Hi.  I cannot seem to find an answer specifically related to educators, rather than pastors, priests, etc., for the following issue.  My wife is a third grade teacher at a Catholic school.  Is she excluded from receiving the benefits of PSLF?

The exclusion states that “job duties related to religious instruction” are excluded and the certification form excludes “time spent on job duties…”  Does this language exclude regious affiliated school teachers who teach all subjects to students without regard to religious faith?  Any student can attend the school, regardless of whether they are Catholic or not.  She teaches religion to her class for 30 minutes a day.  Even with that, she would spend only 2.5 of her 40 hour week teaching religious instruction.

The certification form states that “For purposes of the full-time requirement (Section 3, Item 2.(b) above), an individual borrower’s qualifying employment with a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit or other private public service organization does not include time spent on job duties that are related to religious instruction, worship services, or any form of proselytizing.”

Thanks in advance.

The only language we have to interpret is the language you cite.  It’s not entirely clear, but my belief is that the administration does not intend to exclude teachers like your wife from eligibility.  It seems that her duties do not amount to religious instruction as she is teaching a third grade curriculum.  We do know for sure that as long as a borrower performs “full-time” qualifying work, they may also engage in some non-qualifying work without being excluded for that reason.  Have y’all submitted an employment certification form?

Thanks for info!