Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Boise State University is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Below is a list of mandatory qualifications, details about the program, and step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

To qualify for PSLF, you must:

be employed by a U.S. federal, state, local or tribal government, or not-for-profit organization (federal service includes U.S. military service)
work full-time for that agency or organization
have Direct Loans (or consolidate other federal student loans into a Direct Loan)
make 120 qualifying payments (deferred payments also included)*
repay loans under an income-driven repayment plan*
*This provision may be waived through October 31, 2022 as part of a limited PSLF waiver.

Annual Employer Certification:

To start the process, submit a PSLF Application Form annually or when you change employers. By applying regularly, it keeps forms updated while making qualifying monthly payments. Boise State Human Resources (HR) will review the submitted information to confirm that qualifying payments have been made.

Employer Certification Process:

Complete sections one and two of the PSLF Employment Certification Form PDF or the PSLF Application for Forgiveness PDF.
Note: A physical or ‘wet’ signature is required.
Submit completed form to HR. HR’s team will complete sections three and four. Forms can be emailed at employeeverify@boisestate.edu (do not include social security numbers on any emailed form), or dropped off at the HR office at Capitol Village (southeast corner of Capital & University). Along with your request, specify a return email or physical address to send the form for your personal records.
There is a five business day turnaround time for requests.
Submit the completed form to:

U.S. Department of Education – MOHELA
633 Spirit Drive
Chesterfield, MO 63005-1243
or fax to 866-222-7060
Upload to: mohela.com/uploadDocument, if MOHELA is already your servicer.

Note: Boise State University will also send a copy to the U.S. Department of Education to make sure that your form is received and processed.

Encrypted Emails

HR’s verification team encrypts outgoing emails containing sensitive information. Forms will be password protected using last name with the last four digits of an employee ID, with no spaces or hyphens (ex: Lennon1234). If there are issues accessing an encrypted email, please contact us at employeeverify@boisestate.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Boise State University a qualifying employer for the PSLF?

Yes, as a public service employer, Boise State qualifies.

What kind of employment status qualifies me for the PSLF?

You must either be a full-time employee or a part-time employee that reaches the PSLF’s 30-hour per week requirement.

How do I know if I have a qualifying loan?

A qualifying loan is a Direct Loan. Log-in to My Federal Student Aid to determine in which programs you have loans. If you see “Direct” in the name, it’s a Direct. If it does not contain that verbiage, it is not.

What if I don’t have a Direct Loan?

If you don’t have a Direct Loan, you can consolidate your federal student loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan and still qualify for the PSLF. When consolidating, be sure to apply for an income-driven repayment plan because it’s rare for a Standard Repayment Plan for Direct Consolidation Loans to qualify.

How do I know if I have a qualifying repayment plan?

It’s important to be on a qualifying repayment plan. We recommend you change to an income-driven repayment plan, as they all qualify. You can apply at StudentLoans.gov for an income-driven repayment plan.

How many qualifying payments do I need to make?

Typically, you need to make 120 qualifying payments, which includes making the payment due date (or up to 15 days later). However, with the new waiver from the PSLF, there are less restrictions about deferred and late payments. This waiver period will end on October 31, 2022.

How often do I need to apply?

We recommend you apply once per year or whenever you change jobs. This limits the amount of forms needed when you are ready to apply for loan forgiveness.

Do I turn in my application or does Boise State HR turn in the application?

Forms are completed in partnership with your employer. You will need to submit a form to the U.S. Department of Education (see address above) and Boise State’s HR verification team will also submit a copy of the form to the U.S. Department of Education.

Is the PSLF tax-free?

Yes, the PSLF loan forgiveness is tax-free.