Education & Student Aid · Surprise rank #108
Young Farmer? New York Can Wipe Out Up to $50,000 of Your Student Loans
Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program — recurring program; current application cycle closed
Who
Recent graduates of an approved New York college who are within their first 10 years of operating a qualifying New York farm full-time and have eligible student-loan debt from that undergraduate degree.
Where: New York State; the qualifying farm must be operated full-time in New York.
What to do
Start here: Check the HESC program page for the next application window and review the farm-operation and loan requirements. The current application cycle is closed.
Eligibility: Program service, residency, farming and eligible student-loan rules apply.
What you get
Qualifying young farmers operating a farm full-time in New York can receive student-loan forgiveness.
Benefit: Up to $10,000 per year and up to $50,000 over the program.
Possible value: Up to $50,000 of eligible student-loan debt.
Good to know
Important: You cannot apply during the current closed cycle. Awards depend on available funding and priority rules, and recipients agree to operate a New York farm full-time for at least five years. Parent PLUS and several other loan types are excluded.
Availability: Recurring program; current application cycle closed; awards are limited by available funding.
Status: Recurring program; current application cycle is closed.
Why people miss it: It is a narrowly targeted state loan-forgiveness program, and the application opens only during limited cycles rather than staying available year-round.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026