PSLF Update

student loans

Time Sensitive expansion & update about Law School Loans – October 31, 2022 Deadline!

We have an important update about your law school loans – even if you are not working in the public sector.  Please read below to see if you may qualify for assistance from this “Limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver” which is only available until October 31, 2022. This program is completely separate from our own Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program. 

Do you have federal student loans? Have you been thinking about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)? Have you encountered problems interacting with that program? 

The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently announced a temporary, but significant waiver to PSLF program rules. The waiver, called the "Limited PSLF Waiver," allows those borrowers who had the wrong type of loans or payments to get credit for those past periods. 

Here are some of the key improvements available under the Limited PSLF Waiver:  

  • Borrowers can receive credit for past periods of repayment on loans that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF.  
  • If you have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), Perkins loans, or other federal student loans, you will need to consolidate your loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify for PSLF both in general and under the waiver. Before consolidating, make sure to check to see if you work for a qualifying employer using the PSLF Help Tool.  
  • Past periods of repayment will now count whether or not you made a payment, or made that payment on time, for the full amount due, on a qualifying repayment plan.  
  • Periods of deferment or forbearance, and periods of default, still do not qualify. 

The waiver is available to borrowers until October 31, 2022. To take advantage of the waiver, you need to: 

  1. If you don't have one already, register for an FSA ID at StudentAid.gov/fsa-id/create-account. 
  2. Have or get Direct Loans (including through loan consolidation). You can consolidate your loans if you need to at StudentAid.gov/consolidation. 
  3. Submit a PSLF form to certify employment for PSLF that you want credit for through the waiver.  You can generate a PSLF form for your employer to sign at StudentAid.gov/pslf. In the PSLF Help Tool, it's important to use the appropriate Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). After the PSLF Help Tool gives you a PDF, please sign and date it and submit it to the appropriate person at your employer.

There's no specific application for the waiver. Once borrowers have submitted PSLF forms and/or consolidated into the Direct Loan program, they will be automatically opted in and receive forgiveness if they qualify or an increased qualifying payment count.  

Remember: this opportunity is time sensitive. Some borrowers will need to consolidate their loans and/or submit a PSLF form. It's important for you to take the steps necessary to qualify for the Limited PSLF Waiver before October 31, 2022.   Learn more about the Limited PSLF Waiver at StudentAid.gov/PSLFWaiver.  

In addition, AccessLex is hosting a webinar on Thursday, September 8, at 3:00 pm EDT to explain everything as well.  You can register here.

If you have any questions, please contact Kate Politano at kpolitano@rwu.edu in our Financial Aid Office.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.