Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

The National Guard values higher education, and offers many types of assistance to help you stay on track while you serve. The Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is available to Soldiers and officers who have existing student loans.

Eligible student loans include:

  • Stafford Loans
  • Ford Direct Loans
  • Perkins Loans

This information will help you understand the basic benefits and requirements of the SLRP. For more details and questions about how to enroll, contact your recruiter, state Point of Contact, Officer Strength Manager or Education Services Officer (ESO).

Eligibility

If you are a Non-Prior Service (NPS) Soldier, you must:

  • Enlist for either eight years (8x0), or six years, plus two years in the Individual Ready Reserve (6x2).
  • Enlist into a unit eligible for deployment (MTOE, AVCRAD, RTI or a Medical, Special Forces or deploying TDA unit *).
  • Qualify as a Category I-IIIA enlistment (you’ll need to score 50 or higher on your Armed Forces Qualifying Test).

If you are a Prior Service (PS) Soldier or current National Guard Soldier, you must:

  • Enlist for six years, OR
  • Extend your current contract for a six years.
  • Enlist/be assigned to a unit eligible for deployment (MTOE*, Medical or Special Forces unit).
  • Be Duty Military Occupational Specialty Qualified (DMOSQ) for your position.
  • Not have previously received the SLRP as an enlistment, re-enlistment or extension option in the Selected Reserve.

If you are entering Officer Candidate School, you must:

  • Have at least 90 college credits.
  • Agree to a six-year commitment.
  • Enroll prior to commissioning.

Amount

For Soldiers with existing student loans, the SLRP can pay up to $50,000 for certain jobs, with a six- or eight-year enlistment as a member of a deployable unit. This incentive is also available to applicants entering Officer Candidate School (you must have at least 90 college credit hours and agree to a six-year commitment).

Restrictions:

  • You must have at least one qualifying and disbursed loan in order to enter the program. You may add loans after entering the program, as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
  • The total amount of SLRP will not exceed $50,000 with a maximum payment of 15 percent of the total loan amount ($7,500 cap per Soldier, per year) or $500 per year, whichever is greater.
  • The annual payment will include interest as long as the combined principal and interest payment does not exceed the maximum amount authorized under the law.
  • Any Soldier who initially contracts for the SLRP on or after March 1, 2009, may continue SLRP eligibility by extending for a period of not less than six years, once they reach their 12-month extension window.
  • Any period of extension of less than six years will terminate SLRP eligibility. These Soldiers may continue to extend in this manner until they reach the maximum dollar amount authorized on their initial SLRP contract.
  • Any new qualifying loans that were disbursed during the previous six-year period may be added upon extension.

This is a summary of the SLRP eligibility and restrictions. However, you should contact your recruiter, state Point of Contact or Education Services Officer (ESO) for more information.

Find out more about these and other National Guard education benefits.

* Modified Table of Organization & Equipment (MTOE)

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