student loan forgiveness is an extremely attractive concept. Lots of students take out loans in college. There are a lot of reasons that they do so. Some do not know of any other sources of funds. For others they do not really understand the ramifications of taking out student loans. For still others, they believe that their college education will enable them to easily pay off the loans later.

However, student loans can easily spiral out of control. Student loan debt may actually keep people living below the poverty line. This can be the case despite a good job.

Clearly this is never the intent for student loans. To help the situation many lenders develop aid programs to help with student loan debt. You will need to meet stringent requirements in these programs. If you meet them however you may be eligible to have your student loans forgiven.

Here are a few of the common criteria for student loan forgiveness programs:

* A career in public service - Often jobs like teaching, community protection and non-profit work qualify. Be careful to always document your service carefully.

* Getting a degree without value from a defunct college - If a college does not succeed in providing education, they may have to repay your loans. An invalid degree or unaccredited learning institution can result in a shot at student loan forgiveness.

* Admission for which you did not qualify - If you were admitted without proper qualifications then the school may be held responsible for your student loans. However, you probably will have the burden of proving that you were unqualified.

* Honest and dedicated participation in programs intended to help people in student loan debt - If you honestly try to make your payments and can document it, then you may qualify for additional aid.

Of course you should never take out loans you do not intend to repay. Sometimes, though, the unforeseeable happens. If you cannot handle your student loan debt you should certainly explore student loan forgiveness.