in

total

$637,000 repaid in

FY2010

None

Education Loan

Repayment Program:

Chaplains Serving in

the Selected Reserve

See below

At least three years

serving (or able to serve)

as a chaplain in the

Selected Reserve

10 U.S.C. §16303

$20,000 per three

years

See below

None

DOD, Department

of the Army

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

Air National Guard:

$30,000 repaid in

FY2017b

None

Civil Legal Assistance

Attorney Student

Loan Repayment

Program

At least three years of

service as a full-time legal

assistance attorney

20 U.S.C. §107812

$6,000 per year;

$40,000 in total

$5 million

appropriated in

FY2010

None

Federal Food, Drug,

and Cosmetic Act

Loan Repayment

Program

HHS, Food and Drug

Administration (FDA)

At least three years of

service as a qualified

health professional

conducting research

while employed with the

FDAc

21 U.S.C. §395

$20,000 per year

$2.2 million repaid in

FY2013

None

CRS-15

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid or

Forgiven

Most Recent

Funding or

Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Never Active Programsd

Loan Forgiveness for

Service in Areas of

National Neede

At least one year of fulltime employment in a

statutorily specified area

of national needf

20 U.S.C. §107811

$2,000 per year;

$10,000 in total

n/a

None

Indian Health Service:

Mental Health

Prevention and

Treatment Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, IHS

Employment as an IHE

employee who provides

mental health services

25 U.S.C. §1621h

Undetermined

n/a

None

Loan Repayment

Program for Clinical

Researchers from

Disadvantaged

Backgrounds

VA, VHA

Service as a VHA

employee from a

disadvantaged

background who

conducts clinical research

38 U.S.C. §7681,

note

Up to $35,000 per

year

n/a

none

Nursing Workforce

Development

Student Loans: Loan

Cancellation

HHS, HRSA

At least one year of

service as a full-time

nurse in a public or

nonprofit agency,

institution, or

organization

42 U.S.C.

§297b(b)(3)

Specified percentage

of loan balance

forgiven for each

year of service; up to

85% of loan balance

forgiven for five years

of service

n/a

None

Eligible Individual

Student Loan

Repayment

HHS, HRSA

At least four years of

service (during a six-year

period) as full-time

nursing faculty

42 U.S.C. §297o

$20,000 per year;

$80,000 in total

n/a

None

At least 15 months of

active duty service (plus

additional active duty or

reserve service) for

members of the Armed

10 U.S.C. §510

Up to $18,000

See below

None

Program Information Unavailableg

Armed Forces

National Call to

Service Payment of

Student Loans

CRS-16

See below

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Service Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid or

Forgiven

Most Recent

Funding or

Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

Forces who enlist and

serve in a designated

military occupational

specialty

DOD, Department

of the Army

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

See below

Service as a member of

the Armed Forces who is

on active duty in their

first term of service.

10 U.S.C. §2174

Interest and special

allowances that

accrue on qualifying

federal student loans

for up to 36

consecutive months

See below

None

DOD, Department

of the Army

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Navy

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

DOD, Department

of the Air Force

See above

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

Coast Guard

Education Loan

Repayment Program

Department of

Homeland Security

At least one year as an

enlisted member of the

Coast Guard on active

duty in specified

occupations.

14 U.S.C. §2772

The greater of 33⅓%

of the borrower’s

outstanding loan or

$1,500 per year

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

National Indian

Forest Resources

Management

Postgraduation

Recruitment

Department of the

Interior (DOI),

Bureau of Indian

Affairs (BIA)

At least one year of

service by Indians or

Alaska Natives as

professional foresters or

forester technicians for

25 U.S.C. §3114

$5,000 per year

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

Armed Forces

Student Loan Interest

Payment Program:

Members on Active

Duty

CRS-17

Program Name

Administering

Agency

Assumption of

Student Loans

Service Requirement

Statutory

Citation

Maximum

Amount Repaid or

Forgiven

Most Recent

Funding or

Amount Awarded

Additional

Information

the BIA or a tribal

forestry program.

American Indian

Agricultural Resource

Management

Postgraduation

Recruitment

Assumption of

Student Loans

DOI, BIA

At least one of service by

Indians or Alaska Natives

as professional natural

resources and agriculture

technicians for the BIA

or tribal agricultural

program

25 U.S.C. §3732

$5,000 per year

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

Public Health

Workforce Loan

Repayment Program

HHS, HRSA

At least three years of

employment as a full-time

public health professional

42 U.S.C. §295f-1

$35,000 per year

Currently unavailable

to CRS

None

Source: CRS analysis of relevant statutes, regulations, and program materials.

a. Previously active programs are those that CRS can confirm operated at some point in time prior to October 1, 2020, and for which CRS can either verify that they

are no longer operational or for which CRS cannot verify that they are currently operational.

b. Amount repaid to individuals serving in the Air National Guard. As of FY2020, the benefit is no longer being offered.

c. Recipients must also have educational loans that are more than 20% of their annual federal salary.

d. A program is considered never to have been active if it has been authorized but has not yet received appropriations.

e. Despite the program’s name (Loan Forgiveness in Service in Areas of National Need), this is classified as a loan repayment program (and not a loan forgiveness

program) because its benefits are contingent on discretionary appropriations.

Specified areas of national need include early childhood educator; nurse; foreign language specialist; librarian; highly qualified teacher; child welfare worker; speechlanguage pathologist or audiologist; school counselor; public sector employee in public safety, emergency management, public health, or public interest legal services;

nutrition professional; medical specialist; mental health professional; dentist; employee in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields;

physical therapist; superintendent, principal, or other (school) administrator; occupational therapist; and allied health professional.

g. Programs for which information is unavailable are those that CRS cannot confirm their operational status because there is no available information on which to

make such a determination.

CRS-18

Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs

Author Information

Alexandra Hegji

Analyst in Social Policy

Sylvia L. Bryan

Research Assistant

Elayne J. Heisler

Specialist in Health Services

Disclaimer

This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan

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under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other

than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in

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Congressional Research Service

R47837 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.