Is RAP the new student loan repayment plan?

Yes. It opened on July 1, 2026. Your bill is a share of your AGI, like the other income-driven plans. Progress under RAP counts toward PSLF.

What types of student loan payback plans are there?

Two kinds. Fixed plans, Standard and Tiered Standard, follow your balance. Income-driven plans, RAP, IBR, PAYE and ICR, follow your income. SAVE and REPAYE have ended.

What are the qualifications for IDR loan forgiveness?

You need enough years of payments on an income-driven plan: 30 years (360 payments) on RAP, 20 or 25 on IBR, 20 on PAYE and 25 on ICR. PSLF forgives the remaining Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for an eligible employer.

Which student loan repayment plan is best for the lowest payment?

IBR often does at low incomes, because it ignores part of your income. RAP can be lower with dependents. Run both with your own numbers.

Income-driven repayment plans compared

Your bill under an income-driven plan follows what you earn, not what you still owe. RAP is the newest plan, IBR continues for loans from earlier years, and PAYE and ICR shut down by July 1, 2028.

July 1, 2026RAP launched
March 10, 2026SAVE shut down
June 30, 2028Users of PAYE and ICR pick a new plan by
Forgiveness on RAP comes after 30 years

All plans side by side

Plan	Your payment	Lowest bill	Forgiveness	Who can join	Status
RAP	Based on your whole AGI, the bill runs 1% to 10%, less $50 a month for each dependent (see the RAP payment table)	$10	After 30 years	Direct Loan borrowers can join, except parent PLUS loans and any consolidation loans that repaid parent PLUS loans.	Open
IBR, 10% group	Your payment is 10% of discretionary income, and it's never above the 10-year Standard payment.	$0	After 20 years	The first loan you took out was on July 1, 2014 or later, and before July 1, 2026.	Loans you took out before July 1, 2026 can use this plan.
IBR, 15% group	Your payment is 15% of discretionary income, and it's never above the 10-year Standard payment.	$0	After 25 years	Borrowers with loans taken out before July 1, 2026, whose first loan came before July 1, 2014	Loans you took out before July 1, 2026 can use this plan.
PAYE	Your bill is 10% of discretionary income, never above the 10-year Standard payment.	$0	After 20 years	To qualify, be a new borrower from Oct. 1, 2007 onward, with a Direct Loan disbursed Oct. 1, 2011 onward.	It closes July 1, 2028, so move by June 30, 2028
ICR	The smaller of 20% of discretionary income and a 12-year fixed payment that adjusts to income; no cap.	$0	After 25 years	Direct Loans qualify for this plan, including consolidation loans that paid off parent PLUS loans.	Move by June 30, 2028; the plan closes July 1, 2028
Tiered Standard	The same amount each month; the term's length follows the balance when your loan joins the plan.	Fixed amount	None; depending on the balance, paid off in 10 to 25 years	Every Direct Loan borrower qualifies; for parent PLUS loans with a first disbursement dated on or after July 1, 2026, this is the only plan available.	Open

1. Your plan options: what is still open to you?

That depends on when your loans were taken out. Once a loan was first disbursed starting July 1, 2026 or later, you can only use Tiered Standard or RAP for all Direct Loans. Loans made before that date can still use IBR. RAP isn't available for parent PLUS loans or for consolidation loans that repaid them.

2. If the plan you're on is closing

On March 10, 2026, a court order ended the SAVE Plan. By July 1, 2028 at the latest, PAYE and ICR will be eliminated. Your servicer will move you if you don't pick a plan.

3. Choosing a plan

Use your own numbers to start. Your RAP bill appears in the RAP plan calculator. After that, compare RAP vs IBR side by side. You may also read how RAP works.

4. The rules for every plan

Every plan has a guide of its own, with dates and examples inside.

Questions people have

Is RAP the new repayment plan for student loans?

Yes, it is. July 1, 2026 is when it opened. Like the other income-driven plans, your bill comes from a share of your AGI. Your progress under RAP counts toward PSLF.

Which kinds of student loan repayment plans exist?

There are two kinds. With fixed plans, Standard and Tiered Standard, the amount you pay tracks what you still owe. Your income sets the bill on income-driven plans, which include RAP, IBR, PAYE and ICR. SAVE and REPAYE have both closed.

What are the IDR loan forgiveness requirements?

Your income-driven plan needs enough payment years: 30 years (360 payments) for RAP, 20 or 25 for IBR, 20 for PAYE and 25 for ICR. Make 120 qualifying monthly payments while you work full-time for an eligible employer, and PSLF forgives what's left of your Direct Loan balance.

Which student loan repayment plan gives the lowest payment?

Because it leaves out part of your income, IBR often does better when your income is low. If you have dependents, RAP can cost less. Plug your own numbers into both.

Sources: repayment plans from Federal Student Aid, plan updates from Federal Student Aid.