Student Debt Relief Program
An exclusive member benefit for UFT members
Are you concerned about paying back your student loans?
The weight of student debt can be a heavy burden, and exploring your options and applying for the right programs can be complicated. Luckily, you don’t have to face it alone. The Student Debt Relief Program, an exclusive member benefit brought to you by the UFT, is here to help.
Recent changes to federal loan forgiveness programs may make you eligible for loan forgiveness — even if you weren't eligible before.
If you are a full-time educator working for the Department of Education, you may be eligible for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Certain teacher licenses may also be eligible for the federal Title 1 forgiveness program. These programs may be able to help you reduce your student debt burden.
Navigating your options and applying for the right programs can be complicated. The Student Debt Relief Program can help guide you every step of the way.
Sign up for a free introductory webinar
Want to learn more? The Student Debt Relief Program runs webinars every month to help members tackle their debt.
The webinar will cover the basics of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. It will also cover the U.S. Department of Education's income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, which are designed to make your student loan debt more manageable by giving you a monthly payment based on your income and family size.
Members who attend an information session can then work directly with an independent loan specialist who can answer those types of inquiries.
You can email studentdebtrelief [at] uft [dot] org (studentdebtrelief[at]uft[dot]org) for more information about the program. Please note: This email is not for technical questions about student loans or your eligibility. Please do not send any personal financial information to this email address either.
Learn about Title 1 student loan forgiveness
Events
NYC Pride March 2025
12:00 pm ~ 04:00 pm
Register to march with UFT at the 2025 New York City Pride March! This year's theme, "Rise Up: Pride and Protest" honors the legacy of the very first Pride March in 1970. Whether you're a member of the community or an ally, we need your feet on the street at the march. Prior to the day of the march, we will tell registrants where and when the UFT contingent will meet.
Labor Parade 2025
08:00 am
Don't miss the chance to kick off the 2025-26 school year with your fellow UFT members at the city's Labor Parade on Saturday, Sept. 6! This year's theme is Strength in Unity. Let's make our presence felt. The exact assembly time and location will be announced soon, but you can register and mark your calendar now!
UFT Invitational Golf Outing
07:00 am ~ 04:00 pm
Join us on the links this fall at the UFT’s annual Invitational Golf Outing to benefit the UFT Disaster Relief Fund. Not a golfer? Register for lunch only. But don't miss the fun and collegiality as we raise money to help UFT members and people around the world who are rebuilding their lives in the wake of disaster.
What's New
Student Debt Relief Program
Everything you need to know about the UFT's Student Debt Relief Program and the status of federal student-debt forgiveness.
Landmark settlement in student debt lawsuit
Public servants, including public school educators and nurses, may be on their way to a reduction or elimination of their crushing burden of debt thanks to a landmark settlement announced Oct. 13 between the U.S. Department of Education and the...
UFT helping members make loan burdens manageable
Cheryl Martin was worried sick for years about her student debt: $166,000 that hung over her like a cloud nearly a decade after she left graduate school. "The anxiety I had was tremendous," said Martin, a teacher at PS 449 in the Bronx.