Will Navy SLRP Come Back in 2019?
Unfortunately, even with the ascension of military-friendly President Donald Trump, it appears that the Navy’s Student Loan Repayment Program remains on permanent hiatus.
I only see two possibilities for this program’s return:
- It’s possible that President Trump’s Student Loan Debt Plan will include significant expansion of Military Loan Forgiveness Benefits
- Another massive war gets going and the Navy is forced to ramp up recruiting benefits in order to fill seats quickly enough to cover their need for additional personnel (let’s hope it doesn’t come to this…)
Either way, as of now, the Navy’s Student Loan Repayment Program remains unfunded, and I haven’t seen any indication that it’ll be returning any time soon, so this page is basically a tombstone to represent what used to be one of the best available Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Programs.
What Should You Do With Your Loans?
Just because the NAVY SLRP Program was cancelled doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck, as there are still tons of programs offering Federal Student Loan Relief.
In fact, there are even several ways to Get Help with Private Student Loan Debt, as long as you know where to look for assistance!
From the many Federal Forgiveness Programs, to Borrowers Defense Against Repayment Letters and Bankruptcy Discharges, you’ve got all sorts of options when it comes to reducing or eliminating your outstanding student loans, and this site seeks to guide you through that process.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to do all the research yourself, then you may want to simply hire an expert to deal with your student loans for you.
Get Help With Your Loans!
If you're truly struggling with student loan debt, then you should consider paying a Student Loan Debt Relief Agency for help. Why? Because the people working at these companies deal with student loans all day, every day, and they're your best chance at figuring out how to get your loans back under control.For help with Federal Student Loans call the Student Loan Relief Helpline at 1-888-906-3065. They will review your case, evaluate your options for switching repayment plans, consolidating your loans, or pursuing forgiveness benefits, then set you up to get rid of the debt as quickly as possible.
For help with Private Student Loans call McCarthy Law PLC at 1-877-317-0455. McCarthy Law will negotiate with your lender to settle your private loans for much less than you currently owe (typically 40%), then get you a new loan for the lower, settled amount so you can pay off the old loan, repair your credit and reduce your monthly payments.
I've spent 10 years interviewing debt relief agencies, talking to all sorts of "experts", and these are the only two companies that I trust to help my readers. If you have a bad experience with either of them, please make sure to come back and let me know about it in the Comments!
Navy CLRP Benefits
[Editor’s Note: The text below no longer applies. As of July 1st, 2015, the Navy has withdrawn their support of Navy SLRP. There’s no telling when, or even if, this program will come back, but I’m watching developments closely and will update this page as soon as I have additional details.]
The Navy College Loan Repayment Program continues to offer up to $65,000 in student loan repayment benefits for eligible Navy personnel, but these funds are being restricted to an even smaller pool of eligible candidates than ever before.
If you’re buried in student loan debt, then the Navy loan repayment program provides a fantastic opportunity to reduce your financial liabilities, but you’ll need to be extremely cautious about joining up just to get your loans discharged, because eligibility conditions just keep getting more difficult to satisfy.
The Navy CLPR Program is one of the best Military College Loan Repayment Programs available, but it’s only available to new enlistees. Loan repayment benefits are offered to enlistees joining the regular service as Active Duty personnel, or to those joining the Navy Reserves, but only if they’re first-time enlistees with no prior military service.
Navy CLRP benefits are first made available once enlistees have completed their first year of active duty service, finished basic training, and completed all of their required on-job training for their specific Navy occupation.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifying for the Navy student loan repayment program isn’t all that difficult, but you do have to satisfy specific eligibility criteria in order to begin receiving loan repayment program benefits. If you want to receive Navy student loan repayment benefits, you must:
- Request to participate in the Navy CLRP program while enlisting in the Navy for the first time (Navy reserves enlistees can have prior service and still qualify)
- Make sure that your participation in the CLRP program is spelled out in writing on your enlistment contract
- Decline to enroll in the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits program (though, a section below explains how you can qualify for both benefits programs)
- If joining Navy active duty, you must enlist for a minimum period of at least four years
- If joining the Navy reserves, you must enlist for a minimum period of at least six years
- Have student loan debt that meets the eligibility guidelines featured below
- You must have a rating (mission or job) that’s been deemed eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program
NOTE:Â The third bullet point above is extremely important. If you ever plan on returning to college, then you will need to pay close attention to this next little bit.
To qualify for both the Navy student loan repayment program and the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits program, you will need to enlist for an extended service contract.
If you do not enlist for at least 6 years, your participation in the Navy CLRP program will require that you give up eligibility to receive Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Since those benefits stand to provide you with tens of thousands of dollars, you will need to give this some serious thought before determining the best course of action.
Loan Repayments
If you meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined above, you can begin receiving college loan repayment benefits by:
- Completing your first year in the Navy active duty, or Navy reserves
- Finished basic training
- Completed all of the required on-job training for your specific Military Occupational Specialty (your job in the Navy)
Qualifying Loans
Only Title IV student loans are eligible for participation in the Navy student loan repayment program. These loans include:
- Stafford Student Loans (GSLs)
- Perkins Loans
- Federally Insured Student Loans (FISLs)
- Supplemental Loans for Students (SLSs)
- Parents Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS loans)
- Consolidated Loan Program Loans
Credit-based loans and loans from private banks will not be eligible for participation in the Navy CLRP program, which is a major drawback considering that a huge contingency of those attending college are financing their education with private loans.
Some examples of loans that are not eligible for the Navy college loan repayment program include:Signature Loans, Private Loans, Alternative Loans and anything else not listed above.
If you aren’t sure whether or not your loan qualifies for participation, please contact your lender and ask them if you have a Title IV loan. If you do not, then you cannot receive these benefits, even if you satisfy all of the other eligibility requirements.
If your student loan debt does not qualify for participating in this program, then make sure you explain that to your Navy recruiter to see if he can offer you participation in any other Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Programs. There may or may not be other options available to you.
Navy LRP Rates
Navy college loan repayment schedules are different for those serving in Navy active positions and those serving in the Navy reserves. Here’s the breakdown of how much money you’ll receive based on your service status:
Navy CLRP Rates for Active Duty Sailors
Active duty sailors will have 33.3% of the outstanding principal balance, or $1,500 (whichever is greater) of their loans repaid for each year of service that they complete.
Navy CLRP Rates for Navy Reserves
Navy reserves sailors will have 15% of the outstanding principal balance, or $1,500 (whichever is greater) of their loans repaid for each year of service that they complete.
Which Ratings are Eligible?
As of February 1st, 2014, Navy SLRP was restricted and is now only eligible to the following ratings:
- Musician
- Hospital Corpsman (HM-SG)
- Cryptologic Technician – Interpretive (CTI – Advanced Technical Field (ATF))
- Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance)
- Cryptologic Technician (Networks)
- Cryptologic Technician (Technical)
- Information Systems Technician
- Special Warfare Operator (SEAL)
Until further notice, all other ratings will no longer be eligible for Navy SLRP.
Will My Loan’s Interest be Repaid Too?
The short answer is a flat-out “no”. Interest that accrues on your student loan debt is not eligible to be repaid as part of the Navy CLRP program. Even interest that has been re-capitalized into principal isn’t eligible for receiving repayment.
This is a major flaw to the program, and one that has caused a torrent of complaints across the Internet, but it’s not one that is likely to be fixed at any point in the near future.
Does Navy CLRP Offer Deferment or Forbearance Benefits?
While the program itself doesn’t offer any loan deferment or forbearance benefits, many lenders do offer deferment and forbearance benefits for for borrowers who are deployed on active duty service, and some offer the same benefits for a variety of other reasons.
To find out if you qualify for a loan deferment or loan forbearance program, you will need to contact your lender and make an official request to receive deferment or forbearance.
Do Navy CLRP Benefits Count as Taxable Income?
Unfortunately, yes, your Navy loan repayment program benefits do count as taxable income, and they will need to be included on your annual tax returns.
While you will receive a separate W-2 to document your CLRP benefits on your annual tax returns, the Government will take care of paying the tax liabilities you generate from receiving CLRP by withholding 28% of what they would have paid your lender each year and sending that money instead to the IRS.
Navy CLRP Benefits & The Post 9/11 GI Bill
As we mentioned above, you will not be able to participate in both the Navy Student Loan Repayment Program and the Post 9/11 GI Bill by completing a single enlistment period of 4 years.
To qualify for both Navy CLRP benefits and 100% of your Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits, you must serve a full six years either through extension or reenlistment of your service contract. If you end up serving less than the full six years, then your VA benefits will end up being prorated based on the total amount of active duty service that you completed.
To get additional information on this part of the program, contact your VA Representative at PERS 314 by calling (901) 874-4258.
As a Participant in CLRP, What are My Responsibilities?
The Navy’s official student loan repayment program document (see it here) states that even though they are making loan repayments for you, that you need to keep in mind that they will never actually assume responsibility for your loans.
As such, even once you’ve been enrolled in the program and have begun to receive loan repayment benefits, you need to make sure that your loan remains in good standing, since the Navy will not pay for any loans that are in default.
How do I Officially Apply to the Program?
Once you’ve satisfied all the eligibility criteria, you will need to complete the following six documents and get them scanned into a single .pdf document delivered via email to cnrc_lrp-eb@navy.mil.
Your MEPS classifier or Navy Recruiter will be responsible for submitting these documents the LRP Manager, but you will have to do quite a bit of work preparing the documents for them first.
Six documents you will need to apply:
- A copy of your completed Loan Repayment Program Worksheet (Revised August 2011) signed by yourself and your MEPS classifier
- A copy of your completed Enlistment Guarantee (NAVCRUIT 1133/52 Revised April 2012) with Loan Repayment Program listed as a guarantee and signed by both yourself and your MEPS classifier
- A copy of your completed Statement of Understanding (SOU) (NAVCRUIT 1133/75 Revised April 2012) signed by both yourself and your Navy Recruiter
- A copy of your completed PRIDE system LRP text file signed by both yourself and the your MEPS classifier
- A copy of your completed DD Form 2475 (Revised January 2012), filled out by the lender for each student loan you have
- A copy of your lender’s promissory note for each eligible student loan you have
The only part of this process that really requires additional explanation is completing DD Form 2475. To get this one ready for submission, you’ll need to complete each of the following 4 parts:
- DD Form 2475 – Part 1 – You (the Sailor) are responsible for filling this part out and having it signed by someone in your Chain of Command
- DD Form 2475 – Part 2 – Self Explanatory
- DD Form 2475 – Part 3 – You are responsible for filling this part out, and calling your lender for assistance if you have any questions about how to complete it
- DD Form 2475 – Part 4 – Your lender needs to fill this part out. They will then return the form to the address you have listed in Part 1 Block 1(a)
Make sure that your lender emails the completed DD 2475 form to cnrc_lrp-eb@navy.mil and requests email confirmation of its receipt.
The Navy specifically states that phone confirmations are not effective because they want to have everything in writing in case something goes awry.
To begin issuing repayments on your behalf, NRC must be able to match your Enlistment Guarantees (Annex to DD 4/NAVCRUIT 1133-52), the Statement of Understanding (NAVCRUIT 1133-75), the Promissory Notes with your name as the borrower, and the completed DD 2475.
How Long do I Have to Submit My Application?
You need to submit your Navy LRP application paperwork within 60 days of entering into the Delayed Entry Program (DEP).
You should find out whether or not your submitted forms have been approved or rejected within 3 working days of their submission. If your forms are rejected, you will need to submit another complete and corrected package of forms.
We suggest submitting your completed application at least 10 or so working days before your deadline, just in case there are problems with your paperwork.
If you submitted your completed paperwork more than three working days ago and haven’t received a rejection or approval notice in the PRIDE system yet, then all (901) 874-9283 for an update.
If you have been entered in DEP for more than 60 days, or are within 70 days of ship date, you will need to request that an Exception to Policy (ETP) (NAVCRUIT 1133/103 Rev. February, 2010) form is completed and signed by the Commanding Officer of your Recruiting Station.
This form will need to be included with the other forms you’re required to submit to complete the applications process.
How Can I Find Out Who My Lender Is?
If you don’t know who holds your student loan, then you’ll need to request assistance from the U.S. Department of Education so that you can obtain copies of your promissory notes (official loan paperwork).
To speak with them, please call 1-800-433-3243 or visit their website at www.nslds.ed.gov.
What Happens if I Fail to Satisfy My Enlistment Obligation?
Should you fail to satisfy your enlistment obligation, you will be forced to forfeit eligibility for receiving Navy CLRP benefits.
There are only a few cases in which you can separate from the service without having completed your initial service contract and still be eligible to receive loan repayment benefits; they include separating early, but having already completed an entire year on active duty, and separating for one of the following reasons:
- Physical Disability
- Hardship
- Convenience of the Government Discharges (like enrolling in Officer’s Candidate’s School or a Service Academy)
If you do end up separating early, you will need to provide NRC with a copy of your discharge paperwork (DD Form 214) so that they can review it and determine whether or not you will be eligible to receive continued prorated repayment benefits.
Will I Lose My Benefits For Accepting an Officer Program?
Unfortunately, you will have to sacrifice future Navy CLRP benefits if you accept an Officer program. The way this works is that you can only receive benefits based on the number of years you’ve completed for your service agreement.
If you completed two years, but then enrolled in an Officer program during your third year of duty, then you would only receive two years worth of benefits.
Fortunately, you will not have to repay any of the benefits you had already received if you are promoted to Officer status.
Will I Have to Repay Benefits I Received For Being Discharged?
Fortunately, you will not have to repay any of the benefits you had already received even if you separate from Active Duty before completing your service obligation.
Your maximum student loan repayment benefit will be calculated based on the last day of active duty stated on your DD 214, and you might be eligible to receive pro-rated benefits based on the number of days you completed during your last year of eligible service.
What Should I Do if My Lender Doesn’t Receive Payments?
If something goes wrong in the process and your lender hasn’t received any CLRP payments after 75 days, then you need to send the DFAS Account Department a signed fax (send it to them at (216) 522-5898) stating that your lender did not receive the check that DFAS sent on whatever date it was distributed. Include the following information in your fax to DFAS:
- Amount Sent to Lender (Calculated by taking the Payment Amount and subtracting Federal & State Taxes)
- Check Number
- Voucher Number
To get this information, you will need to contact an official LRP Program Manager. Call them at (901) 874-9283 for the details.
How Can I Drop Out of the CLRP Program?
Sailors That Have Not Yet Attended Boot Camp:
If, for any reason, you decide to drop out of NAVY CLRP before you have gone to boot camp, you will need to formally request disenrollment from your MEPS qualifier using a disenrollment form.
Sailors That Are Already On Active Duty:
If you’re already serving on active duty and have CLRP as a guarantee in your service contract, you will need to disenroll after receiving your final loan repayment, when you leave the Navy, if you become a commissioned officer, or if you want to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill before completing your first duty assignment. To do this, contact NRC at (901) 874-9283 or via email at cnrc_lrp-eb@navy.mil.
Where Can I Ask Questions About CLRP Benefits?
If we haven’t already answered all of your questions, please send any further inquiries to the Navy Recruiting Command. Visit their FAQ page here, and if your question is not listed there, then try contacting them via this email address: cnrc_lrp-eb@navy.mil or by calling (901) 874-9283.
Other Military Benefits Programs
For questions about other military benefits packages, make sure to view our Guide to Education Benefits for Military Personnel, where you’ll find out how to save tens of thousands of dollars on future education costs.
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Disclaimer:Information obtained from Forget Student Loan Debt is for educational purposes only. You should consult a licensed financial professional before making any financial decisions. This site receives some compensation through affiliate relationships. This site is not endorsed or affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education.
By: Tim Marshall
Tim's experience struggling with crushing student loan debt led him to create the website Forget Student Loan Debt in 2011, where he offers advice, tips and tricks for paying off student loans as quickly and affordably as possible.
Hello!
Currently active duty Military, PA through HSCP program which didn’t cover my student loan debt. Only provider a living stipend. I’ve since graduated and still drowning in debt. I was wonder if you knew of any loan forgiveness programs that would be offered in my case? At this point anything would help. Thank you for everything!
Hi Jane,
Well, maybe you could qualify for a BDAR Discharge, but I don’t have any details about your actual situation that would help me determine anything.
My husband was in the Navy Reserves for over 10 years of service. He was a SeaBee. We now have twins who just graduated college and we have as you can imagine, a ton of parent plus loan debt. Are there any benefits he can receive to help with this debt??
Hi There,
Any benefits that would have come from the military would have already had to be utilized. They don’t give a lot of after-the-fact assistance, but you could probably have qualified for having part of their higher education costs paid for via the old Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill, or even the modern Forever GI Bill, via the Dependents Transfer program. I think it’s too late now though.
Hello, I am currently a junior in college and am looking to graduate in June 2020 in approximately 60k of debt.
With this being said, my goal is to become a Navy SEAL. I plan on enlisting and will be participating in the qualification process next year up to my graduation. I am aware of a 40k bonus for college graduates who make the teams.
My question: Do SEAL’s qualify for these repayment processes and if so which one. Does the bonus interfere with the process? And what is the best way for me to navigate this process and make sure I maximize my effort and get it right the first time?
Hi Rippley,
I don’t have the details on whether or not you’d qualify. It’s all based on your role in the Navy, and you’ll need to speak with the Navy itself to find out whether or not you specifically would be entitled to benefits. A Navy Recruiter would probably be your best resource on this, but make sure you get any promises they make in writing, written into your enlistment contract, or you could find yourself pounding sand when the time comes to actually cash in on the benefits.
The federal employee student loan repayment program is back as of April 2018. The only exception is that the repayment program is only currently being offered to those working in NAVAIR 2.0 Contracts. It used to be navy wide but is now only offered to a select few. I just received the information packet for this program from a friend because I didn’t believe the program was back, but it is. I’m hoping the program opens up to all federal employees working within the navy because I do not work in Contracts so I’m not eligible for the student loan repayment program.
Hey TL, thank you for sharing this with me! I will update this page’s content with new details as soon as I can verify everything. Do you happen to have a link to a page where it’s all explained? Or do you know where I can acquire the same information packet that you got? I’d love to get my hands on it so I can update this page with all the new details.
How much of the post 9/11 GI Bill will I receive if I use lrp and only complete 4 years of active duty service? Can I receive the full GI Bill if I finish four years of active duty service and complete at least 2 years of Reserve time?
Hi Alec,
You need to speak to the VA for such a complicated situation.
Question my son went in Navy 2014 at a CTN, which qualify s for school loan repayment. as a parent, I have a huge amount of parent plus loans which needs to be paid off what do I have to do. He submitted his but nothing has taken place yet
Hi Mark,
I don’t think his benefits would cover Parent Plus Loans. I think they’d only work for loans taken out in his own name. You should contact the Student Loan Ombudsman Group for clarification of the rules.
Hey to anyone reading this in search of LRP questions. I have answers and some questions for the community. To answer most of your questions first off I need to bring note that as of July 2015 this program is no longer available to ANYbody signing a contract after July 1st.
Sad but true, I just found this out myself as I’m in the process of enlisting in the Navy and will be graduating college with a BA in the next few months. But here’s my question (since I signed my contract in June I believe I void this) but can anyone clarify on HM-SG for loan repayment?? I went to my classifier he noted that it wasn’t avialable for it and said if it were I would practically have to be a mortician?? Also does anyone know what the SG means??
Oh and to answer some peoples question you sign TWO contracts before you ship to basic training. One is your initial contract and there it would be IDEAL to get all your stuff in ON PAPER that day. BUUUUT that’s doenst mean you can’t change things before you leave. This is where the second contract comes into play (this is where I’m currently at). Before you leave to go to basic training BEFORE u sign an updated version of your contract (because usually between the time frame from when u start the entrance process and leave people usually change their job assignments, incentives, etc). IF YOU DONT HAVE IT IN WRITING THEN ON UR CONTRACT AND LEAVE FOR BASIC you’re probably screwed. It all boils down to get what you want/need before u leave for basic. If u don’t have it the way you like it let them (The Navy) know and request to extend your ship date till you get what u want. So don’t completely believe once u sign ur done for its more so if u want the correct incentives get them BEFORE u leave for basic training.
Hi Lee,
Thank you for bringing this up! I’ve updated this page’s content to reflect the change in status. I can’t believe the Navy’s pulled the plug on LRP… this has been an extremely successful recruiting tool for them for some time now.
I guess the war on terror must be winding down, otherwise I would find it hard to believe that we’re removing incentives to promote Navy enlistment. Really hard to believe, and a shame that this awesome benefit is being cancelled.
Thank you for your detailed explanations here, thank you for your service, and I hope someone else can answer your question about HM-SG for loan repayment.
Hello,
I ship for the navy on May 20th. I’ve been trying to get the LRP going for a few months now, but my recruiter keeps telling me that the lrp coordinator is looking into it or that some paperwork is pending. I’m not even sure they have submitted the DD 2475 form. Is there anything on my end that I can do to speed things up? I don’t know if this is correct, but I thought the LRP is only offered to new enlistees, so I’m worried that once I ship if it isn’t in my contract I wont be eligible any longer. My loans are through great lakes which i’m pretty sure fall under the approved loans. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Dan,
Sounds like they’re stalling and giving you the run-around. I don’t know of any way to speed things up, and yes, LRP is only available to new recruits who have it specifically written into their enlistment contract. You need to have it in writing on your contract to qualify.
I hope they sorted it out in time for you.
My husband is a Navy Veteran (as, am I). He graduated college in 1994 and was never able to find a job in his field, which was Computer Programming. He interviewed and was hired for two separate jobs in Computers, they were both Entry Level and were not in Programming.
So the tl;dr is he never acquired a job in Programming and we have never been able to pay off or even significantly reduce his loans by having made load payments. To say he is a Deference “Lifer” is not really a joke. I am wondering is there any type of full loan forgiveness for Veterans who have never used their degree and their school has shut down (AFTER he graduated).
If you could email me that would be great! Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Cyndi,
I’m not aware of any programs that offer total forgiveness for schools that shut down after graduation.
It IS possible to get complete forgiveness if the school performed some kind of fraudulent activity (promising higher job placement rates than were true, promising that graduates will be able to get a job in their field, etc.), so you may want to look into those opportunities.
I haven’t written a page about this yet (it’ll be the next topic I tackle), but google the “Defense Against Repayment Provision” program and see if it could help you and your husband.
BTW, please thank him for his service. I hope you guys are able to work this out! Good luck!
Been reading through this page and trying to do my homework before making decisions. I am 30yrs of age finished my BA in Finance 2013 and considering trying to utilize this program. Since I have my degree already will I enlist as an officer by default or is there a choice I have to make about my status when signing up? And I saw a statement earlier that said RESERVE don’t offer this CLRP PROGRAM, is that true?
Hi James,
You should speak with a recruiter – only they can give you the final word on any of this. You may have the option of enlisting as an officer since you’ve got a college degree.
Just make sure that your enlistment contract specifically states that you’re to take part in the Navy Student Loan Repayment Program, otherwise you won’t qualify for the benefits.
Hi all. Are there any Navy student loan programs for reserve officers? Doesn’t seem fair that things are only available for enlisted??? I’m entering as a reserve officer with >$ 120k debt and no assistance?
Hi Jennifer,
I would recommend speaking to your recruiter about this. Only they can give you a solid, authoritative answer on what’s currently available.
How is it possible to speak to someone in that Dept? I have left a message for the same person and they don’t seem to respond. Is there a better number or general number, and is there someone else besides the one person that works this program?
Hi Augie,
It’s not easy to get hold of the contact because they’re always being flooded with requests for information, but don’t give up!
So do these repayment programs apply to officer positions? I mean a technician job doesn’t require a bachelor degree. I was thinking I would sign up for Information Warfare Officer since they supervise the technicians..
Hi Ike,
No, this repayment program is not eligible for Officers.
In fact, if you’re signed up for the program and racking up forgiveness assistance, but then get promoted to Officer status, you’ll lose access to any additional benefits.
This is all clearly explained in the content above. Look at the section called “Will I Lose My Benefits for Accepting an Officer Program?”.
My son is working on getting into the Navy as a Navy Seal Officer at this time. His recruitment officer told him it’s highly unlikely he will qualify for this repayment program. You are saying that he must apply for this when he signs the paperwork, but they are saying he must already be in the Navy to qualify. I’m not sure what to do, but the loans (Stafford and Parent Plus) will be coming due in a year and I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity. can you help me?
Thank you.
Hi Margaret,
The Repayment Program is not available for Officers, so if that’s his plan, then you’re definitely going to need to look elsewhere for assistance.
On the bright side, there tons of ways to get help with Federal student loan debt, so it’s highly likely that you’ll be able to get some assistance.
For opportunities, please visit our page on Federal Student Loan Relief Programs.
Good luck! And feel free to ask additional questions if any come up.
What if you never signed up for the program and you are already enlisted and have gone through all those basic training? Is it still too late to sign up for the program? Where can i get more information on it?
Yes, unfortunately everything has to be spelled out in your initial enlistment contract, so if you didn’t sign up for the program (and get it on your contract in writing), then it’s too late to take advantage of these benefits.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news =(
I am currently a full time student athlete working a full time job in college and I have about a year and a half left until I graduate college. And Although I wish to be an entrepreneur and start my own business a lot of friends I have in the military are saying this could be a good deal and help me pay off my student loans if something doesnt work out. Is it possibly (because I will have a bachelors degree) to be able to enlist as an officer on a 4 year contract and when I get out to have had up to 65,000 in student loans paid back? Although it is 4 more years of my life this would be worth it to have no debt in my opinion. In my life I’ve often learned if something sounds too good to be true, that it probably is …. Can someone please help me better understand everything I’d really appreciate it.
Hi Derek,
You’ll want to be extremely careful with leveraging the repayment programs these days – I’ve received a lot of feedback from people enlisting and saying that they’re either no longer available, or only available to very specific ratings.
Also, to get into both the College Loan Repayment Program and the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you have to sign up for at least a 6 year service contract, which would probably do you more good than only serving for the minimum time.
I hate to say it, but the best place to find out what’s possible would be directly from a Navy recruiter. They are the gate-keepers on these programs and benefits, and whatever they say is basically the law on the issue.
Just make sure that you look into things further than taking whatever the first recruiter you speaks to for being the complete, total truth of the situation (because some of them aren’t always completely honest, while others may not be updated with the latest details).
They’re your best bets to figuring out how things would work for you, because this program is not universal, and has lots of little technicalities to determining whether or not you’d qualify, and for how much repayment you’d get.
Good luck!
Tim,
Great site and I appreciate the detail and level of support. I DEP’d in 2012 and left for boot camp in April 2013 (CTR). My recruiter and a Chief at MEPS told me this program did not exist and that the NAVY had done away with it.
Pardon the shortness of this question but did I just get screwed? If so, please tell me there is a way to undo this. $56K of student loan debt would be very nice to get wiped out.
Kindest regards,
Matt
Hi Matt,
I can’t seem to find anything that states the Navy has cancelled this program. I’ve searched and searched, but Google doesn’t report anything about it being discontinued.
The best thing I can think of would be contacting the Navy Recruiting Command Public Affairs Office at 847-688-2405 and asking them what’s going on.
Also, if you don’t have the SLRP benefits specifically noted on your enlistment contract IN WRITING, then even if it does exist, you probably did get screwed.
Wish I had better advice or insight here. Good luck, and let me know how it goes. I’ve been getting lots of questions about SLRP lately and I’m having trouble finding a good answer!
Alright… What do you do if they completely botched your LRP from your entire enlistment contract? I mean forgetting to add certain loans (even though they were on the annually submitted forms), underpaying a disbursement by half, and somehow misplacing my submitted forms two years in a row?? I mean, everything was done correctly on my end but they are still trying to tell me I owe 24k on an approved repayment amount of 54k. Obviously that remainder was made up of interest that accrued cause it was never paid on time and over accrued based on a principal balance that should have been lower. Not to mention the amount they withhold to taxes and a double disbursement one year (to try and save face) which drastically messed up my tax return…. What can I do to get them to fix this when they already told me “I understand your frustration, but there’s nothing I can do”
Hi Zerb,
Sorry to hear about your situation – it sounds like quite a mess. If I were you, I’d go above whoever you’re speaking to and get on the phone with someone superior to them, let them know what happened and request a resolution.
It sounds like you’re working with somebody who doesn’t have much authority here, and you’re never going to get anywhere discussing the situation with a lower-level person.
If you can’t get anywhere with that, then contact your local Congressman (or woman), along with your two State Senators, letting them know what’s happened, and requesting assistance on finding a resolution to the matter.
If that doesn’t go anywhere, try reaching out to local news media (especially if you live in a military-heavy population area where military personnel stories are able to get a lot of traction), to see if they are interested in sharing your “horror story” to help protect other vets.
Don’t give up on this though, because someone screwed up big time and you shouldn’t be the one to foot the bill.
Hi,
I was an Officer in the USAF and have separated. I am now considering enlisting in the Navy. Can someone tell me if I am eligible for the SLRP as I have no prior enlisted service in the Navy?
Thank you.
Hi Mike,
I would contact a Navy recruiter and ask them point-blank. The LRP programs all need to be established at the point of enlistment, so don’t just sign up and then hope it will work out.
You might be able to get into it, but from what I remember reading, I believe that any previous military service disqualifies you as a candidate.
Please let me know if I’m wrong so that we can make sure the correct information is listed here. Thank you, and good luck!
Is this program open to all enlisted sailors? My son is in DEP and leaves for Boot camp in August. He said his recruiter told him its only for specific jobs and not all enlisted. He is going to A school after boot camp for Quartermaster. He has 4 years of student loans to pay off that are a mix of Stafford and Private Loans through Wells Fargo.
SLRP unfortunately is not currently available for all rates. Here is a list of the current (01 FEB 2014) SLRP-qualified rates:
“Starting Monday, the first processing day in February, the Musician, Hospital Corpsman (HM-SG) and Cryptologic Technician – Interpretive (CTI-Advanced Technical Field (ATF)), Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance), Cryptologic Technician (Networks), Cryptologic Technician (Technical), Information System Technician, and the Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) ratings are eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program.”
Thank you for the update Chris!
Hi, I was just wondering if my husband is enlisting in the Navy, if he could get my student loans paid off? Or if I could get him on my loans as a cosigner if that would allow him to get them paid off by the Navy?
Hi Stefanie,
Thank you for stopping by! I wish I could give you a definite answer to your question, but from what I’ve researched, I’m not sure if the Navy college loan repayment program allows you sailors to pay off dependents or spouses loans. If he were a cosigner on the loan, that would likely make it eligible for loan repayment program benefits, but it would still have to meet the eligibility criteria outlined on this page.
For reference, that means your loan would need to be a Title IV loan (a Federal loan, not taken out through a private lender). Examples of loans that are Title IV loans include Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Federally Insured Student Loans, Supplemental Loans for Students, PLUS Loans for Parents and any loans that are part of the Federal Government’s Consolidated Loan Program.
Your best bet to make sure that you’ve got all your ducks in a row here would be to do two things:
1. Contact your Loan Officer and ask them how to make sure that your loan will qualify for Navy LRP. Loan officers should either know whether or not the loan qualifies, or be able to put you in contact with someone at your lending company who can answer that question for you.
2. Ask a Navy recruiter what the eligibility conditions are for spouse/dependent loans. Honestly – they might not be covered by Navy LRP benefits. While the Post 9/11 GI Bill certainly supports military dependents, that doesn’t guarantee that LRP does.
And please, after you find out, stop by again to let us know what they said. I can’t find the answer to this question either, so I’m quite curious. Good luck!
Hi,
I had a quick question. I am considering finishing up my B.A by taking out student loans and going to a part time job instead of full time. I would essentially be living on my loans so I would need about 50k for school and living expenses over the next two years. That being said, after I graduate with my B.A, what are my options? I am looking to get a SEAL contract and was told by a recruiter to go under enlisted and apply from there because they only take like 1 officer a year into the SEALs. If I go in as enlisted am I guaranteed to have my loans paid off if i meet the criteria above? Or would I be better off enlisting and then finishing up my BA while in Active duty with the tuition assistance program? I am just looking to get my BA as cheap as possible and to serve the navy the best I can with the best education I can receive.
Hi Joe,
Great questions, and it’s a good thing that you’re asking these BEFORE you start racking up student loan debt. The best person to ask these types of questions to would probably be someone working in the financial aid offices of the college or university that you’re planning on (or just considering) attending. They should know all about using military benefits to cover the cost of college degree programs, and if they don’t, they should be able to direct you to an appropriate contact, or even a military contact who you can put these questions to.
Two things to be careful of – don’t trust what the recruiters tell you because they want to get you enlisted in the military ASAP to hit their own goals and get enlisted bonuses, and don’t trust everything the college financial aid officers tell you because they might also have a vested interest in getting you to enroll in college courses ASAP, rather than waiting.
If I were you, I’d speak to a couple different financial aid offices, and a couple different military contacts to see if they’re all telling the same story, of if there’s some BS’ing going on. It’s hard to figure out some of the specific details of the military education benefits programs, especially without knowing what school you want to attend, how long you plan on taking to complete your program, exactly how much tuition will run you, etc., but speaking with these contacts will be your best bet at determining how best to proceed.
Without knowing all the details, I’d probably recommend enlisting first, then going to school while in the military, since they will cover tuition costs, as well as housing costs, food, and other basic living expenses, while also allowing you to pull a salary at the same time. If you attend school before or after the military, you’ll only be able to attend half time, pull half a salary, and you won’t have access to as many of the benefits programs. But again, that’s without knowing any of the specific details here, so please do seek professional advice from one of the sources I mentioned above.
Good luck! And stop back to let us know how it goes =)
Joe, you are in the same situation I was and I will give you some good insight into the options you have. When I was a sophomore in college I thought about leaving and enlisting with a SEAL contract. I did not, instead finishing my bachelor’s degree and then enlisting in 2011. I essentially had to recruit myself, find all the forms and information via forums online. I did a lot of research as I wanted to take full advantage of the programs available to me. I began the process in November of 2010, taking the PST and filling out required paperwork. I found online the LRP forms and submitted them to my recruiter. I ensured when reveiwing my contract that the LRP was listed.
In May 2011 I went to boot camp, then to Great Lakes for pre-BUD/s, then to Coronado for BUD/s. I eventually dropped from the program, and am now a second class parachute rigger, as when you drop from BUD/s you will be re-rated (get a new job). I was fortunate to be able to choose a job. Many of my friends were re-rated to ‘undesignated’, meaning they didn’t have a job and therefor could not take advancement tests during the first year of dropping from the program. Many questions about your fate after dropping from BUD/s are hard to find, but this is what will happen if you leave the program.
I am interested in pursuing my Master’s degree while I finish out my contract. Unfortunately, you cannot utilize tuition assistance until you are at your initial permanent duty station for at least one year. There are other requirements as well, and some people find it hard to qualify to use the program. I have met all requirements now and am currently using TA.
My suggestion to you would be to take the same route I did. It will be very difficult to finish your degree while in the Navy, especially if you make it through BUD/s because of the high intensity deployment schedule for SEALs. Also, having your degree before joining the Navy will allow you to advance quicker and join as an E-3, offering you more pay and the ability to get off base housing more quickly. Joining as an officer to go to BUD/s, is as you have said, very improbable.
Another important point to make is that if you do drop from the program, you will have to serve 4 years in the Navy. By the time your contract is up, you will be 24-27 years old with 2-3 years of college. Although you may have your GI Bill to use, you will want to return to school to finish your degree. Is that something you would want to do?
Your situation sounds identical to mine and I hope my insight has helped you. I am very fortunate to be an E-5 3 years into my enlistment, I am the exception, not the rule. BUD/s is a great experience and something I don’t regret doing at all, but you may hate your life for 4 years if you do not make it or decide to drop. Weigh your options carefully.
Hi Jack,
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!
This is by far the best comment the site has ever received, and I appreciate your effort to help educate others who are facing difficult decisions that will have a huge impact on their lives.
Thank you again for your comment, and thank you for your service!
I recently spoke with a Navy Reserve recruiter. It appears that this program is not available for the reserves at this time, if it ever was. Just thought I’d pass that along.
Hi! I’m wondering what happens if you spoke with your recruiter about the LRP but didn’t realise the agreement had to be on your enlistment contract? I’m in DEP already, ship out Jan 21 2014, and a big reason I wanted to pursue the Navy was for the educational benefits. I have significant student loan debt and really need this program. Is there a way to still join? I think my recruiter is trying to help, but I’m not sure if it’s already too late?
Hi Vaughn,
You MIGHT still be able to qualify and enroll in the LRP program since you’re in DEP and technically not in the Navy yet. I wish I could give you a more solid answer on this but I’m just not sure how it will go. Make sure to stay on top of your recruited and get this settled asap.
Do you have a commanding officer yet? Or a logistical contact of some sort? Call everyone you can get a hold of and ask them if they know where to direct you. If you don’t get this settled soon, you may lose out on the benefits and that would be a damn shame.
Please let us know how it works out after the fact so we can inform others who run into the same situation in the future.
Thank you for your service and good luck!
What do you do if your recruiter never told you about the LRP?? Is there any way to qualify?
Has anyone been able to find any information on the Navy Reserve website regarding their LRP program? I was recently told that even if you received the Active Duty LRP you can sign up for six more years in the Reserves and get another LRP. Trying to find out if this is true…
If I was enrolled in LRP at the beginning of my enlistment, and through a failure of understanding of the system failed to submit my annual paper work for say, the first two years, will i lose the first 66 percent of my repayment? or will my loans still get paid off as long as I’m in the Navy? (I just re-upped for another 6)
I don’t think you sacrifice 66% of your repayment, but I’m not sure. My guess is that your repayment benefits will just start later than they should have. Basically – you’ve delayed your payoffs for two years, but you should end up getting the same amount paid off in the end.
How can any one get $65,000. if the max payout is $1500 at the end of each year ? That would be a 43 year enlistment. Am i missing somthing ?
Hey Ted thanks for weighing in. Looks like I screwed up on the wording here and the deal is that the Navy will pay 33% OR $1,500 (whichever is greater) for each year of service.
I had originally written “up to $1,500”, but I’ve corrected that. There’s conflicting accounts of how this program works out on the web, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got it right now.
Thanks again for bringing it up!
I am in the Navy and have received LRP payments. I got the max payout of $65,000. Basically it breaks down to three payments of $16,249.99. This obviously is the amount minus the taxes so you can see that if you have $65k of loans you will get just under $50k paid off. Nice chunk! Hope that helps.
Thanks for clarifying the way it works with a real-life example Zack. Glad that you’ve been able to get so much debt forgiven! That’s the whole point of this program and this website!
Hi, my name is future sailor Landon Meyer. I am currently in the Navy DEP program and my ship out date is 9/03/2013. I didn’t request CLRP when signing but as you stated “If you have been entered in DEP for more than 60 days, or are within 70 days of ship date, you will need to request that an Exception to Policy (ETP) (NAVCRUIT 1133/103 Rev. February, 2010) form is completed and signed by the Commanding Officer of your Recruiting Station. This form will need to be included with the other forms you’re required to submit to complete the applications process.” I can do that. However, I am enlisted as a Navy Nuc and the criteria, as I understand, are that I must complete A school, finish 1 year in active duty, and complete boot camp. The problem being that A school for Nucs is 2 years long. The current amount I owe in student loans is roughly 11,000 and I have to begin paying in June. I am wondering how this all works out and if and when I would qualify for CLRP if I did register for it before shipping out. Thank you very much for your time!
sincerely,
Landon Meyer
lol I meant to send that to cnrc_lrp-eb@navy.mil my bad!
Hey Landon do you want me to pull that comment down for you? I’m not sure if you want that information shared publicly. Let me know.
Can i apply for this loan repayment program after I have enlisted into the navy. Because i joined the navy a year ago but I need help paying off my loans is this program good for me?
I don’t think you can. The SLRP program is offered to new recruits as a means for getting them to sign up. If you didn’t join it at enlistment, it’s likely that you’re SOL.