Recruitment & Special Programs > Loan Forgiveness

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 Special Education
Bilingual School Counselor
Bilingual School Psychology
Bilingual School Social Worker
Speech Language Pathology (monolingual and bilingual)
Visually Impaired (monolingual and bilingual)

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

ELIGIBILITY 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.

RESTRICTIONS

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.

SERVICE AGREEMENT

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.

Important

To be considered for acceptance into the Loan Forgiveness Program for the 2010-2011 school year, candidates must complete the online application by November 12, 2010 and submit the following documentation within 10 business days from the date the application was filed:

Copy of your New York State Certificate issued in one of the shortage areas listed above.
College Transcripts (student copies are acceptable).
Resume.
Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency status.
Proof of outstanding student loans.

Please mail documentation to:
New York City Department of Education
Division of Operational Support Services
Office of Scholarship and Incentive Programs
65 Court Street, Room 508
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
Attention: Loan Forgiveness Program

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Click here to submit an application

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.