PSLF Buyback Backlog Near 82,000: How Long It Takes and How It Works

The PSLF buyback backlog stood at about 82,000 pending applications in early October 2026, the Education Department told The Washington Post, and the department said it processed only about 2,500 buyback cases in August. Federal loan servicers have been helping review requests since July 2026.

Key Facts

• About 82,000 PSLF buyback applications were pending in early October 2026, according to Education Department figures reported by The Washington Post on Oct. 5, 2026.
• The Education Department said it processed about 2,500 PSLF buyback cases in August 2026.
• The department's last court status report counted 88,000 pending buyback requests as of April 30, 2026, including an estimated 18,000 to 19,000 duplicates.
• In April 2026, the department received 4,790 buyback requests and decided 6,870: 6,600 approved, 200 denied and 70 closed for missing information.
• PSLF buyback is open only to borrowers with at least 120 months of qualifying employment whose purchased months would bring them to forgiveness.
• Months spent in the SAVE Plan forbearance do not count toward PSLF but can be bought back, according to StudentAid.gov.
• A federal judge set the next status conference in AFT v. Department of Education, the lawsuit that produces the buyback data, for Nov. 23, 2026.

How Big Is the PSLF Buyback Program Backlog?

The most detailed official numbers come from status reports the Education Department files in American Federation of Teachers v. U.S. Department of Education, a 2025 lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. The latest report on the public docket, filed May 19, 2026, counted 88,000 pending requests on April 30, 2026, and said duplicates inflate that figure.

The Post reported on Oct. 5, 2026, that pending applications had fallen nearly 7% since April. Because duplicates were being removed at the same time, part of that drop may reflect cleanup rather than finished reviews, as The Student Loan Professor noted.

How Does PSLF Buyback Work?

Public Service Loan Forgiveness cancels remaining Direct Loan balances after 120 qualifying payments made while working full time for a qualifying employer. Buyback turns certain deferment or forbearance months into qualifying payments.

Under the federal PSLF regulation, 34 CFR 685.219, a borrower can get credit for a month spent in an ineligible deferment or forbearance if they worked full time for a qualifying employer that month and either make an additional payment at least equal to what they would have paid at that time on a qualifying repayment plan, or qualified for a $0 income-driven payment then.

The program has limits. Federal loan servicer MOHELA's PSLF information page says borrowers must already have 120 months of qualifying employment and that buyback is available only if it would result in forgiveness under PSLF or Temporary Expanded PSLF.

How Long Is PSLF Buyback Taking?

The Education Department initially said a buyback review would take 45 business days, The Washington Post reported. In practice, borrowers have waited months and in some cases years, according to the report.

Betsy Mayotte, president of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors, told the Post she had seen more successful requests in recent weeks, mostly from people who had waited more than 600 days.

PSLF Buyback Steps and Timeline

Can You Buy Back SAVE Forbearance Months for PSLF?

Yes. Federal Student Aid's SAVE Plan FAQ says time spent in the SAVE forbearance "is not eligible for credit toward PSLF," but that borrowers "may buy back certain months you spent in an ineligible deferment or forbearance, including the SAVE forbearance," once they have 120 months of qualifying employment.

That forbearance, which began in 2024 while Republican-led states challenged SAVE, drove many buyback requests, the Post reported. A court order ended the SAVE Plan in March 2026; our story on the SAVE Plan final notice covers the plan-switch deadlines. Payments under the Tiered Standard Plan do not count toward PSLF.

What Are the PSLF Buyback Program Changes?

The current regulation excludes repayment periods under the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) from buyback. The Washington Post reported that the department said both RAP and the Tiered Standard Plan are ineligible for buyback, which matters because those are the only plans available to new borrowers with loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026.

The department also said in its May 2026 filing that it would remove duplicate requests in advance rather than at the time of processing, without changing the order in which requests are reviewed.

Administration Drops Appeals Over PSLF Employer Rule

In a separate PSLF development, the Trump administration on Oct. 21, 2026, dropped two appeals of court rulings that vacated its rule letting the education secretary remove employers found to have a "substantial illegal purpose," The Associated Press reported. Federal judges in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., vacated the rule in June.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is PSLF buyback taking in 2026?

The Education Department first said reviews would take 45 business days, but borrowers have reported waits of months or years, according to The Washington Post.

Who qualifies for PSLF buyback?

You must have at least 120 months of qualifying full-time public service employment, and the months you buy back must bring you to forgiveness. Only months spent in an ineligible deferment or forbearance while working for a qualifying employer can be bought back.

Can I buy back months spent in the SAVE forbearance?

Yes. StudentAid.gov says SAVE forbearance months do not count toward PSLF on their own but can be bought back once you have 120 months of qualifying employment.

Is there an official PSLF buyback calculator?

The cost is set by federal rule: at least what you would have paid at that time on a qualifying plan, or nothing for months you qualified for a $0 income-driven payment. StudentAid.gov's Repayment Calculator estimates current payments and potential PSLF discharge amounts, and your actual buyback cost appears in the department's offer.

Should I submit another buyback request if mine is still pending?

No. The department told the court that a borrower can receive a buyback offer only once per loan and that duplicate requests inflate the backlog.

What Students Should Do Now

• Planning a public service career? Submit a PSLF form each year and whenever you change jobs, as StudentAid.gov recommends.
• If you're near 120 months, check your count in the PSLF Help Tool before requesting a buyback.
• File one buyback request; do not resubmit while it is pending.
• If you're leaving SAVE, choose a PSLF-eligible plan so future months count without a buyback. Enrolling in auto pay by Dec. 31, 2026, also earns a 1% rate cut, as covered in our autopay discount story.
• Budget for a lump sum, since an approved buyback must be paid within 90 days, according to The Washington Post.

Backlog figures come from the Education Department's May 19, 2026, status report in AFT v. Department of Education and department data reported by The Washington Post on Oct. 5, 2026; program rules come from 34 CFR 685.219, StudentAid.gov and MOHELA, as of Oct. 22, 2026. Check StudentAid.gov/PSLFbuyback for current instructions.