Goodbye, Student Loans? See If You Qualify for Total Perkins Loan Forgiveness in 2025!

By Ronak Sharma On May 6, 2025 Share with new partner:

Still dealing with a Perkins Student Loan in 2025? You’re definitely not alone—and the good news is, there may be a way to get rid of it without paying it all back. Yep, you heard that right. Depending on your job or life situation, there’s a solid chance your loan could be partially or fully canceled. Let’s walk through what that really means—and how you can make it happen.

Wait… What’s a Perkins Loan Again?

Just to recap—Perkins Loans were low-interest federal loans meant for students with serious financial need. They’re a bit different because they were given out by your school using government funds. While the program ended in 2017, a lot of people (maybe you?) are still making payments.

And that means you’re still eligible for cancellation or discharge—two different but powerful ways to wipe out your student debt.

Option 1: Perkins Loan Cancellation – Get Rewarded for Public Service

Here’s the cool part: If you work in certain jobs, especially those that serve the community, you could slowly cancel your loan over time.

Teachers, nurses, cops, firefighters, and military members—this one’s for you.

Here’s how it works:

After one full year of working in a qualifying job, part of your loan is canceled.
Each year, more gets knocked off.
If you stay in that job for five years, your whole loan could be gone—100% forgiven.

Jobs that often qualify:

Full-time teachers, especially in low-income schools or hard-to-fill subjects (math, science, special ed).
Nurses, medical techs, and certain healthcare workers.
Law enforcement and correctional officers.
Military personnel, especially those in combat zones.
Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.

It’s kind of like being rewarded for helping people—which honestly, you deserve.

Option 2: Perkins Loan Discharge – When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned

Sometimes, it’s not about your job. Sometimes, life just happens—and that’s where discharge comes in.

Your Perkins Loan could be fully wiped out if you’re facing certain tough circumstances, like:

You’ve become totally and permanently disabled.
You’ve filed for bankruptcy and the court decides paying would cause extreme hardship.
Your school closed down while you were enrolled or shortly after you left.
Or—if the borrower has passed away—the loan is discharged completely.

These are heavy situations, but the system does recognize that sometimes, repayment just isn’t realistic.

How Do You Actually Apply?

Good question. It’s not exactly a five-minute task, but it’s doable:

Reach out to your school (or your loan servicer if the school shut down).
Ask for the Perkins cancellation/discharge form.
Fill it out and send supporting documents—proof of your job, disability paperwork, etc.
Be patient. It might take a few months to hear back, but following up helps.

One Warning: Be Careful with Loan Consolidation

Thinking about consolidating your Perkins Loan with your other student loans into one big federal loan? Hold up.

If you do that, you’ll lose your chance to cancel it under the Perkins rules. The loan might become eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) instead, but that’s a different (and often longer) process.

So if you’re in a job that qualifies for Perkins cancellation—stick with the Perkins loan for now. It might pay off.

You Have Options

If you’ve been carrying this loan for years, you’re probably tired of it. And honestly, you should know that you’re not stuck with it forever.

Whether you’re a teacher helping kids, a nurse saving lives, or just someone who’s had a tough few years—there are paths to forgiveness. It won’t happen overnight, but the relief of seeing that loan balance disappear? Totally worth the effort.