Who Qualifies for Disability-Based Student Loan Forgiveness

Updated on January 1, 2026

Student loan forgiveness for disability is available only if a borrower meets the federal standard for total and permanent disability.

This is not a diagnosis-based test. The standard focuses on function. The key question is whether a borrower’s physical or mental condition prevents sustained, reliable work activity and whether that limitation is expected to last long term or indefinitely.

A borrower may meet the standard if the condition:

is expected to result in death, or
has lasted for a continuous period of at least five years, or
is expected to last for a continuous period of at least five years.

The name of the condition does not control eligibility. Two borrowers with the same diagnosis may be treated differently depending on how the condition affects their ability to work on a sustained basis.

Federal Authority and Eligibility Standard

Eligibility for disability-based student loan forgiveness is determined by federal rules.

State disability standards, private insurance definitions, and employer policies do not control whether a borrower qualifies. A borrower may qualify for disability-based student loan forgiveness even if they do not qualify for benefits under another program, and a borrower may receive benefits elsewhere without qualifying here.

What matters is whether the borrower’s impairment meets the federal definition of total and permanent disability based on the documentation submitted.

Parent PLUS Loan Borrowers

For Parent PLUS loans, eligibility for disability-based discharge depends only on the parent borrower’s disability.

A parent does not qualify for a TPD discharge based on the student’s disability, even if the student is totally and permanently disabled. Parent PLUS loans may be discharged only if the parent borrower meets the federal standard for total and permanent disability.

Does the Type of Disability Matter?

Eligibility does not depend on the name of your condition.

Federal student loan forgiveness for disability is not based on a list of approved or denied diagnoses. The standard looks at how a physical or mental condition affects your ability to engage in sustained, reliable work activity and whether that limitation meets the federal duration requirement.

As a result, two borrowers with the same diagnosis can be treated differently. What matters is functional impact over time, not labels.

Physical and mental health conditions are evaluated the same way. There is no higher or separate standard for mental health disabilities.

Ways to Qualify for a TPD Discharge

There are three ways eligibility for disability-based student loan forgiveness is evaluated: through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, or certification by a qualified medical professional.

Which path applies depends on how your disability has already been documented, not on the diagnosis itself.

Each path applies the same federal definition of total and permanent disability. What differs is how eligibility is shown, not the standard used.

Once you identify the path that applies, the next step is understanding how that path is applied in the discharge process.

What If You’re Not Sure You Qualify?

If you’re unsure whether you qualify after reviewing the rules above, that uncertainty is usually about documentation, not the standard itself.

In some cases, eligibility has already been established through an existing federal disability determination. In others, eligibility depends on whether a qualified medical professional can certify that the federal standard is met. For Parent PLUS loans, eligibility depends on whether the parent borrower—not the student—meets that standard.

The eligibility determination is made through the application process. At that point, the question is not whether the standard applies, but whether the submitted documentation satisfies it.

FAQs

Do I have to be completely unable to work to qualify?

No. You do not have to be completely unable to work. The federal standard looks at whether your condition prevents sustained, reliable work activity over time, not whether you can perform occasional tasks or limited activities.

Does a specific diagnosis automatically qualify or disqualify me?

No. There is no approved or denied diagnosis list. Eligibility depends on how a physical or mental condition affects your ability to work on a sustained basis and whether that limitation meets the federal duration requirement for total and permanent disability.

Can mental health conditions qualify for disability-based student loan forgiveness?

Yes. Mental health conditions are evaluated under the same standard as physical conditions. There is no separate or higher threshold. A mental health condition may qualify if it substantially interferes with sustained work activity and meets the federal duration requirement.

What if I was denied disability benefits by another program?

A denial from another disability program does not automatically disqualify you. Different programs apply different standards. Some borrowers qualify for disability-based student loan forgiveness even if they were denied benefits elsewhere.

If I receive VA or Social Security disability benefits, does that mean I qualify automatically?

Not in every case, but those determinations are highly relevant. VA or Social Security disability findings can establish eligibility under federal rules. Whether discharge occurs automatically or through an application depends on how the Department of Education recognizes that determination.

Who decides whether I qualify for disability-based student loan forgiveness?

The eligibility determination is made by the Department of Education. The Department evaluates whether submitted documentation meets the federal definition of total and permanent disability, either through existing federal disability determinations or medical certification.