Is PSLF Guaranteed? Not Exactly

• PSLF isn’t guaranteed. Even if you follow every rule, many factors and changing policies could still lead to denial.

• PSLF approval rates have improved. Millions of borrowers have had loans forgiven since 2021, but strict rules and servicer mistakes still cause denials.

• File your Employer Certification Form (ECF) every year. Servicers make mistakes. Submitting an ECF keeps your PSLF on track and catches errors early.

Short answer: No. Even if you follow every rule, Public Service Loan Forgiveness isn’t a sure thing.

Why not? Because approval depends on the right paperwork, an eligible employer, and the government not moving the goalposts.

The good news? PSLF approvals have skyrocketed after recent reforms. But processing mistakes, servicer errors, and policy changes can still mess things up.

This article breaks down why PSLF isn’t guaranteed, what could block your forgiveness, and how to protect your progress.

Let’s get into it.

Back in 2018, PSLF approvals were a joke. Nearly 99% of PSLF applicants were denied, mostly because of bad info, servicer mistakes, and overly strict rules.

But things have taken a turn since then. In 2024, millions of borrowers had their loans forgiven under PSLF.

Why the sudden spike in approvals? The 2021 Limited PSLF Waiver. This waiver temporarily fixed many of PSLF’s biggest flaws, allowing more borrowers to qualify. But that program is over now.

Even without the PSLF Waiver, permanent changes were recently implemented in the PSLF program to make the process more accessible to borrowers. Yes, the rules are still strict, but forgiveness is now easier to achieve.

PSLF isn’t just about making 120 student loan payments—it’s about making them the right way under the right conditions. Here’s what trips people up the most:

• Your employer doesn’t qualify. PSLF is only for government jobs and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. If you work for a private contractor, you better look for private student loan forgiveness options. Check the PSLF Employer List to see if your work qualifies.

• You have the wrong loan type. Only Direct Loans qualify. If you have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), Perkins Loans, or other federal student loans, they don’t qualify unless you consolidate them into a Direct Loan first.

• You’re on the wrong repayment plan. PSLF requires an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. If you’re on the Standard Repayment Plan, your monthly payments won’t count long-term because the plan is designed to pay off your loan in 10 years before PSLF can even kick in.

• Your payment count is wrong. Servicers miscount payments all the time, especially if you’ve switched employers, changed servicers, or missed employment certification. If your PSLF payments aren’t counting, call your servicer now and get it fixed.

• Paperwork mistakes. Missing forms, employment gaps, or verification errors can lead to rejection. Submitting your Employer Certification Form every year helps catch mistakes before they derail your progress.

The Biden administration has made federal student loan forgiveness approvals easier but not guaranteed. Hundreds of thousands of student loan borrowers have had their loans forgiven thanks to recent reforms:

• The Limited PSLF Waiver in 2021 helped thousands by counting payments that didn’t previously qualify, but that program is over now.

• The one-time IDR account adjustment gave borrowers extra PSLF credit by retroactively counting past payments. Many saw their loan forgiveness timeline shrink overnight. While this wasn’t a PSLF-specific fix, it significantly improved PSLF approvals.

• Late or partial payments now count as long as you pay the full amount within the same month.

• Consolidating loans no longer resets your PSLF progress. You keep partial credit for past qualifying payments based on your weighted average.

These updates make PSLF easier to qualify for, but they don’t make it permanent. PSLF isn’t protected by law, which means a future administration or Congress could change, restrict, or even reverse the program.

Your best move? Act now. Don’t wait. Get your loans forgiven as soon as you qualify. The longer you delay, the greater the risk that PSLF rules will change or disappear entirely.

PSLF isn’t automatic. If you want your loans forgiven, you have to stay on top of every requirement. Here’s how to keep your approval on track:

1. Submit your Employer Certification Form every year. This confirms your employer qualifies and ensures your payments are counted correctly. Switched jobs? Submit a new ECF immediately.

2. Track your payments on the Federal Student Aid website. Never assume your servicer is keeping accurate records. Log in regularly, check your payment count, and dispute errors ASAP.

3. Stay on an IDR plan. Switching to the Standard Repayment Plan? Bad move. Those payments won’t count toward PSLF, and you could waste years making the wrong ones. Know the right repayment plans to qualify for PSLF.

4. Check your employer’s status. If your employer loses 501(c)(3) status or stops being a government agency, your future payments won’t count. If that happens, you may need to switch jobs to stay eligible.

5. Apply for forgiveness the moment you hit 120 qualifying payments. Approval isn’t instant. Errors and delays happen all the time. Don’t wait—submit your application and apply for student loan forgiveness as soon as you qualify.

Yes. PSLF forgives both undergraduate and graduate Federal Direct Loans. Recall the golden rule in PSLF: Your degree doesn’t matter; your employer does.

Here’s what to watch for:

• Parent PLUS Loans don’t qualify on their own. To count for PSLF, they must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan.

• Grad students usually owe more. That makes PSLF even more valuable—because after 10 years of qualifying payments, your entire balance is wiped out, no matter how much you owe.

• Check every loan. If you borrowed under different repayment plans, make sure every loan is on an income-driven repayment plan. Otherwise, some payments won’t count toward PSLF.

PSLF can wipe out your student loans, but only if you follow every rule and stay on top of your payments. The system can be strict, but recent reforms have made it more accessible.

More borrowers are getting federal forgiveness than ever, but processing errors, bad servicer advice, and shifting policies can still get in your way.

If you’re not proactive, you could lose years of qualifying payments or get denied after a decade of work.

Feeling overwhelmed? We can help.

Book a call with our student loan expert. We’ll break it down for you, fix mistakes, and help you secure forgiveness.

Related reading:

• Is It Too Late for Student Loan Forgiveness?

• Can PSLF Be Retroactive?

• Will Trump End Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

• Student Loan Forgiveness Lawsuit Updates