New York Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
New York has multiple student loan forgiveness programs that are specific to just the State of New York.
However, residents of the State of New York can also potentially qualify for various Federal student loan forgiveness programs.
You can find a great list of Federal student loan forgiveness programs here: Top Student Loan Forgiveness Programs.
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New York Loan Forgiveness Programs
Program: NYS Get On Your Feet Student Loan Forgiveness Program
- Amount: Varies
- Description: The NYS Get on Your Feet Loan Forgiveness Program provides up to 24 months of federal student loan debt relief to recent NYS college graduates who are participating in a federal income-driven repayment plan whose payments are generally capped at 10 percent of their discretionary income.
- Requirements:
§ Must have graduated from a New York State High School
§ Received an undergraduate degree from a New York State college or university
§ Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
§ Apply within 2 years after graduation of college. - Program Information: NYS Get On Your Feet Loan Forgiveness
Program: District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program
§ Must be legal residents of New York State;
§ Must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
§ Must be employed as a District Attorney, Assistant District Attorney, or Indigent Legal Services Attorney in New York State for at least four years, but no more than nine years ("eligible attorney");
§ Must have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan debt;
§ Must have a year of qualified service.
§ Must not be in default on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award; and
§ Must be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.
Information: DA and Indigent Legal Services
Program: NYS Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness Program
- Amount: Up to $26,000
- Description: The NYS Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness Program is being offered to increase the number of licensed social workers working in critical human service areas including but not limited to the following fields; home care, health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS and child welfare or communities with multilingual needs.
- Requirements:
§ Must be legal residents of New York State for at least one year;
§ Must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens;
§ Must be social workers professionally licensed to practice in New York State;
§ have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan debt;
§ Must have a year of qualified service.
§ Must not be in default on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award; and
§ Must be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.
- Program Information: NYS Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness
Program: Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
- Amount: Up to $40,000
- Description: The Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program is offered to increase the number of nursing faculty members and adjunct clinical faculty teaching in the field of nursing in New York State. Awards are made annually to licensed registered nurses holding graduate degrees and who have taught in the field of nursing.
- Requirements:
§ Must be legal residents of New York State for at least one year;
§ Must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens;
§ Must be registered nurses professionally licensed to practice in New York State;
§ Must possess a master’s degree in nursing or a doctoral degree qualifying them as nursing faculty or as adjunct clinical faculty;
§ Must have prior clinical experience as a licensed registered nurse;
§ have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan debt;
§ Must have a year of qualified service.
§ Must not be in default on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award; and
§ Must be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.
- Program Information: Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness Program
Program: New York State Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
- Amount: Up to $50,000
- Description: The New York State Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program is offered to encourage recent college graduates to pursue careers in farming in New York State. This program provides loan forgiveness awards to individuals who obtain an undergraduate degree from an approved New York State college or university and agree to operate a farm in New York State, on a full-time basis, for five years.
- Requirements:
§ be legal residents of New York State;
§ be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens;
§ obtain an undergraduate degree from an approved NYS college or university;
§ have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan debt(s);
§ apply for this Program within two years after graduation;
§ operate a farm in NYS on a full time basis;
§ execute a service contract agreeing to operate a farm in New York State on a full time basis for at least five years;
§ not be in default on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award;
§ and be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.
- Program Information: New York Young Famers Loan Forgiveness
Program: Regents Physician Loan Forgiveness Award Program
- Amount: Up to $10,000 per year, for 2 years
- Description: The purpose of the Regents Physician Loan Forgiveness Award Program is to increase the number of physicians practicing in areas of New York State designated by the New York State Board of Regents as having a shortage of physicians. Emphasis is placed on primary care.
- Requirements:
§ Applicants must be licensed to practice medicine in New York State.
§ Applicants must have completed a professional residency program within the five years immediately preceding the period for which the first award would be granted or will complete training in 2013 in an accredited residency program in family practice, pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine or obstetrics. Psychiatry is also considered primary care in certain State facilities.
§ Applicants must be residents of New York State.
§ Applicants must also be US citizens, legal residents, or legal refugees
- Program Information: Regents Physician Loan Forgiveness Program
Program: Albany Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program
- Amount: Up to $10,000 per year, for 3 years
- Description: The LRAP is a forgivable loan program designed to help alleviate the financial burden of student loans on graduates who wish to pursue careers in public interest law.
- Requirements:
§ have graduated from Albany Law School on or after May 2012
§ have secured full-time employment (at least 35 hours per week) in a qualified
§ public interest law-related position (as defined below)
§ must have countable assets which are both less than the unpaid balance of the
§ applicant’s law school educational loans and less than $10,000 after the allowable
§ asset deduction (set forth below)
§ must have total projected annual adjusted gross income as defined below
§ must have a principal law school loan balance of at least $50,000
§ In addition, only graduates whose yearly loan repayments exceed 10% of their adjusted annual gross income minus deductions shall qualify.
§ Must have exhausted other means of assistance
§ Must not be in default on any educational loans - Program Information: Albany Law School Repayment Assistance
Program: Physician Loan Repayment - Qualified Educational Loan Repayment
- Amount: Up to $120,000
- Description: Physician Loan Repayment provides up to $120,000 in funding over a three-year period for physicians who commit to a three-year service obligation in an underserved region.
- Requirements:
§ A U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien holding an I-155 or I-551 card;
§ Licensed to practice in New York State by the time the service obligation begins;
§ Not currently working in, or serving, an underserved area in New York State where the current service to the underserved area began prior to July 1, 2010;
§ Not fulfilling an obligation under any state or federal loan repayment program where the obligation periods of the state or federal loan repayment program would overlap or coincide with the DANY obligation period, including any current DANY obligation;
§ Not a past recipient of DANY Physician Practice Support or Physician Loan Repayment funding
§ In good standing with the Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct
§ Not in the employ of a federally-operated facility. - Program Information: Physician Loan Repayment Program
Program: NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
- Amount: Up to $50,000
- Description: The NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program offers loan forgiveness awards to individuals who provide direct care services at a New York State-licensed child welfare agency. Recipients can receive up to $10,000 per year for up to 5 years, or the actual amount of the recipient’s student loan debt, whichever is less.
- Requirements:
§ Be a New York State Resident For At Least 12 Months Prior to Applying
§ Received an undergraduate degree from a New York State college or university
§ Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
§ Apply within 2 years after graduation. - Program Information: NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness
Program: New York State Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program
- Amount: Up to $20,000
- Description: The NYS Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program provides student loan forgiveness for the purpose of attracting and retaining teachers serving in hard to staff districts or who teach in subject shortage areas in New York State. Recipients can receive awards up to $5,000 per year for up to four years, not to exceed the total amount of the recipient’s student loan debt.
- Requirements:
§ Be a New York State Resident For At Least 12 Months Prior to Applying
§ Received an undergraduate degree from a New York State college or university
§ Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
§ Be a certified teacher in New York State. - Program Information: NYS Teacher Loan Forgiveness
Program: New York City Loan Forgiveness Program
- Amount: Varies
- Description: The Loan Forgiveness Program offers New York State certified classroom teachers and school-based pedagogic clinicians working in specified shortage areas and bilingual education the opportunity to have student loans repaid. Applicants must complete 6 years of service in a NYC public school within an assigned area of shortage.
- Requirements:
§ Possession of an appropriate New York State initial or provisional certificate corresponding to one of the above shortage areas.
§ Bilingual areas require possession of a bilingual extension to the certificate. If the applicant has not yet received the actual certificate or extension, an official letter from the college/university indicating that they have satisfactorily completed a state approved education program.
§ Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
- Program Information: New York City Loan Forgiveness Program
If you're a New Yorker looking for help paying for college, check out our guide to New York student loans and scholarships.
Return to Student Loan Forgiveness Programs by State.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Claire Tak