How Student Loan Forgiveness Programs May Help Reduce Your College Loan Debts

How Student Loan Forgiveness Programs May Helpwith private, non-profit groups whose mission is to
Reduce Your College Loan Debtseradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy.
Performing volunteer work, teaching in certain schoolPeace Corps: Volunteers that have outstanding
districts or within certain areas,Visit Here by providingPerkins Loans can receive a 15% cancellation on the
legal and medical services, you can help yourself indebt owed for each year of their first two-year
paying down your student loan debts by trading theservice term and a 20% loan cancellation for their
skills you learned by going to college and geting yourthird and fourth years of service. Participants can
degree.receive up to a 70% cancellation on Perkins loans.
Students leaving college and entering the work-worldMilitary Service: The Student Loan Repayment
often complain of being confronted by overwhelmingProgram (SLRP). Under the Student Loan Repayment
frustration of having to pay enormous student loanProgram, when you enlist the Army will pay back up
debts and not really knowing how to tackle thatto $65,000 in qualified education loans (up to $20,000
debt.for reservists), the Navy up to $65,000 and the Air
By participating in some of the following programsForce up to $10,000.
open to certain skill sets and occupational fields, you'llLegal and medical studies: Studying medicine or law
have an opportunity to see the world and helpoften equals racking up tens of thousands additional
others at the same time.dollars of debt. There are law schools which provide
Teachers: Some student loans can be cancelled or, asloan forgiveness to those students who volunteer to
it's more commonly referred to, "forgiven," if theserve in the public interest and/or work for non-profit
college degree leads to or complements a job in theorganizations.
teaching profession. Up to $17,500 of your studentStudent Loan Relief for Active Duty Military
loan balance might be cancelled.Personnel: On August 18, 2003 , President Bush
Americorps: This organization is the domestic arm ofsigned the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for
the Peace Corps, and it offers up to $7,400 in livingStudents Act (HEROES).
stipends. Will pay approximately $4,725 in educationFor more information about student loan discharge,
awards upon completion of one year's successfulcontact the Direct Loan Servicing Center at
service.1-800-848-0979 if you have a Direct Loan. Contact
Nurses: Repayment assistance (not a discharge) isthe lender or agency that holds your loan if you have
available through the Nursing Education Loana FFEL. If you borrowed using a Federal Perkins Loan,
Repayment Program (NELRP) to registered nurses incontact that particular school which made the loan.
exchange for service in eligible facilities located inWe've compiled a list of helpful websites and useful
areas experiencing a shortage of nurses.links to make your search easier at our website.
Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA): Volunteer