What Is TEPSLF? The Temporary Expanded PSLF Option Explained

Some borrowers did everything right for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, except for one detail: their payments were made under the wrong plan. They worked in public service for 10 years and paid every month, but the Graduated or Extended plan they were on does not count for PSLF.

This guide explains what TEPSLF is, how it differs from regular PSLF, and who it was made for, in plain words. It follows the official StudentAid.gov page closely, including what that page says about limited funding.

The short answer

TEPSLF, or Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness, is a temporary chance for some borrowers to get forgiveness even though some of their 120 payments were made under a Graduated or Extended plan, or a Consolidation Standard or Graduated plan. It is temporary, has limited funding, and is given on a first come, first served basis.

What is TEPSLF?

TEPSLF stands for Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 provided limited, additional conditions under which you may become eligible for loan forgiveness. The US Department of Education refers to this as Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or TEPSLF.

In plain words, TEPSLF is a second chance for some borrowers who did the public service work and made 120 payments, but made some of those payments under a plan that does not count for regular PSLF. It does not change the job rules or the loan rules. It only changes which payment plans can count.

TEPSLF was made for people who would have qualified for PSLF if their payments had been under a qualifying plan. If you paid under a Graduated or Extended plan, or a Consolidation Standard or Graduated plan, while working for a PSLF qualifying employer, you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under this temporary opportunity.

How TEPSLF differs from regular PSLF

Regular PSLF and TEPSLF share the same core rules. Both need 120 qualifying monthly payments, full time work for a qualifying employer, and Direct Loans. The difference is in the payment plans.

For regular PSLF, only payments under an eligible plan count. Those are the income driven repayment plans and the 10 year Standard Repayment Plan. Payments under the Graduated, Extended, and Consolidation Standard and Graduated plans do not count for regular PSLF.

For TEPSLF, those same Graduated, Extended, and Consolidation Standard and Graduated plans can count. That is the whole difference in the plans. The other difference is time and money: TEPSLF is temporary, has limited funding, and is given on a first come, first served basis.

In short, TEPSLF does not forgive loans for a different group of people. It forgives loans for the same kind of public service workers, whose payments were made under plans that regular PSLF does not accept.

Who TEPSLF was made for

TEPSLF was made for borrowers who worked full time for a qualifying employer, made 120 payments, and paid under a Graduated or Extended plan, or a Consolidation Standard or Graduated plan, for some or all of those payments.

It was not made for everyone with a student loan. You still need Direct Loans, you still need 10 years of certified full time employment with a qualifying employer, and you still need 120 payments. Only Direct Loans are eligible. Neither defaulted Direct Loans nor Direct PLUS Loans made to you as a parent borrower are eligible.

The three requirements for TEPSLF

The official page lists three things you must have to qualify for TEPSLF.

1. You must have 120 qualifying payments, some or all of which were made under a Graduated or Extended plan or a Consolidation Standard or Graduated plan for TEPSLF.
2. You must have at least 10 years of full time employment certified by a qualifying employer that matches your months in repayment.
3. The amount you paid 12 months prior to applying for TEPSLF and the last payment you made before applying must be at least as much as you would have paid under an eligible income driven repayment plan other than the Repayment Assistance Plan.

That third rule is the one people most often miss. The next section shows how it works.

Which plans count under TEPSLF

These plans can count under TEPSLF: the Graduated Repayment Plan, the Extended Repayment Plan, the Consolidation Standard Repayment Plan, and the Consolidation Graduated Repayment Plan.

The Tiered Standard Plan does not count toward TEPSLF. It also does not count for regular PSLF. If your payments were made under the Tiered Standard Plan, they do not help under either program.

Worked example: the payment test

Example only. This example shows how the third TEPSLF requirement works, using simple round numbers.

Suppose the amount a borrower would have paid under an eligible income driven repayment plan is $200 a month. The rule says the amount paid 12 months prior to applying and the last payment made before applying must be at least as much as that $200.

• Case 1: the borrower paid $210 a month for the last 12 months. $210 is more than $200, so this part of the test is met.
• Case 2: the borrower paid $180 a month for the last 12 months. $180 is less than $200, so this part of the test is not met.

The amount is worked out from the borrower’s income and household size under the income driven plan. A borrower who is close to the line can ask the servicer what the income driven amount would have been.

The limited funding warning

The official page states the limit in plain words: ‘This opportunity is temporary, has limited funding, and must be provided on a first come, first served basis. Once all of the funds are used, the TEPSLF opportunity will end.’

That means TEPSLF is not open ended. The page does not give a closing date, and it does not say the funding is gone. It presents TEPSLF as still available on a first come, first served basis, and it urges borrowers to complete the PSLF form as soon as possible.

This guide does not promise that any borrower will receive forgiveness, and it does not state availability beyond what the official page says. The official page is the only place to check the current position.

How to apply

Apply using the PSLF and TEPSLF Certification and Application, which is known as the PSLF form. You can use the PSLF Help Tool on StudentAid.gov, or you can complete and submit a paper form.

The paper form can be mailed to the US Department of Education, P.O. Box 300010, Greenville, TX 75403, or faxed to 540-212-2415. You can also upload the form through My Activity after logging in to StudentAid.gov. For help, call 1-888-303-7818.

Use the PSLF Help Tool if you can. It checks your employer, prepares your form, and asks your employer to certify and sign it electronically.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming TEPSLF is the same as PSLF, and not checking the extra payment test.
• Waiting to apply, even though the funding is limited and first come, first served.
• Applying with a Tiered Standard Plan, whose payments do not count for TEPSLF.
• Forgetting that only Direct Loans are eligible, and that defaulted Direct Loans and parent PLUS loans are not.
• Not certifying 10 years of full time employment with a qualifying employer.

The fix is the same as for PSLF: check the official page, certify your employment, and apply as soon as you can.

Quick answers

Related guides

• PSLF Eligibility: The Basic Rules for Who Qualifies
• What Jobs Are Considered Public Service for PSLF?
• Is PSLF Forgiveness Taxed by Your State?

Further reading

• Federal Student Aid: Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness

This content is educational only. It is not financial advice, and it is not advice about your own student loans. Student loan rules change, and they depend on your own loans, employer, and payment plan, so check the current Federal Student Aid pages or speak with a qualified professional about your own case.