It has been said that the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. (You may be able to cheat death, but you still have to pay taxes.) Well there is one more thing that you need to include in this list, and this is repaying your student loan.
Before you get too depressed, there literally hundreds of ways to get your student loan forgiven. If you have already taken a job, the first step will be to contact your company HR department. They know about many of the relatively unknown programs that are available. You could also contact local volunteer organizations to see if they have student loan forgiveness programs.
Depending on what your degree is in you may be eligible for different programs.
Teacher
Teachers are able to get up to $17,500 of their student loan forgiven. It depends on what subject you will be teaching (math and science teachers get the largest benefit) and also on where you agree to teach. Low income and disadvantaged areas will allow a bigger discount.
Volunteer Programs
VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), the Peace Corps and Americorps will repay a portion of your student loan. The loan amount repaid depends on the organization and the number of hours or years of service rendered.
Here are some contact phone numbers to learn more:
o VISTA: 1-800-942-2677
o Peace Corp: 1-800-424-8580
o Americorps: 1-800-942-2677
Medical
Medical professions that agree to work in areas that have a shortage of doctors and nurses can also have their student loans forgiven.
o The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) will repay as much as 60% of the student loan balance.
o The National Health Services Corps also has a great program and will repay as much as $35,000 per year of service.
Law Enforcement
Some police agencies and cities will help repay your student loan. Check with your school to determine if the agency you are applying to is eligible for the program.
Military
The military has some great programs for students, and include the GI Bill and enlistment bonuses. The National Guard also offers a student loan forgiveness program that will repay as much as $10,000 of your loan.
The important thing to remember, obtaining an education can be expensive, but there are many student loan programs that will allow you to pay for college. Unknown to most people, there are also numerous programs that will allow you have your student loan forgiven, which will allow you obtain your education for free (or at least at a reduced rate).
Tags: peace corp