24 Student Loan Grants & Forgiveness Programs You Need to Check Out
Check out these student loan grants to see which you apply for!
Paying off your student loans?
Including both public and private loans, the United States has an average of $1.75 trillion in student loan debt. Because of this outstanding balance and on top of your typical payments, we’ve rounded up 24 grants, forgiveness programs, and other organizations that will pay a partial amount for select borrowers.
Some of the eligibility factors for these programs are based on ethnic background, career field, and more. We even have an option for those of you who loathe essay entries. 😉 Hopefully, there’s an outlet for everyone, and, if we missed any, feel free to share them in the comments!
Here are 24 student loan grants & forgiveness programs to check out:
1. IHS Loan Repayment Program
- Deadline: Every 15th of the month
- Award: Up to $40,000
- Who Can Apply? American Indian or Alaskan Natives in the health care field with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: IHS Loan Repayment Program
Those with American or Alaskan Native indigenous roots in the healthcare industry have a monthly chance to gain some student forgiveness grants!
2. Forget Your Student Debt No-Essay
- Deadline: The 1st of every month
- Award: $10,000
- Who Can Apply? Anyone with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Forget Your Student Debt No-Essay
If you’re not good at essays, no need to fret! This easy grant allows everyone who has student loans to apply!
3. NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
- Deadline: December 1, 2022 – 7:30pm ET
- Award: Varies
- Who Can Apply? Students in their last year of medical, nursing, or dental school with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
To receive this program, you must “provide at least three years of service at an NHSC-approved site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)”.
4. Growing with Gabby
- Deadline: January 31st, 2023
- Award: $2,050 (2 winners, $1,025 each)
- Who Can Apply? Any education level, including graduates with debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Growing with Gabby
This scholarship is by Gabriella Carter, who has actually written a book about ways to win scholarships and made an online presence about it. Gabriella believes in constantly growing, and, to help achieve that, she created this scholarship. In 400-600 words, write about how you’ve grown over the last year.
5. Grow Your Own Produce Sustainability Scholarship
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens in December.
- Award: $500
- Who Can Apply? Students or anyone with debt who grows produce or is a part of a community that grows produce.
- Details & How to Apply: Grow Your Own Produce Sustainability Scholarship
Green thumbs, unite! Although it’s not the highest amount, every penny counts toward your loans.
6. Nitro Student Loan Forgiveness Grant
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens in early 2023.
- Award: $1,000
- Who Can Apply? Anyone with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Nitro Student Loan Forgiveness Grant
Nitro aids students, parents, and graduates make the best financial decisions when it comes to loans.
7. Focus Forward Scholarship
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens spring 2023.
- Award: $2,000
- Who Can Apply? Undergraduate students with at least a 3.0 GPA and have at least one year of student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Focus Forward Scholarship
To apply for this grant, share your career goals and how this scholarship will help you get closer to your goals.
8. National Healthcare Heroes Grant for Nurses
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens spring 2023.
- Award: $1,000
- Who Can Apply? Nursing students or graduates with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: National Healthcare Heroes Grant for Nurses
Grants for nurses are available, and this one encourages impact and empathy.
9. Charles Cheesman’s Student Debt Reduction Scholarship
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens spring 2023.
- Award: $10,000 (2 winners, $5,000 each)
- Who Can Apply? Hispanic/Latino or African Americans who are first-generation students or graduates with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Charles Cheesman’s Student Debt Reduction Scholarship
For this application, write about your life goals and what you will do with the money you save from this grant.
10. WiseGeek Lifelong Learners No-Essay Grant
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens spring 2023.
- Award: $500
- Who Can Apply? Anyone with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: WiseGeek Lifelong Learners No-Essay Grant
If you’re looking for a short and simple grant, this is the one for you; anyone with student debt fits the criteria!
11. WiseGeek No-Essay Military Appreciation Grant
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens spring 2023.
- Award: $500
- Who Can Apply? Active, former, or future service member of the US military with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: WiseGeek No-Essay Military Appreciation Grant
If you’re a service member who isn’t the best at essays, this grant is for you!
12. @ESPDaniella Debt Grant
- Deadline: July 31st, 2023
- Award: $4,500 (3 winners, $1,500 each)
- Who Can Apply? Anyone with debt.
- Details & How to Apply: @ESPDaniella Debt Grant
Students struggling with debt can alleviate some stress with this easy-apply grant.
13. Noah Jon Markstrom Student Debt Paydown Grant
- Deadline: Closed for now, but likely opens in summer 2023.
- Award: $500
- Who Can Apply? Those with debt in the pediatric medical field.
- Details & How to Apply: Grow Your Own Produce Sustainability Scholarship
This scholarship is inspired by the late Noah Markstrom, who battled cancer for two years and has the most incredible medical team. Honoring those in this field, grant applicants must explain how their career has changed their lives and why they chose it.
14. Army Reserve College Loan Repayment Program
- Award: Up to $50,000
- Who Can Apply? Soldiers who enlist in the Army reserve for at least 6 years.
- Details & How to Apply: Army Reserve College Loan Payment Program
Service men and women in the army for at least 6 years can either get their tuition paid or have their loans covered up to $50,000.
15. Maine Alfond Leaders Student Debt Reduction Program
- Deadline: Closed for now, but the website encouraged interested applicants to check back on the 1st of each month for updates.
- Award: Up to $60,000
- Who Can Apply? Grads who live and work in Maine in a STEM-designated occupation at a Maine-based employer.
- Details & How to Apply: Focus Forward Scholarship
Make sure you look into those state exemptions! Those who live in Maine may be qualified to receive student loan reimbursement.
16. New York State Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
- Award: Up to $50,000
- Who Can Apply? New York State residents in the farming industry that have student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: New York State Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
New York state residents who are farmers can have their student debt reimbursed by following the official instructions.
17. NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
- Award: $10,000 a year for five years
- Who Can Apply? NYS residents who work in direct care services at a New York State-licensed child welfare agency with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: NYS Child Welfare Worker Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
This is another state/career-based program you can apply to if you fit the qualifications.
18. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs
- Award: Up to $50,000
- Who Can Apply? Health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs
A big advancement in the biomedical field is potentially having your student loans reimbursed!
19. Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program
- Award: Varies
- Who Can Apply? Select attorneys with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program
Select attorneys with student loans may be qualified for this student loan repayment program.
20. John R. Justice (JRJ) Program
- Award: Varies
- Who Can Apply? Those in the criminal justice field with student debt.
- Details & How to Apply: John R. Justice (JRJ) Program
Public defenders, prosecutors, and full-time employees of select non-profit organizations may be able to apply to this program for partial loan forgiveness.
21. Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
- Award: Up to 85% of the student loan balance
- Who Can Apply? Select nurses with student loans.
- Details & How to Apply: Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
Registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty (NF) may be eligible to receive up tp 85% of student loan reimbursement.
22. The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program
- Award: $25,000/year
- Who Can Apply? Veterinarians with student loans who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years.
- Details & How to Apply: The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program
Veterinarians with student loans may be able to have their loans repaid by working with a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation.
23. Student Debt Relief Plan
Under the current administration, the Student Debt Relief Plan will grant up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to non-Pell Grant borrowers. You will apply if your individual income is less than $125,000 or your married income is less than $250,000.
The “up to” implies that if you owe less than $10K, you will receive whatever the balance is. Therefore, you won’t receive the entire amount if it covers more than you owe. Note that this is only for federal loans, and applications are expected to open in October of this year.
Federal payments will also resume in January 2023, with a new minimum payment of no more than 5% of your discretionary income monthly.
23. Check with your employer.
Although it’s not a guarantee, there are some employers out there who will actually supply limited loan forgiveness if you’ve worked there for a certain amount of time. Companies including Aetna, Google, Staples, Chegg, and more are among a few of the more well-known companies that participate in some sort of student loan forgiveness for their employees. It doesn’t hurt to look into it!
Looking to get your schooling paid for before hitting the books? Check out these companies that pay for employee tuition!
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