Technical Careers Loan Forgiveness Program

The Arkansas Technical Careers Student Loan Forgiveness Program is designed to provide financial assistance to individuals who complete technical education programs that lead to employment in high-demand technical fields in Arkansas. Persons who qualify for the program may be eligible for student loan forgiveness of up to $2,500 per year for up to four years.

Here are the steps to apply

• Be a bona fide Arkansas resident and a citizen of the United States or permanent resident alien.
  
  
• Attend an Arkansas post secondary public or private vocational technical school, technical institute, comprehensive lifelong learning center, two-year college, or four-year college or university that is approved by the State Board of Workforce Education and Career Opportunities or the Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer training in the designated technical field.
  
  
• Complete the student financial aid application process at the institution you wish to attend. You must receive a student loan to be eligible for this program.
  
  
• Enroll in a technical education program designated by the State Board of Workforce Education and Career Opportunities as eligible for the Arkansas Technical Careers Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The financial aid director at the institution you plan to attend can provide you information on designated technical education programs at that institution. A complete list of programs by institution can also be obtained from high school counselors or the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education web site. dwe.arkansas.gov 
  
  
• File the Intent To Apply form while you are in school. The Intent to Apply is a non-binding document that indicates your intent to apply for the Arkansas Technical Careers Student Loan Forgiveness Program upon completing your program of study.
  
  
• Complete your technical education program and be awarded a diploma, certificate, or degree.
  
  
• Apply for the Arkansas Technical Careers Student Loan Forgiveness Program within six months after program completion. The financial aid director at the institution you attended can provide an application, or an application may be obtained from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education.
  
  
• Upon selection for the loan forgiveness program, you will be mailed a loan forgiveness packet containing these forms: Loan Verification Certificate, Program Completion Certificate, and Employment Verification Form. You must submit these forms to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education to be eligible for the loan forgiveness program.
  
  
• Be employed full-time in Arkansas in the high-demand technical field for which you received training. You are eligible to have one year of your student loan amount up to $2,500 forgiven for each year of qualified employment. The duration of your eligibility is determined by the length of the designated technical education program which you completed.
  
  
• Your lending authority will be directly reimbursed by the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education for the amount of your loan forgiveness payment for each year of your loan forgiveness eligibility