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Guide to Connecticut Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

Student Loan Forgiveness in CT (Connecticut)
Jacqueline DeMarco
Jacqueline DeMarcoUpdated August 1, 2023
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Editor’s note: Lantern by SoFi seeks to provide content that is objective, independent and accurate. Writers are separate from our business operation and do not receive direct compensation from advertisers or partners. Read more about our Editorial Guidelines and How We Make Money.
Connecticut borrowers mat want to pursue state student loan forgiveness programs to help them pay down their debt. To better understand what the options are for CT student loan forgiveness programs, keep reading. 

Why Does Connecticut Offer Student Loan Forgiveness?

There are both federal and state student loan forgiveness programs. The reason states like Connecticut offer these programs is to help borrowers get out from under large amounts of student loan debt.Many programs relating to student loan forgiveness in CT also help encourage college graduates to work in service fields that require more educated professionals, such as the teaching and medical fields. 

How Does Connecticut Student Loan Forgiveness Work?

All Connecticut student loan forgiveness programs work slightly differently, but generally, these programs work one of two ways. They either forgive a portion or all of someone’s federal student loan debt, or they provide forgiveness in the form of a forgivable loan. There are some student loan forgiveness scams, so it’s important that borrowers only apply to reputable programs.  

Why Isn't Connecticut Funding Its Student Loan Forgiveness Programs?

While Connecticut has a handful of different student loan forgiveness programs in place (most of which are reimbursement incentive programs), applications aren’t currently being accepted for most programs due to a lack of funding. As of publication, the only program receiving funding was the Minority Teacher Incentive Program.We’re going to outline what a handful of these programs entail, and it’s worth checking back regularly to see if any of these programs are being funded. 

9 CT Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

It’s easy to see why borrowers would be interested in state-based student loan forgiveness programs. Now let’s examine nine different CT student loan forgiveness programs, how to qualify, and what the award amounts are. 

1. Minority Teacher Incentive Program

Eligible students can receive up to $5,000 a year during their final two years of full-time study if they are minority undergraduates enrolled in a Connecticut teacher preparation program. Program participants can also receive up to $2,500 in yearly stipends for up to four years of teaching in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school. To qualify, applicants must be a full-time college junior or senior of African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Native American heritage and they have to start teaching in a Connecticut public school within 16 months of graduation if they want to receive the annual stipend.

 2. Connecticut Green Technology, Life Science, and Health Information Technology Loan Reimbursement Program

This program reimburses federal and state loans for whichever is less — up to $2,500 per year or 5% of the amount of remaining loans. To qualify, applicants must have graduated on or after May 1, 2010, after studying green technology, life science, or health information technology. They also have to have been employed in Connecticut for at least two years after graduating. 

3. “Engineering Connecticut” Loan Reimbursement Grant Program

If a borrower with an undergraduate or graduate degree in engineering has worked as an engineer in Connecticut, he or she may be able to qualify for the “Engineering Connecticut” Loan Reimbursement Grant Program. Loan forgiveness amounts vary and are determined by the Office of Higher Education (OHE) executive director.

4. English Language Learner Educator Incentive Program

The English Language Learner Educator Incentive Program grants loan forgiveness up to $5,000 per year for students who borrowed money in their junior and senior years while pursuing an endorsement in bilingual education or the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. If the graduate then goes on to teach in a Connecticut public school in a role that requires one of those endorsements, they can receive an additional $2,500 per year in loan reimbursements for up to four years. 

5. Information Technology Loan Reimbursement Pilot Program

Through the Information Technology Loan Reimbursement Pilot Program, borrowers who majored in an information technology related field at a Connecticut college or university may qualify for loan reimbursement if they also have been recently employed by a Connecticut company in an information technology related position. 

6. Primary Care Direct Services Program

Community providers who work to expand healthcare access to uninsured individuals in Connecticut may be able to qualify for student loan repayment through the Primary Care Direct Services Program.

7. Nursing Education Loan Forgiveness Program

Connecticut residents enrolled in nursing education in Connecticut and who remain working in the nursing field in that state for five years can have their student loans forgiven. 

8. “You Belong” Loan Reimbursement Grant Program

Doctoral program graduates who work in Connecticut in economically valuable fields can receive an annual reimbursement (amount is determined by the OHE executive director) for some or all of their student loan payments.

9. Connecticut Teachers Mortgage Assistance Program

While this program doesn’t specifically involve student loan forgiveness, it provides financial support in another way that can make it easier for borrowers who qualify to focus on paying off their loans. Teachers who work in Connecticut and are first-time homebuyers (or who haven’t owned a home in the past three years) can receive a reduced interest rate on their mortgage loan.  

Other Ways to Lower Your Student Loan Payments

Student loan forgiveness programs in CT aren’t the only options borrowers in that state have for paying off their student loan debt. Let’s look at some other paths they can take to work toward becoming debt free. 

Student Loan Refinancing

Refinancing student loans can help borrowers pay off their debt faster should they qualify for a better interest rate. When someone refinances a student loan, they pay off their existing loan or loans with a new loan. If they qualify for a lower interest rate, they can spend less on interest payments which can make it easier to pay off their student loans faster. It’s worth noting that if someone refinances their federal student loans into a private loan, they lose their access to federal forgiveness and income-repayment programs. This is a major con of student loan refinancing worth keeping in mind.

Grants for Paying Off Student Loans

Grants can also make it easier to avoid taking on too much student loan debt or to speed up the repayment of existing student loan debt. Grants are a form of gift aid that can be used to help pay for the cost of school, so it can be really helpful to apply for a handful of them. 

Income-Based Repayment Plans

Income-based repayment plans for federal student loans don’t make it easier to pay off student loan debt, but this type of payment plan does make it easier to afford payments. The way these repayment plans work is they base the borrower’s minimum monthly payment on their income, and the payment they owe won’t surpass as low as 5% of their discretionary income. This can make it a lot easier to budget for loan payments.  

The Takeaway

Borrowers who live in Connecticut have a variety of CT student loan forgiveness program options they can research. The key is to find one that is currently being funded by the state of Connecticut. As of December 2022, few programs were receiving that funding.Borrowers may want to look into their student loan refinancing options. Lantern makes this research easy by making it possible to compare refinancing rates all in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Connecticut offer student loan forgiveness?
What student loan forgiveness programs does Connecticut have?
How do you apply for student loan forgiveness in Connecticut?
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About the Author

Jacqueline DeMarco

Jacqueline DeMarco

Jacqueline DeMarco is a personal finance writer and editor based in Southern California. While she spends the bulk of her time writing about complex financial issues, she also tackles a variety of subjects ranging from food to fashion to travel. Her work can be found across dozens of publications such as Credit Karma, LendingTree, Northwestern Mutual, The Everygirl, and Apartment Therapy.
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