Your Guide to West Virginia Student Loan Forgiveness Options

• West Virginia offers student loan forgiveness if you work in health care, mental health, or education and serve in high-need areas.

• Federal programs like PSLF, IDR, and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are still on the table for eligible borrowers.

• You can use both state and federal programs—as long as you meet each program’s rules.

• Only federal loans qualify for most forgiveness, so check your loan type before applying.

West Virginia won’t cancel your debt across the board. But it does offer repayment help if you work in fields the state needs most. That includes health care, mental health, and public education.

These aren’t feel-good programs with vague promises. They come with job requirements, deadlines, and funding caps, but they also come with real money.

And if none of them fit? Federal programs like PSLF and IDR are still in play.

This guide breaks down what West Virginia offers, how much you could get, and how to know what applies to you.

West Virginia offers a handful of loan repayment programs for teachers, healthcare workers, and mental health professionals working in high-need areas.

Here’s what’s available:

West Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

The West Virginia SLRP offers debt relief for healthcare providers who commit to working in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Related: Student Loan Forgiveness for Healthcare Workers

• Get up to $50,000 for a two-year full-time service commitment

• Eligible roles include doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and registered nurses

• Awards depend on your role: physicians and dentists get the most, but nurses and mid-level providers also qualify

• You can renew the contract and receive up to $100,000 over four years

• Must work at an approved site and remain in good standing during service

Mental Health Loan Repayment Program

West Virginia’s Mental Health Loan Repayment Program is designed for licensed mental health professionals who agree to serve in areas with limited access to care. Related: Student Loan Forgiveness for Mental Health Professionals

• Must have at least $10,000 in eligible student loan debt

• Full-time providers can earn $10,000 per year, renewable for up to three years

• Part-time providers must serve for two years to get the same amount

• Qualifying roles include counselors, therapists, and social workers

• You must work at an approved site and continue providing direct mental health services

Recruitment and Retention Community Project (RRCP)

West Virginia’s RRCP is a shared-cost program where both the state and your employer pitch in to help pay off your loans if you work in a medically underserved area.

• Offers up to $20,000 for a one-year service commitment

• State covers 50% of the award; your employer or community partner must fund the other half

• Available to physicians, nurses, mental health providers, and other licensed professionals

• Renewable for up to four years, depending on continued service and funding availability

• You must be employed at an eligible site and provide full-time clinical care

Underwood-Smith Teacher Loan Assistance Program

The Underwood-Smith Teacher Loan Assistance Program helps West Virginia public school teachers and counselors reduce their student debt if they serve in hard-to-fill positions.

• Offers up to $3,000 per year in loan assistance, with a lifetime max of $15,000

• Requires a two-year minimum service commitment at a qualifying public school

• You must teach in a high-need subject (like math, science, or special education) or a designated shortage area

• Awards can be renewed if you continue to meet eligibility requirements

• Applicants must be fully certified and in good standing with the school system

Even if you don’t qualify for a state program, you may still be eligible for federal student loan forgiveness.

These programs are open to borrowers nationwide, including those living and working in West Virginia.

Related: How Does Student Loan Forgiveness Work

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

If you work full-time for the government or a nonprofit, you may qualify for PSLF. After 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven plan, your remaining federal loan balance can be forgiven tax-free.

Many public employees in West Virginia (like teachers, social workers, and hospital staff) may be eligible. The key is having Direct Loans and certifying employment properly each year.

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Forgiveness

Borrowers on an income-driven repayment plan can have their remaining balance forgiven after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, depending on the plan.

West Virginia borrowers with low or moderate income may benefit from lower monthly payments and long-term forgiveness. Some who’ve been repaying for years may already be close to hitting the forgiveness mark due to recent IDR account adjustments.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF)

If you teach full-time in a low-income West Virginia school for five consecutive years, you could qualify for up to $17,500 in federal loan forgiveness under TLF.

The amount depends on what subject you teach. Math, science, and special education teachers typically qualify for the full benefit. This program works separately from PSLF, but some teachers may benefit from both over the long term.

Yes, West Virginia borrowers can benefit from both state and federal student loan forgiveness programs. But they work independently and have separate rules.

Example:

• If you’re a nurse practitioner in a shortage area, you might get $40,000 through the West Virginia SLRP and still qualify for full federal forgiveness under PSLF or IDR later on.

• A teacher could earn $3,000 a year through the Underwood-Smith program while also working toward PSLF by staying in public education.

Just make sure you meet the service commitments and documentation requirements for each program.

You won’t be penalized for using both. But you will need to track deadlines, recertify employment, and avoid overlap that could disqualify you from either one.

Before you apply for any forgiveness program, you need to know what kind of loans you actually have, because it makes all the difference.

Federal loans are backed by the U.S. Department of Education and qualify for programs like PSLF, IDR forgiveness, and Teacher Loan Forgiveness. You can check what you have by logging into studentaid.gov. If your loans show up there, they’re federal.

Private loans are issued by banks or private lenders (like Sallie Mae, SoFi, or Discover) and don’t qualify for federal programs. They follow your original contract terms and usually offer fewer options for relief unless you negotiate or refinance.

If you borrowed before 2010, you might also have old FFEL loans that need to be consolidated to qualify for federal forgiveness.

Related: Is it Too Late to Apply for Student Loan Forgiveness

West Virginia student loan forgiveness programs are limited, but if you work in health care, mental health, or education, they can cut down your debt significantly.

Combine that with federal programs like PSLF or IDR, and you might have more relief options than you realize.

Still not sure what you qualify for—or how to start?

Book a call with our student loan expert.

We’ll walk through your loan types, job history, and goals to tell you exactly which West Virginia student loan forgiveness programs (and federal options) apply to you. No guessing. No wasted time. Just straight answers.

Related Readings:

• Are Federal Student Loans Forgiven After 25 Years

• How Long Do Student Loans Stay on Your Credit

• Student Loan Forgiveness for Over 50