For 18 years, some students have attended college with the goal of using their degree to serve their communities and, by doing so, earn forgiveness for their student loans. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), passed by Congress in 2007, provides opportunities for loan forgiveness to students who work in public interest jobs and make 120 payments on their loans over a minimum of 10 years.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) closely monitors the PSLF, and I watch my progress in the program just as closely. After six years, my current status on studentaid.gov shows a green bar stretching halfway across the screen: 59 qualifying payments made out of 120 needed to qualify me for loan forgiveness.
The DOE announced a new rule Oct. 30 that will go into effect July 1, 2026, and could transform the PSLF program, deciding the fate of many students, myself included. The new rule grants the DOE broader discretion to reject applicants employed by organizations that do not align with the administration’s priorities. Although framed as targeting activities that “subsidize organizations that violate the law,” the rule could have implications for nonprofits that support transgender individuals and immigration-related causes.
Georgetown University has both the opportunity and responsibility to clearly explain how it interprets upcoming changes to this program while also addressing the financial burdens of its graduate degree costs.
For me, being accepted into Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy was a dream realized. However, as many graduate students know, the looming stress of paying for this education is a major pain point. Georgetown’s graduate programs are significantly more costly than the national average, and I have spent hours on the federal loan simulator to ensure I could pay back my loans. This planning included the PSLF, which I was already familiar with due to my previous six years paying into the program after completing my undergraduate degree. Only after weighing all of these factors did I decide to enroll at McCourt. I knew with this degree I would either continue in gender equity nonprofits or enter government work, both of which the PSLF rules squarely covered — at least, as I understood them.
When the U.S. Department of Education announced a final rule affecting PSLF on October 30, my initial response was relief — the sentences in the new rule seemed too outrageous to apply to any U.S. nonprofits. The updated rule only included a provision blocking loans from anyone who aided illegal immigration or illegal medical procedures.
I currently work at an organization that supports gender justice by litigating on behalf of all women — including trans women. I did not think Congress would tie that work to the line in Trump’s executive order about medical procedures. However, the executive order is expected to shift the DOE from simply administering loans and granting PSLF based on its interpretation of Congress’ original legislation to taking a more active role in making those decisions. Yet the exact impact remains uncertain, which is what makes this transition so frustrating.
Due to the lack of clarity concerning what organizations U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon will decide fall under the executive order’s guidelines, thousands of students sit in confusion at many nonprofits, including myself. And while this DOE plays political games deciding who is actually serving the public, I am saddled with choices that will inevitably shape my financial future with only half of the information I need. Georgetown’s Spring 2026 registration has begun, but I don’t know whether to register since I’m uncertain if my financial plan will hold up.
Legal challenges to the new PSLF have already begun. However, the courts likely won’t decide the cases fast enough for students who hang in the balance.
Georgetown has an opportunity and, in my opinion, a responsibility to help students like me understand what comes next. Those of us who are paying into this program deserve clear information about how potential changes might affect our futures. I also urge my fellow students whom these changes could impact to raise their voices and ask the DOE for the clarity we all need. And finally, Georgetown itself could take a step forward by making its graduate programs more affordable.
I’m not seeking a free forgiveness program. I’ve paid into my education for six years and will continue for another decade beyond graduation — all the while dedicating my career to organizations striving for a better country for all women. That commitment deserves support — or at the very least, transparency — as I navigate some of the most important financial decisions of my life.
Grace Freeman is a graduate student at the McCourt School of Public Policy.
