Wondering whether you can get your federal student loans forgiven for your service as a teacher? 
Learn about the forgiveness program to see whether you qualify. Under the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program , if you teach full - time for five complete and consecutive academic years in a low - income school or educational service agency, and meet other qualifications , you may be eligible for forgiveness of up to $17,500 on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and your Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. If you have a Direct Consolidation Loan or a Federal Consolidation Loan , you may be eligible for forgiveness of the outstanding portion of the consolidation loan that repaid an eligible Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, or Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan. 

What are the eligibility requirements? 
You must not have had an outstanding balance on Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loan FFEL Program loans as of Oct. 1 , 1998, or on the date that you obtained a Direct Loan or FFEL Program loan after Oct. 1 , 1998. You must have been employed as a full - time, highly qualified teacher for five complete and consecutive academic years , and at least one of those years must have been after the 1997 98 academic year. You must have been employed at an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves low - income students a " low - income school or educational service agency ". The loan for which you are seeking forgiveness must have been made before the end of your five academic years of qualifying teaching service. 

Teaching for Less Than a Complete Academic Year 
If you were unable to complete a full academic year of teaching , that year may still be counted toward the required five complete and consecutive academic years if you completed at least one - half of the academic year ; and your employer considers you to have fulfilled your contract requirements for t

user: I have a teacher loan forgiveness question on how much can be forgiven

assistant: If you qualify you may be be eligible for forgiveness of up to $17,500 on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and your Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. 

assistant: Have you taught full-time for five complete and consecutive academic years in a low-income school or educational service agency?

user: no, but almost there so just need information

user: what else do I need to be eligible for the $17,500 forgiveness?

assistant: Are you a highly qualified full-time mathematics or science teachers who taught students at the secondary level?

user: no I teach English

assistant: Are you a highly qualified special education teacher at either the elementary or secondary level whose primary responsibility was to provide special education to children with disabilities?

user: no just an English teacher

assistant: You don't qualify for the full $17,500 loan forgiveness.

user: If the school I was teaching at was considered low-income for a short time but then it wasn't anymore how will my years be counted?

assistant: Your subsequent years of teaching at the school or educational service agency will still be counted toward the required five complete and consecutive academic years of teaching