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Student Debt Relief Program

An exclusive member benefit for UFT members

Are you concerned about paying back your student loans?

The weight of student debt can be a heavy burden, and exploring your options and applying for the right programs can be complicated. Luckily, you don’t have to face it alone. The Student Debt Relief Program, an exclusive member benefit brought to you by the UFT, is here to help.

Recent changes to federal loan forgiveness programs may make you eligible for loan forgiveness — even if you weren't eligible before.

If you are a full-time educator working for the Department of Education, you may be eligible for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Certain teacher licenses may also be eligible for the federal Title 1 forgiveness program. These programs may be able to help you reduce your student debt burden.

Navigating your options and applying for the right programs can be complicated. The Student Debt Relief Program can help guide you every step of the way.

Read the Q&A

Sign up for a free introductory webinar

Want to learn more? The Student Debt Relief Program runs webinars every month to help members tackle their debt. 

The webinar will cover the basics of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. It will also cover the U.S. Department of Education's income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, which are designed to make your student loan debt more manageable by giving you a monthly payment based on your income and family size.

Members who attend an information session can then work directly with an independent loan specialist who can answer those types of inquiries.

Register online

You can email studentdebtrelief [at] uft [dot] org (studentdebtrelief[at]uft[dot]org) for more information about the program. Please note: This email is not for technical questions about student loans or your eligibility. Please do not send any personal financial information to this email address either.

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Student Debt Relief Program

Everything you need to know about the UFT's Student Debt Relief Program and the status of federal student-debt forgiveness.

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Public servants, including public school educators and nurses, may be on their way to a reduction or elimination of their crushing burden of debt thanks to a landmark settlement announced Oct. 13 between the U.S. Department of Education and the...

UFT helping members make loan burdens manageable

Cheryl Martin was worried sick for years about her student debt: $166,000 that hung over her like a cloud nearly a decade after she left graduate school. "The anxiety I had was tremendous," said Martin, a teacher at PS 449 in the Bronx.