Gov. Whitmer Announces an Estimated 148,000 Michiganders May Qualify to Have Student Loans Forgiven Under Federal Program

Brendan E. Ringlever

Gov. Whitmer Announces an Estimated 148,000 Michiganders May Qualify to Have Student Loans Forgiven Under Federal Program

Aug 12, 2022

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is encouraging Michiganders working in public service to review the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to see if they qualify for federal student loan relief no later than October 31, 2022. Thousands have already utilized the program to pay off their debt, and over 148,000 more Michiganders may be eligible due to the recent PSLF waiver. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Education is offering public servants working in government and eligible non-profits a second chance to qualify for student loan forgiveness. According to the Office of Federal Student Aid’s June report, over 6,000 Michiganders have taken advantage of the PSLF waiver and have had $358 million in loans forgiven.

The recent changes to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program allow previously ineligible borrowers – those with a non-Direct loan, who are not enrolled in an income driven repayment plan, who have missed a repayment, or made a partial repayment in the past – to receive credit toward loan forgiveness for the years they worked in government or a qualifying non-profit. To apply for the PSLF waiver, borrowers should visit studentaid.gov/pslf/employer-search/search-tool to verify their employer qualifies for PSLF and if so, then submit a certified copy of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Employment Certification form to the U.S. Department of Education before October 31.

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