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: Hey, greetings to you. You know, i got a student loan, so i have to repay it, but i got a teacher job too. That counts for anything on the loan?

assistant: It does, indeed. Being a teacher can be useful for you, as you can get a loan forgiveness, Which amount can be $17,000 or $5,000, depending on the subject area taught.

assistant: I have to ask, Do you have any loan under both the Direct Loan Program and the FFEL Program?

user: No, i don't have any loan under any of that.

user: No problem. Say, if i have a plus loan or that other one, Federal Perkins, i still can use forgiveness?

assistant: Sadly, that's a no. The Plus loans and Federal Perkins Loans are out for this forgiveness. However, you could still be eligible to cut down your Federal Perkins loan based on your employment or volunteer service.

user: Umm, that's a boomer. Oh, well. Returning to earlier question about how much could get for forgiveness, you said it could be up to $17,500, right? How do i qualify for that?

assistant: Are you a qualified full time mathematics or science teacher who taught students at the secondary school level?

user: Yeah, i was teaching science.

assistant: Excellent, then you can be eligible to get a forgiveness up to $17,500.

user: Nice, nice. Thanks for that info. Look, i have this doubt. Lets say i already have a loan but i fell on default. That would affect my chances for forgiveness?

assistant: You said it. It would make you non eligible until you make satisfactory repayment arrangements with the loan's holder.