FRANKFORT, KY — Public prosecutors and public defenders in Kentucky may qualify for student loan forgiveness through the John R. Justice Grant program, administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).
Applications must be postmarked or received by June 19. The estimated award is $800 per year. Awards are paid directly to the lender.
Eligible attorneys include prosecutors and public defenders who are full-time employees of the Commonwealth or a local government. Attorneys who supervise, educate or train prosecutors and defenders are also eligible.
Funding is available for loan forgiveness for 48 attorneys for the 2019–2020 fiscal year. Three prosecutors and three public defenders will be chosen from each of the seven state Supreme Court districts, and three prosecutors and three public defenders with statewide responsibilities will be chosen. Recipients are chosen based on their loan-to-income ratio and total student loan debt.
Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. KHEAA has received a grant for this fiscal year. Continued funding of the program is contingent upon the availability of federal dollars.
Applicants must sign three-year service agreements and have annual salaries of less than $55,000. Prior-year recipients must reapply but do not have to sign another service agreement if selected.
For complete information or to apply, visit kheaa.com and click on the John R. Justice Loan Repayment link in the left column.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers Kentucky’s student financial aid programs, including the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), offers low-cost Advantage Loans to help students and parents pay for college or to refinance student loans. For more information about Advantage Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.
For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7214.
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