Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What steps should borrowers take if their degree is reclassified to maintain eligibility for forgiveness?
Executive summary
If your degree is reclassified — for example, your credential no longer counts as the same professional or qualifying degree under new Department of Education rules — borrowers should act quickly to preserve forgiveness progress: check loan and employer eligibility, document payment history and employment, submit or update Income‑Driven Repayment (IDR) or PSLF paperwork, and contact your servicer and Federal Student Aid to request correction or interim credit where appropriate (reporting on rule changes and administrative fixes indicates system updates and guidance are in motion) [1] [2] [3]. Coverage is evolving and scattered across agency statements, rulemaking summaries and reporter analyses; borrowers should rely on official StudentAid.gov notices and keep contemporaneous records [4] [3].
1. Act fast — confirm how the reclassification affects which programs your degree qualified you for
When rules that define “professional degree” or qualifying employers change — as happened during 2025 rulemaking tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — previously eligible degrees or employers can be narrowed, which can affect PSLF or IDR eligibility [5] [1]. Confirm whether the new regulation explicitly removes your degree type from program definitions and whether that change is retroactive; available reporting shows the department and rulemakers are redefining categories, but impact on individual borrowers depends on dates and exact regulatory language [5] [1].
2. Inventory and preserve documentation — your best evidence is contemporaneous records
The Institute for College Access & Success and Federal Student Aid guidance emphasize keeping payment histories, employment records and dated notices from servicers because processing tools and counts have been disrupted and later reconciliations may be needed [3] [4]. Save pay stubs, employer letters, W‑2s, Form 1098‑E if issued, prior PSLF Employment Certification Forms, and any official notice that references your degree classification. If a system or servicer error later removes credit, these documents are your primary recourse [3].
3. Re-submit or update forms: certifying employment and IDR plan requests matter
Rule changes and administrative fixes have led the Department to ask servicers to hold certain IDR applications that would otherwise be denied while systems are updated, and to accept corrections; borrowers should ensure they are enrolled in the correct IDR plan and have filed or updated PSLF employment certifications because the department is updating systems that track progress [2] [1]. If your degree reclassification affects your job’s qualification for PSLF, continue submitting Employment Certification Forms to create a paper trail while the department’s systems are being fixed [2] [3].
4. Contact your loan servicer and Federal Student Aid — request written confirmations
Multiple outlets note the Education Department is updating systems and instructing servicers to act during the transition [2]. Call and follow up in writing with your servicer; ask them to document any changes to your account, to flag disputed counts, and to retain applications instead of denying them while system changes are implemented [2]. Also check StudentAid.gov for announcements and use the site’s tools (when available) to review your loan servicer and account status [4] [3].
5. Be aware of timing and tax implications tied to eligibility year
Reporting shows the department anticipated completing system fixes in December 2025 and that borrowers who hit forgiveness eligibility milestones in 2025 would be shielded from federal tax liability even if discharge paperwork comes later — a timing detail that matters if reclassification delays formal forgiveness into 2026 [2] [6]. Keep dated evidence proving you reached milestones in 2025 if that becomes relevant for tax treatment [2] [6].
6. Expect disputes and legal uncertainty — document attempts to preserve credit
News coverage highlights ongoing litigation and administrative delays (for example, paused or contested forgiveness programs and court challenges to IDR plans), meaning some policy answers will come through courts or later rule clarifications rather than immediate agency fixes [1] [7]. If your degree reclassification triggers a dispute, a well‑organized file of dated applications, certifications and servicer communications gives you the strongest position in administrative appeals or lawsuits [7] [3].
7. Alternative viewpoints and limits of current reporting
Some reporting frames 2025 changes as administrative fixes that the Education Department is implementing and that will protect many borrowers during system transitions (the department’s guidance and anticipated December 2025 fixes) [2]. Other coverage emphasizes that rulemaking narrowed eligibility for some borrowers and that courts have blocked or paused certain IDR plans, producing real uncertainty [5] [1] [8]. Available sources do not mention a single, uniform “how‑to” checklist from the Education Department specifically for degree reclassification scenarios — instead guidance is scattered across rule summaries, press releases and reporter guidance — so borrowers must act on the practical steps above while monitoring official StudentAid.gov updates [4] [3].
Next steps: immediately compile documentation, certify or recertify employment/payment status with your servicer, save all dated notices, and monitor StudentAid.gov and servicer messages for the Department’s system‑fix announcements and any specific instructions tied to degree reclassification [2] [3].