Education Department Student Loan Rules Appeal 2026: What Public Service Borrowers Need to Know
The U.S. Department of Education has appealed federal court decisions that struck down a controversial rule affecting Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility. The latest development occurred on 27 August 2026 , when the Department, acting through the Justice Department, filed notices of appeal in two separate federal cases. The appeals are now moving toward the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. For teachers, nurses, social workers, government employees, nonprofit workers and other public servants pursuing federal student-loan forgiveness, the development is important. However, borrowers should not assume that filing an appeal immediately changes the rules governing their PSLF eligibility. The challenged rule was previously vacated by federal courts on 30 June 2026 , one day before it was scheduled to take effect. As a result, the rule did not take effect, and the appeal itself does not automatically restore it. Wha...
