Perkins Child Services: Check the Employer

Working with children does not, by itself, establish eligibility for Perkins child or family services cancellation. Check who employs you as well as what you do.

Separate employer and duties

The Federal Student Aid handbook says a hospital, elementary or secondary school system, or college is not an eligible employing agency for this cancellation category.

For example, providing children’s mental-health services as a hospital employee does not turn the hospital into a qualifying child or family service agency. That conclusion concerns this category, not every possible cancellation route.

For a school-held Perkins Loan, ask the lending school’s loan office or billing service for its form and required evidence. Submit by the school’s deadline. Keep employer records and your job description together for review rather than relying on a job title.

Source: Federal Student Aid handbook.

Check the qualifying work

For Perkins Loans made on or after July 23, 1992, the rule covers full-time employees of public or private nonprofit child or family service agencies. A nonsupervisory employee must work directly and exclusively with high-risk children from low-income communities and their families. Services to families must be secondary to services to the children. Supervising the qualifying services is another covered role.

The normal service requirement is 12 consecutive months of full-time work. Older loans have a separate provision; do not assume this date test decides them.

Ask the reviewer to assess the employer, population served, duties and service dates separately. A nonprofit employer alone does not settle the other requirements, and a qualifying task alone does not settle the employer requirement. This is a category check, not an award determination or individualized advice.

Source: Federal employment cancellation rule.