Student loans can be discharged if you can show that repayment would cause an undue hardship. Proving you have an undue hardship does not just mean that you are having a hard time paying off your loans.
The Eighth Circuit court (which includes Nebraska and Iowa) has held that a variety of factors added together, or in other words, the totality of the circumstances must prove undue hardship. Factors such as your ability to pay (including your ability to pay on an income-driven repayment plan), ability to earn income, necessary living expenses, disability, age, and other factors can all weigh in on whether the court will award an undue hardship.
The standard is meant to be a difficulty so that everyone doesn’t rush to seek a discharge of their student loan debt.