Massachusetts Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Massachusetts offers student loan repayment assistance programs for health professionals, public school teachers, and early educators who stay in the field. The MLRP is the biggest single award at up to $50,000, while the Educator Loan Repayment Program reaches the most workers at $7,500 a year. MA Repay has closed, so behavioral health workers now rely on the MLRP, and everyone else should start with federal forgiveness programs.
Massachusetts Programs At A Glance
| Program | Who Qualifies | Maximum Award | Service Required | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Loan Repayment Program (MLRP) | Primary care, dental, and behavioral health clinicians in shortage areas | Up to $50,000 for a two-year contract | 2 years full time, or a longer part-time contract | Annual Cycle |
| Educator Loan Repayment Program | Public school teachers and paraprofessionals with a bachelor's from a Massachusetts public college earned after January 1, 2020 | $7,500/year for up to 4 years ($30,000 total) | 4 years in a Massachusetts public school | Annual Cycle |
| Early Childhood Educator Student Loan Repayment Program | Full-time staff in EEC-licensed or funded early education programs | $7,500/year | Each award follows a completed full-time year | New In 2026 |
| Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship Program | Full-time students in educator preparation programs at state universities and UMass | Up to $25,000/year for up to 4 years | Teach 4 years in a Massachusetts public school | Annual Cycle |
| Behavioral Health Workforce Scholarship | Graduate students in behavioral health programs | $12,500/year, $25,000 total | 6 months of behavioral health work per semester funded | Annual Cycle |
| Incentive Program For Aspiring Teachers | Juniors and seniors in state-approved teacher programs with a 3.0 GPA | Tuition and fees for 2 years | Teach 2 years in a Massachusetts public school | Annual Cycle |
Programs That Help Repay Loans You Already Have
Massachusetts borrowers carry roughly $35,800 in federal student debt on average, according to our Massachusetts student loans and financial aid breakdown. These three programs send money toward that debt once you're working in a qualifying job. Many of the same employers also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, so check both.
Massachusetts Loan Repayment Program (MLRP)
The MLRP pays health professionals up to $50,000 for a two-year contract to practice in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (Mass.gov). The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers runs the program for the Department of Public Health using state and federal funds (Mass League). It covers far more professions than most state programs, and our roundup of student loan forgiveness for doctors shows how it compares with federal awards.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Public Health, through the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers |
| Who qualifies | Licensed primary care physicians (MD or DO), dentists, dental hygienists, nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses, psychiatric nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, physician assistants, clinical or counseling psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists |
| Award | Up to $50,000 for a two-year contract; amounts vary by discipline and can't exceed your loan balance |
| Commitment | Two years full time, or an equivalent part-time contract (20 hours a week means a four-year contract) |
| Restrictions | You can't hold a commitment to another state or federal loan repayment program, including the NHSC |
| Status | The 2025 cycle is closed; the state hasn't posted 2026 dates, so watch the Health Care Workforce Center page ([email protected]) |
| Official source | Mass.gov MLRP page |
Educator Loan Repayment Program
The Department of Higher Education pays up to $7,500 a year, for up to four years, toward loans held by recent graduates of Massachusetts public colleges who teach in a Massachusetts public school district (Massachusetts DHE). When funding falls short, priority goes to educators in districts with higher shares of low-income students. Pair it with the federal options in our list of student loan forgiveness options for teachers.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance |
| Who qualifies | Massachusetts residents of at least 12 months with a bachelor's degree from a Massachusetts public institution completed after January 1, 2020, who work full time as a classroom teacher, instructional or program paraprofessional, or in a certified position in a public school district |
| Award | Up to $7,500 a year for up to four years, paid directly to your servicer, and never more than your remaining balance |
| Commitment | Four years of work in a Massachusetts public school district, with annual reapplication and employment verification |
| Eligible loans | Education debt for tuition, fees, room and board, and related costs; Parent PLUS, commercial, and personal loans don't qualify |
| Status | Annual cycle; OSFA expects the next application window from mid-April to early June 2027 |
| Official source | DHE Educator Loan Repayment |
Early Childhood Educator Student Loan Repayment Program
Governor Healey announced the program's first 248 awards on September 3, 2026, with up to $7,500 a year going to early educators and $15 million committed to the program overall (Mass.gov). Payments go to your servicer only after you finish a full year of qualifying employment (Massachusetts DHE). Early educators at nonprofit centers should also check nonprofit student loan forgiveness through PSLF.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, with the Department of Early Education and Care |
| Who qualifies | Full-time teachers, lead teachers, directors, and other staff in EEC-licensed or funded programs who earned an undergraduate degree in early childhood education or a related field from a Massachusetts college after July 1, 2013 |
| Award | Up to $7,500 a year, subject to appropriation, and never more than your remaining balance |
| Priority | Five or more years in early education, work in high-need communities, or work in regions short on child care seats |
| Eligible loans | Undergraduate education debt; Parent PLUS, commercial, and personal loans don't qualify |
| Status | First awards made in September 2026; the state expects to reopen applications in spring 2027 |
| Official source | DHE Early Childhood Educator Loan Repayment |
Service-Based Funding For Students In Training
These three programs pay for school up front and cancel the debt through service after graduation. If you don't finish the service, the award turns into a loan you repay, so compare the terms with a private student loan before you sign.
Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship Program
The program covers up to $25,000 a year in college costs for Massachusetts students in an approved educator preparation program at a state university or UMass campus (Massachusetts DHE). Each year of teaching in a Massachusetts public school forgives one year of the scholarship, and recipients must teach four years in total. Graduates who later carry other loans can stack federal options from our teacher forgiveness breakdown.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance |
| Who qualifies | Massachusetts residents of at least one year enrolled full time in an approved educator preparation program who haven't earned a bachelor's degree (post-baccalaureate students in teacher programs also qualify) |
| Award | Up to $25,000 a year toward tuition, fees, room and board, books, and related costs, for up to four years (three semesters for post-baccalaureate students) |
| Service | Teach four years in a Massachusetts public K-12 district, starting within 12 months of finishing your degree |
| Penalty | The scholarship reverts to a loan you repay under the promissory note |
| Status | Annual cycle, subject to appropriation; OSFA lists the 2026–27 application as opening in fall 2026 with a late-fall deadline |
| Official source | DHE Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship |
Behavioral Health Workforce Scholarship
Graduate students in behavioral health programs can receive up to $12,500 a year, capped at $25,000 over two years, toward tuition, fees, and stipends (Massachusetts DHE). Six months of qualifying work forgives each semester of aid, and graduates who don't finish the work repay the funds. Licensed clinicians with existing loans should look at the MLRP above and our graduate school forgiveness breakdown.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance |
| Who qualifies | Massachusetts residents of at least one year enrolled at least half time (6 credits) in an eligible graduate behavioral health program |
| Award | Up to $12,500 a year, $25,000 maximum |
| Service | Start full-time work in an eligible Massachusetts behavioral health setting within six months of graduating, and work six months for each semester funded (up to 24 months) |
| Status | The 2025–26 application closed January 20, 2026; OSFA says 2026–27 dates will be set by early fall, subject to appropriation |
| Official source | DHE Behavioral Health Workforce Scholarship |
Incentive Program For Aspiring Teachers Tuition Waiver
This waiver covers tuition and fees at the resident rate for the junior and senior years of students in a state-approved teacher education program addressing shortages (Massachusetts DHE). Recipients must teach two years in a Massachusetts public school after earning certification. Students weighing it against borrowing can compare the best private student loans.
| Administered by | Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, through participating state universities and UMass undergraduate campuses |
| Who qualifies | Massachusetts residents of at least one year in their third or fourth year of college with a 3.0 GPA in general education courses |
| Award | Tuition and fees at the resident rate for two years |
| Service | Two years of teaching in a Massachusetts public school |
| Penalty | Recipients who don't finish the degree or teaching commitment on time repay the waiver, prorated for teaching not completed, with interest |
| Status | Ask your campus financial aid office; the state doesn't publish a single deadline |
| Official source | DHE Aspiring Teachers Tuition Waiver |
Federal Forgiveness Options For Massachusetts Borrowers
Federal programs reach far more Massachusetts borrowers than the six state programs, and each one sets its own rules for combining with a state award. Our full list of forgiveness programs covers every federal option.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Borrowers who make 120 qualifying payments while working full time for a government agency or qualifying nonprofit get their remaining Direct Loan balance forgiven tax-free (StudentAid.gov). Massachusetts public school teachers, state and municipal employees, public university staff, and workers at nonprofit hospitals and health centers all work for qualifying employers, and our PSLF breakdown covers the 2026 employer rule litigation.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Teachers with five consecutive years at a low-income school can receive up to $17,500 if they teach secondary math, science, or special education, or up to $5,000 in other subjects (StudentAid.gov). The same years can't count toward both Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF, which our teacher forgiveness breakdown walks through.
Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and IBR. RAP launched July 1, 2026, and forgives any remaining balance after 360 qualifying payments (How RAP Works). Borrowers deciding between plans can run the numbers in our RAP vs. IBR comparison.
Health care programs. The National Health Service Corps pays full-time primary care providers up to $75,000 for a two-year commitment, plus a $5,000 Spanish-language bonus, and pays behavioral health and dental providers up to $50,000 (HRSA). Nurse Corps pays 60% of nursing debt for two years of service and another 25% for a third year (HRSA), and the STAR program pays up to $250,000 for six years in substance use disorder treatment (HRSA). The MLRP is Massachusetts' HRSA-supported State Loan Repayment Program, and you can't hold it and an NHSC award at the same time, as our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup explains.
Lawyers. Massachusetts has no state-funded loan repayment program for attorneys, but the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security runs the federal John R. Justice program, which pays prosecutors and public defenders up to $10,000 a year and $60,000 in total (Mass.gov). The state fiscal year 2026 round was limited to 2025 recipients who still work in eligible roles, so most new attorneys should plan around PSLF instead.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxed In Massachusetts?
Massachusetts follows the current federal tax code for student loan discharges under Code section 108(f), according to the Department of Revenue (Mass.gov TIR 22-2). Our state taxes on student loan forgiveness tracker lists Massachusetts among the states that tie their rules to federal law. PSLF, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, and death and disability discharges stay tax-free at both levels.
Forgiveness under income-driven plans became federally taxable again on January 1, 2026, when the American Rescue Plan exclusion expired, and Massachusetts follows that change (Taxes And Student Loan Forgiveness). Borrowers expecting IBR or RAP forgiveness can estimate the bill with our student loan tax bomb calculator.
NHSC loan repayment awards are tax-free at the federal level (HRSA). Ask the administering agency whether your Massachusetts state award will be reported as income, and read our explainer on the 1099-C and student loan forgiveness before filing.
If Your Job Isn't Covered
Borrowers outside health care and education won't find a Massachusetts program, but three options remain. Employers can pay up to $5,250 a year toward your student loans tax-free, and our list of companies that offer student loan repayment assistance shows who offers it.
Borrowers with private loans or high-rate federal loans they don't plan to have forgiven can lower their rate through student loan refinancing. Refinancing federal loans into a private loan ends eligibility for PSLF, RAP, and IBR, so don't refinance a balance you expect to have forgiven.
Families with leftover 529 money can put up to $10,000 per beneficiary toward student loans, which our 529 plan for student loan repayment explainer covers. Massachusetts savers should also review the U.Fund College Investing Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Massachusetts Have A Student Loan Forgiveness Program?
Massachusetts offers student loan repayment assistance programs rather than broad loan forgiveness. It runs six service-based programs for health professionals, public school teachers, early educators, and behavioral health students. Borrowers outside those fields rely on federal programs like PSLF and income-driven plan forgiveness.
What Happened To The MA Repay Program?
MA Repay, the loan repayment program funded in part by the American Rescue Plan Act, closed its last application rounds in December 2024 (MA Repay). Health and behavioral health workers can still apply to the MLRP, and our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup covers the federal programs that remain open.
How Much Can Massachusetts Teachers Get Toward Their Student Loans?
The Educator Loan Repayment Program pays up to $7,500 a year for up to four years, and federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness adds up to $17,500 for five years at a low-income school (StudentAid.gov). Public school teachers can also pursue PSLF, but years used for Teacher Loan Forgiveness can't also count toward PSLF.
Can Massachusetts Doctors, Nurses, And Counselors Get Help Repaying Student Loans?
The MLRP pays up to $50,000 for a two-year contract to physicians, advanced practice nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and licensed behavioral health clinicians in shortage areas (Mass.gov). Registered nurses outside those roles should look at federal Nurse Corps funding in our nursing forgiveness roundup.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable In Massachusetts?
Massachusetts follows federal treatment, so PSLF and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are tax-free while income-driven plan forgiveness granted after 2025 is taxable (The College Investor). Use our tax bomb calculator to estimate what you'd owe.
Related Massachusetts Resources
How We Sourced This Data
Program details on this page come from the administering agencies: the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Office of Student Financial Assistance, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Health Care Workforce Center and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Governor's office, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the MA Repay program site, and Department of Revenue TIR 22-2. Federal program details come from StudentAid.gov and HRSA, and the 2026 early educator awards were cross-checked against Western Mass News reporting. Read more about how we fact-check and update content.
Page refreshed annually in August, after Massachusetts' legislative session and agency rule approvals, and reviewed in January for tax season. Last full refresh: September 23, 2026.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Claire Tak