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Loan Forgiveness
The Loan Forgiveness Program offers New York State certified teachers and clinicians working in specified shortage areas and bilingual education, the opportunity to have student loans repaid. This program serves to increase the number of licensed personnel serving in the New York City public schools in the following critical shortage area disciplines:
The Department of Education will repay the student loans of prospective employees who have fulfilled their New York State certification requirements and are qualified to fill shortage area positions. To qualify for this program, candidates must possess or be eligible for New York State certification in one of the above mentioned disciplines and have outstanding student loans which were taken in order to complete their studies leading to certification. The loans must correspond with the years of study for the education programs(s) listed above.
After each year of assigned service has been completed satisfactorily, one sixth (1/6) of a participant's current loan indebtness shall be forgiven, up to a maximum of $4,000 per year for six (6) years. The total cumulative amount of loan forgiveness award shall not exceed $24,000. Assignments and all decisions on eligibility are at the discretion of the scholarship office.
The following types of loans are considered approved sources:
Loan Forgiveness Program
The Loan Forgiveness Program offers New York State certified teachers and clinicians working in specified shortage areas and bilingual education, the opportunity to have student loans repaid. This program serves to increase the number of licensed personnel serving in the New York City public schools in the following critical shortage area disciplines:
| Bilingual | Monolingual and Bilingual | ||
| Special Education | School Psychology | Speech and Hearing Handicapped | |
| School Counseling | School Social Work | Visually Impaired | |
The Department of Education will repay the student loans of prospective employees who have fulfilled their New York State certification requirements and are qualified to fill shortage area positions. To qualify for this program, candidates must possess or be eligible for New York State certification in one of the above mentioned disciplines and have outstanding student loans which were taken in order to complete their studies leading to certification. The loans must correspond with the years of study for the education programs(s) listed above.
After each year of assigned service has been completed satisfactorily, one sixth (1/6) of a participant's current loan indebtness shall be forgiven, up to a maximum of $4,000 per year for six (6) years. The total cumulative amount of loan forgiveness award shall not exceed $24,000. Assignments and all decisions on eligibility are at the discretion of the scholarship office.
The following types of loans are considered approved sources:
- Perkins Loan Program (formerly National Direct Student Loan)
- Stafford Student Loan Programs (Guaranteed Student Loan)
- Supplemental Loans for Students (Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students)
- Health Professions Student Loans/Nursing Student Loans
- Health Education Assistance Loans
- Bank Loans for Educational Purposes
- 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.
- Current or past Department of Education pedagogical or clinical employees are not eligible to participate in this program.
- Individuals who have benefited from any other Department of Education Incentive Program such as the Scholarship Program, Teachers of Tomorrow, Teaching Fellows, etc., are not eligible to participate in this program.
- Eligibility is only for a period of six (6) consecutive years. To maintain eligibility, participants must complete ten (10) months of satisfactory public school service in the assigned discipline or twelve (12) months of service, if the assignment is in a year-round special education program.
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM IS CONTINGENT UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND THE STAFFING NEEDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.