Three financial aid resources for people in public service
By Amy Potthast.
If you are in a public service career and carrying—or considering—student debt, your life just got a little easier.
You'll make it through these piles! (Photo from troismarteaux on Flickr/Creative Commons
Here are three resources to help you navigate your repayment options:
Heather Jarvis is a national expert on public service loan forgiveness who contributed to student debt relief policy for the House Education Committee and others in Congress. Her new site is a clearinghouse of information about managing your debt while working in a mission-based career.
Features:
- Free, interactive webinars
- Clear (clear, clear) FAQs and steps for accessing public service loan forgiveness
- A blog with topical news and timely advice
- A forum for you to connect with Heather and others who are paying attention
2. IBRinfo.org
IBRinfo is an independent information hub about income-based student loan repayment and public service loan forgiveness – two relatively new federal programs that help student borrowers afford an education.
Features:
- Explanations of both programs passed as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007
- Snapshot of who is eligible to participate in the programs
- Tips for accessing loan relef through the programs
- As-needed email alerts with news that counts. When an email appears in my inbox, less than monthly, I read it. It’s always valuable information. If you don’t believe me, you can also just read the email alerts on their site.
3. EdAward.org
For former AmeriCorps, VISTA, and NCCC members out there, check out the official CNCS website on the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. The Education Award—around $5,000—can be used to pay back student loans and/or to pay tuition at qualifying schools.
Features:
- Multimedia stories explaining how different AmeriCorps members and alumni used their Ed Awards
- How to make the most of your Ed Award when you go to school and to pay back loans
- Strategies for dealing with the extra taxable income (the Ed Award is fully taxable)
- Insights into income-based repayment and public service loan forgiveness for AmeriCorps folks
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If you’re thinking ahead about financial aid for grad school, consider these additional resources from Idealist:
- Idealist Grad Fairs: Meet grad school representatives in cities across the United States and listen to panel discussion on admissions and financial aid
- Grad School Resource Center: Advice about ways to pay for school
- Graduate Education: Financial Aid Myths, Ins and Outs
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Amy Potthast served as Idealist’s Director of Service and Graduate Education Programs until 2011. Read more of her work at amypotthast.com.
Tags: Americorps, debt, financial aid, income-based repayment, students
Thank YOU! for posting. Can I recruit someone to speak via webinar to Young Government Leaders and others in Public Service?
Heather Jarvis would make a great speaker. Her contact page is here:
http://askheatherjarvis.com/contact
To contact Richard Melo for EdAward.org, the contact page is here:
http://edaward.org/content/contact-us
And, finally, here is the contact page for the folks behind IBRinfo.org – the Institute for College Access and Success:
http://projectonstudentdebt.org/contactus.vp.html
[...] manage, reduce, and pay off student loans while still working for a nonprofit. Check out these three financial aid resources for people in public service by idealist.org. The resources [...]
It may not be public service, but I do work for private psychiatric hospital that works with the city to hospitalize uninsured clients. I assess clients without insurance and help place them in treatment if it is needed. I think of it as a public service, but not sure if it would qualify me for debt forgiveness. I could sure use it as I have found that this field does not pay enough to handle the bills plus the payback schedule. Unfortunately, it does pay enough to not qualify for reduced loans.
Try National Service Corporation for health care positions which reduce/pay off student loans.