Key Points
- The SAVE Plan is ending. Borrowers pursuing PSLF should switch to IBR or another qualifying income-driven plan ASAP. The RAP plan launches July 1, 2026, and will be the only option for new loans.
- New Parent PLUS borrowers won’t have a PSLF pathway. Existing borrowers must consolidate by June 30, 2026 to maintain PSLF eligibility.
- A new employer eligibility rule takes effect July 1, 2026. The Department of Education can revoke PSLF eligibility for employers found to have a “substantial illegal purpose,” though fewer than 10 per year are expected to be impacted.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness remains one of the best student loan forgiveness programs for federal student loan borrowers working in government or at qualifying nonprofits.
The core program hasn’t changed: you still need to hit four requirements to get your loans forgiven. But the rules around those requirements are shifting in 2026, and if you’re actively pursuing PSLF, you need to understand what’s different.
Here are the four pillars of PSLF eligibility and what’s changing with each.
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1. You Must Have Direct Loans
Only federal Direct Loans qualify for PSLF. If you have older FFEL or Perkins loans, you’ll need to consolidate them into a Direct Consolidation Loan before any payments count. This requirement hasn’t changed, and there’s no indication it will.
The one thing to keep in mind: if you consolidate, your payment count may reset. So if you’ve already been making qualifying payments on Direct Loans, don’t consolidate those — only consolidate the non-Direct loans.
Remember, if you do consolidate existing Direct Loans with a PSLF payment count, your new loan will have a weighted PSLF average.
2. You Must Be On An Eligible Repayment Plan
This is where the biggest changes are happening in 2026. Here’s the short version: income-driven repayment plans are changing, and you need to be on an eligible plan.
The SAVE Plan is dead. Borrowers in SAVE forbearance are not currently able to make qualifying PSLF payments, and time spent in forbearance doesn't directly count for PSLF. If you’re on SAVE, you need to switch to an alternative income-driven repayment plan as soon as possible to resume earning credit toward forgiveness.
Yes, PSLF buyback is an option, but not necessarily a financially savvy option.
A new plan called RAP (Repayment Assistance Plan) launches July 1, 2026. RAP will be the only income-driven plan available for loans disbursed on or after that date. It calculates payments at 1–10% of your adjusted gross income (not discretionary income like IBR), requires a minimum $10 monthly payment, and offers forgiveness after 30 years. Payments under RAP do count toward PSLF.
For existing borrowers: IBR remains available for loans disbursed before July 2026 as long as you don't consolidate or take out a new loan.
PAYE and ICR are being phased out and will end by June 30, 2028. Our last insight was that borrowers in these plans will likely need to choose a new plan in fall 2027 or early 2028.
The 10-year Standard Repayment Plan also qualifies for PSLF, but since it’s designed to pay off your loans in exactly 10 years, there’s typically nothing left to forgive.
The bottom line: If you’re currently pursuing PSLF, confirm you’re on IBR, PAYE, ICR or RAP — not SAVE. If you’re taking out new loans after July 2026, RAP will be your path.
Parent PLUS Loans Are Losing Their PSLF Pathway
This deserves its own section because it’s a major change that’s easy to miss. PSLF itself isn’t changing, but Parent PLUS borrowers lose access to an eligible repayment plan.
Currently, Parent PLUS borrowers can consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan and then enroll in ICR, which qualifies for PSLF. But ICR is sunsetting by July 1, 2028, and the new RAP plan won’t be available to Parent PLUS loans.
That means new Parent PLUS borrowers after July 1, 2026 will have no income-driven repayment option at all and therefore no path to PSLF.
If you already have Parent PLUS loans, there’s a deadline. You must consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan by June 30, 2026, and enroll in ICR. After making at least one qualifying ICR payment, you can switch to IBR before ICR sunsets in 2028.
Note: To complete the consolidation by June 30, 2026, it's recommended you start the process no later than March 31, 2026.
If you miss this window, you’ll be stuck on standard repayment with no forgiveness pathway.
3. You Must Work For An Eligible Employer
To receive PSLF, you must work for an eligible employer. This core requirement hasn't changed.
Qualifying employment means working full-time for a government organization (federal, state, local, or tribal) or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. You must also average 30 hours per week (be considered full time).
What’s new: the “substantial illegal purpose” rule takes effect July 1, 2026. Under this rule, the Department of Education can revoke PSLF eligibility for any employer (including universities and nonprofits) found to have a “substantial illegal purpose.”
The rule lists examples like aiding violations of federal immigration laws, supporting terrorism, certain medical procedures involving minors in violation of law, trafficking, and repeated violations of state law.
The Department estimates fewer than 10 employers per year will be disqualified. A disqualified employer loses eligibility.
What this means for you: For the vast majority of borrowers, this won’t change anything. But if you work for an organization that could be politically targeted under this rule, it’s worth monitoring.
It's also important to note that past qualifying payments can't be revoked. Your employer would only be disqualified in the future. So you would know in advance and have time to change employers if you desire.
4. You Must Make And Certify 120 Qualifying Payments
You need 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years’ worth) made while working full-time for an eligible employer and enrolled in an eligible repayment plan. Payments don’t need to be consecutive.
Submit your PSLF form at least annually and every time you change employers. This certifies your employment and tracks your payment count. Don’t wait until you hit 120 payments to submit for the first time, annual certification helps catch errors early and keeps your count accurate. You can monitor your green banners in your StudentAid account.
After 120 certified qualifying payments, you submit the PSLF form one final time to request forgiveness. Any remaining balance is forgiven tax-free.
Key Takeaways
If you’re on the SAVE Plan: Switch to IBR or another qualifying income-driven plan immediately. Time on SAVE is not counting toward PSLF right now. You're wasting time (and potentially money) by waiting.
If you have Parent PLUS loans: Consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan and enroll in ICR before June 30, 2026. Then plan to switch to IBR before ICR sunsets in 2028.
If you’re taking out new loans after July 2026: RAP will be your only income-driven option to qualify for PSLF.
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Editor: Colin Graves
Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent over 15 years researching, writing, and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs, and saving and investing for young professionals.
Robert has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Forbes, where he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully navigated his own student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.