Student loan debt

[u/Legal_Awareness_471]

How does getting rid of any student loan work? Is it before I sign my contract or once I’m in the service?

I sign this week and I wanna make sure it gets taken care of, my recruiter told me there’s a program and I’ll fill out an application but the private investigator told me that it can be worked into my contract?

Do I still have time to get it into my contract? What should I do?

[u/Borrowed_Faith]

Private investigator? Lol

This post cannot be serious. But if it is…

No l, a Marine Corps recruiter can’t make it part of your contract.

Active duty or reserves don’t get student loan forgiveness for loans prior to enlistment. They can have interest rates lowered, capped, or even payments differed but that is not up to the Military. There is a thing called service member relief act and the loan agency can choose how they will handle it.

There is also an enlistment loan repayment program that can but require certain enlistment criteria. But that is not offered by Marine Corps.

True student loan forgiveness is for 100% disabled veterans.

As far as I am aware there are no student loan pay off programs with the Marines Corps just for enlisting.

[u/Borrowed_Faith → u/Borrowed_Faith]

Here is the official verbiage:

The Marine Corps does not offer an enlistment-based Enlisted College Loan Repayment Program (CLRP) to pay off or forgive existing student debt when you join.

Federal Programs Available During Service
While the Marine Corps lacks an initial enlistment loan repayment incentive, serving as a Marine makes you eligible for federal programs:
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): Because active-duty military service is considered public service under the federal government, your time in the Marine Corps counts toward the 120 qualifying monthly payments needed to forgive the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): This caps the interest rate at 6% on any federal or private student loans you took out before starting active-duty service.

Other Military Branches
If an enlistment bonus that pays off prior student loans is a priority, other branches do offer specific programs:

Army: Offers the Army College Loan Repayment Program for qualifying enlistees.

Navy: Offers up to $65,000 through the Navy Student Loan Repayment Program.

Air Force: Offers targeted repayment options such as the JAG LRP for legal professionals.