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Application for Federal Student Debt Relief Now Live

Federal Aid | Photo by Kelsie Tomlinson | The Wright State Guardian


The application for federal student debt relief is now live; however, aid is currently paused due to legal challenges. Still, borrowers are encouraged to complete applications for relief. 

Federal student debt relief program launched

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Oct. 17 that eligible students can fill out an application for federal student debt relief. 

The Biden administration’s plan will forgive up to $10,000 in federal student debt for those earning less than $125,000 a year, according to the president’s remarks. Students in this bracket who received a federal Pell Grant are eligible for $20,000 in total debt relief. 

According to Biden, more than 40 million Americans stand to benefit from the new program. 

The application is live at the Federal Student Aid website. It is available on both desktop and mobile browsers, and requires only the applicant’s name, Social Security number, date of birth and contact information. 

According to the FSA office, any loans disbursed by June 30, 2022 will count toward the forgiveness program. Any loans disbursed after this date do not qualify. 

Further information about qualification, refunds for past payment and next steps after application are available on the FSA website.

Borrowers at Wright State

Wright State University awarded more than $14 million in need-based federal student aid across both Dayton and Lake campuses for the 2021-22 academic year, according to the university’s Common Data Set. 

For the 2020-21 academic year, 44 percent of Wright State’s main campus students received federal student loans, averaging $6,676 per borrower, according to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Kim Everhart, director of financial aid at WSU, said that the new federal program will be beneficial for student loan borrowers at the university. The financial aid office at WSU notified anyone who has taken out a federal loan and who could potentially qualify for forgiveness of this status. 

“The deadline to apply is December 31, 2023,” Everhart explained. “So they have a full year, but I would not wait. We’re hoping to see the majority of the applications come sooner rather than later.” 

Everhart also emphasized the simplicity of the application process. 

“It’s very fast. It’s simple. It takes less than five minutes,” Everhart assured. 

Legal challenges

After the Biden administration announced the program, legal challenges rose through the courts. 

On Oct. 21, the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ordered an administrative stay that prohibited President Biden and the administration from forgiving any student loan debt under the program until the court has ruled on the appeal, according to the court order

It is still unknown what effect this challenge will have on the debt forgiveness program, but according to the FSA office, applications are open with a paused release process.

“We will continue to review applications,” states a notification on the FSA site. “We will quickly process discharges when we are able to do so and you will not need to reapply.” 

For more information about Wright State financial aid, students can visit the RaiderConnect services website


Angela Davis

Contributing News Writer

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