By Leada Gore
Just days after the launch of a test site, President Joe Biden unveiled the full version of the website application for those seeking student loan forgiveness.
Borrowers can submit their applications here.
In his announcement, Biden said the Beta version received applications from 8 million people from Friday to Sunday.
“Today, I’m announcing millions of people working and middle-class folks can apply and get this relief. And it’s simple and it’s now. It’s easy,” Biden said. “This is a game changer for millions of Americans … and it took an incredible amount of effort to get this website done in such a short time.”
Loan holders can receive up to $20,000 if they received a Pell Grant in college or up to $10,000 if they have other federal loans, as long as they meet income requirements – under $125,000 for individuals or under $250,000 for married couples in either 2020 or 2021.
Borrowers are encouraged to apply before Nov. 15 to have forgiveness applied before the freeze on student loan payments and interest restarts Jan. 1, 2023.
How to apply
Once on the site, borrowers will be asked to provide their name and Social Security number, date of birth, phone number and email. Then, they will be asked to affirm they are requesting debt relief and are eligible under income guidelines. The application does not ask for proof of income but requires the user to provide it by March 31, 2024 if requested.
After clicking a box to certify the information is correct- a statement made under the penalty of perjury – users can click submit.
The application is available in English and Spanish and via desktop computer, tablet or cell phone. Paper applications will be made available later and people who used the Beta version do not have to resubmit their information.
