Loan Forgiveness

Loan forgiveness programs are available to alleviate student loan debt for graduates in eligible fields of employment or post-graduate programs. Loan forgiveness means that the portion of loans "forgiven" does not have to be repaid by the student. With most programs, a portion of loan debt is forgiven over a period of time after the graduate has entered Loan Repayment and made several loan payments.

NOTE: Eligibility and the application process are determined by the organizations below and not the GSEP Financial Aid Office.

Teaching Credential Students (Prospective Teachers)

Federal Stafford Loan Forgiveness for Teachers
This program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and remain in the teaching profession. Under this program, qualifying graduates who teach for five consecutive academic years in schools or educational service agencies that serve low-income families may receive loan forgiveness of up to $17,500.

For more information, please visit Federal Student Aid or contact your loan servicer.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
Students who plan to pursue a career with a public service organization may be eligible to have their remaining federal loan balance cancelled after they have served full-time for at least 10 years while making 120 qualifying monthly payments.

For more information, please visit the PSLF website or contact your loan servicer.

MFT Students

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
Students who plan to pursue a career with a public service organization may be eligible to have their remaining federal loan balance canceled after they have served full-time for at least 10 years while making 120 qualifying monthly payments.

For more information, please visit the PSLF website or contact your loan servicer.

Mental Health Loan Assumption Program (MHLAP)

Award recipients may receive up to $10,000 to repay educational loans in exchange for a 12-month service obligation in a hard-to-fill or retain position.

Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program (LMHSPEP)
The LMHSPEP awards recipients up to $15,000 to repay educational loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to practice and provide care in one of the following areas: a public or publicly-funded mental health facility, a non-profit mental health facility, or a mental health professions shortage area.

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC)
The NHSC Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment assistance to licensed mental and behavioral health providers who are employed at approved sites in underserved communities. Applicants must be licensed to practice in a NHSC-eligible discipline; have a job at a NHSC-approved site; and have unpaid, qualifying educational loans.

For more information and to apply, please visit the NHSC website.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Students who plan to pursue a career with a public service organization may be eligible to have their remaining federal loan balance cancelled after they have served full-time for at least 10 years while making 120 qualifying monthly payments.

For more information, please visit the PSLF website or contact your loan servicer.

Psychology Doctoral Students

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

For more information, please visit the PSLF website or contact your loan servicer.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

The NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP) recruits fully trained health professionals who agree to provide primary health services in communities with limited access to care. In return, the NHSC LRP assists clinicians in their repayment of qualifying educational loans that are still owed.

Please visit the NHSC website for more information.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers multiple Loan Repayment Programs to qualified health professionals who commit at least two years to conducting qualified research.

For more information regarding these loan repayment programs, please visit the NIH Loan Repayment Programs website.

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

The NIMHD Loan Repayment Program offers educational loan repayment of up to $35,000 per year to qualified health professionals with doctorate degrees who are employed in non-federal academic/research settings.

For more information, please visit the NIMHD Loan Repayment website.

Mental Health Loan Assumption Program (MHLAP)

The MHLAP was created in order to retain qualified professionals working within the public mental health system. Award recipients may receive up to $10,000 to repay educational loans in exchange for a 12-month service obligation in a hard-to-fill or hard-to-retain position.

Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program (LMHSPEP)

The LMHSPEP awards recipients up to $15,000 to repay educational loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to practice and provide care in one of the following areas: a public or publicly-funded mental health facility, a non-profit mental health facility, or a mental health professions shortage area.

Education Doctoral Students

For more information, please visit the PSLF website or contact your loan servicer.

Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program
"The purpose of the program is to increase the number of individuals who demonstrate potential as doctoral students and who may be interested in applying for future CSU instructional faculty positions. The program is open to applicants who will be new or continuing full-time students in doctoral programs at accredited universities anywhere within the United States. The CDI loan is $10,000 per year for three years and forgivable for those teaching full- or part-time at a CSU campus. Being awarded the CDI loan is not a guarantee of employment at the CSU." For more information, please visit the CDI website.