Grants to pay off student loans

How grants can pay off student loans

Grants are free money for school that you don’t have to pay back. They’re similar to scholarships, but while scholarships tend to be merit-based, grants tend to be need-based. Grants can be used during or after school to help pay down student loans. Keep reading to find out how grants can help you pay yours.

Can you get a grant to pay off student loans?

Yes! You can definitely use grants to pay off student loans. There are various organizations that offer grants and student loan forgiveness options to those who need them.

Here are a few:

• Career-based student loan forgiveness
• Federal student loan forgiveness
• State-based student loan forgiveness
• Military student loan forgiveness
• Nonprofit/volunteer student loan forgiveness
• Forgiveness programs by corporate employers for employees

P.S. If a grant application period has passed, set a reminder to check back at a later date and see if it reopens. Many grants are given out every year, and they’re often first come, first served.

Career-based grants

Career-based grants are national grants that provide funds to qualified people in specific careers, like teachers, medical personnel, and more. They can be awarded by the government, colleges and universities, hospitals, and businesses.

Grants for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals

National Health Services Corps

The National Health Services Corps has several grant programs designed to help medical professionals in different fields repay their student loans. Check out this comparison of all the NHSC loan repayment programs.

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program will give you funds to pay off 60% of your student loan debt if you work for at least two years in a critical shortage area. For a third year, eligible nurses may get another 25% of their student loans paid off.

IHS Loan Repayment Program

For two years of service in American Indian and Alaska Native areas, the IHS Loan Repayment Program gives out grants to pay off up to $50,000 of your eligible student loans. Plus, you may be able to extend your contract for more than two years to pay off all your student loan debt.

Grants for teachers

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program

The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program (TLF) can offer student loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 off of Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans and Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. In exchange, you’d have to teach full time for five complete, consecutive academic years in a low-income school or within an educational service agency, among other qualifications.

Teacher Cancellation of Perkins Loans

Although there haven’t been any Perkins loans distributed since 2017, you may qualify for student loan forgiveness if you got one before then. Qualifying teachers with Perkins Loans teach high-needs subjects or work in low-income schools. If you’re a qualifying teacher, you may get all your Perkins Loans debt forgiven in five years.

Grants for veterinarians

Veterinarian Medical Loan Repayment Program

The Veterinarian Medical Loan Repayment Program can pay up to $40,000 a year towards your student loan if you work for at least three years in an area that’s low on veterinarians.

Grants for lawyers

John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program

State prosecutors and public defenders can apply for the John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program through the state in which they live and work for three to six years. The award is worth up to $10,000 a year (maxed at $60,000 or the current total of the student’s debt) to pay toward law school student loans.

Department of Justice Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program

For three years of service, attorneys working in the Department of Justice with at least $10,000 in federal student loan debt may be able to win $6,000 a year and up to $60,000 total to pay off their student loans through the Department of Justice Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program.

There are a lot more resources out there for graduates working in the public sector, public-service lawyers, and more through the American Bar Association.

Grants for researchers

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs are for various health industries. You don’t have to work for the NIH to qualify, and you could get up to $50,000 a year for a total of two years if you conduct research the NIH defines as “critical.” Critical research depends on whether you are or aren’t an NIH employee.

The critical research topics for NIH employees include:

• AIDS research
• Clinical research from disadvantaged backgrounds
• General research

The critical research topics for non-NIH employees are:

• Clinical research
• Pediatrics
• Health disparities research
• Contraception and infertility
• Clinical research for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds

Federal student loan forgiveness

Federal student loan forgiveness is when your federal student loans are cancelled or discharged—this means your remaining balance has been taken care of and you don’t have to pay them back. These are exclusively forgiven by the government. Check out the federal student loan forgiveness programs to see which ones you may qualify for.

State-based grants

There are state grant programs nationwide, and the state you live in probably has at least one. Many state-based grants are tied to certain jobs and industries, so it’s worth researching your state and industry you’re interested in to see what grants may be for you.

Grants for members of the military (and their families)

Military grants are for members of the military, veterans, and relatives of active military members and veterans. They are need-based and often funded by the government, but some may be offered by colleges and universities. To be eligible, students must have a military status or have a family member with a military status, and they need to complete the FAFSA^® to be considered.

Army Loan Repayment Program

The Army Loan Repayment Program can cover up to $65,000 of student loan debt for active-duty soldiers, Army Reserve soldiers, and Army National Guard soldiers.

Army Reserve College Loan Repayment Program

If you work in a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), enlist in the army for at least six years, and have student loans before going on active duty, the Army Reserve College Loan Repayment Program can pay for 15% of your student loan balance up to $20,000.

Iraq-Afghanistan Service Grant

To be eligible for the Iraq-Afghanistan Service Grant , you must have a parent or guardian who was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan; you had to be under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least half-time at the time of your parent’s or guardian’s death; and you must meet the eligibility requirements of the Federal Pell Grant. The award amount is the same as the maximum Pell Grant available for that award year. The award for the 2025-26 year is $7,395.

Health Professions Student Loan Repayment Program

Healthcare professionals like doctors, dentists, and more who are on active duty or in the Army Reserve may be eligible for up to $120,000 ($40,000 per year for three years) to pay off their student loans through the Health Professions Student Loan Repayment Program.

The National Guard, the Navy, and the Air Force JAG program also have student loan forgiveness programs.

Grants for volunteers and non-profit employees

Volunteers and non-profit employees are eligible for grants through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and through national organizations, like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and Teach for America.

Grants for employees at private companies

Some private companies have their own grant and loan forgiveness programs for their employees. This is often offered as part of their benefits package. If you’re interested, ask your employer if your company has a grant or loan forgiveness program you qualify for.

How to find grants yourself

Grants and student loan forgiveness programs aren’t too hard to find—you just need to know where to look.

Check within your industry of choice. There may be state- or federal-based programs that offer student loan forgiveness to people who do the jobs that you do. You may need to work in high-needs areas be eligible for the grants, but it’s worth taking a look.

Talk to the financial aid office at your school. Certain post-grad schools like law school or medical school may forgive your student loan debt in exchange for your service working in communities that need you the most.

Ask your employer. Some companies have grants, scholarships, and student loan forgiveness benefits for employees—you should definitely take advantage of them if they’re available to you.

Ready to look for grants?

Grants can be a great way to help you pay off your student loans. Just remember to look for grants that suit your needs, keep track of grant opening and closing dates, and always look into other repayment options if you’re having trouble paying back your loans.