The federal Department of Education launched a website Friday night allowing those with outstanding student loans to begin submitting applications for debt relief.
The department is accepting applications in the beta, or test, launch “to help us refine our processes ahead of the official form launch,” said a statement on the site.
The site will allow loan forgiveness applicants to begin signing up before the website is formally unveiled later this month, possibly as early as next week, when the forms will begin to be processed. The operation is slated to run through Dec. 31, 2023.
Applications for loan forgiveness are available at StudentAid.gov, which was functioning Friday night.
The portal will be available on and off during the beta test, according to The Washington Post, which was the first to report it.
President Joe Biden announced his student debt relief program in August.
It will provide up to $10,000 in standard debt cancellation for borrowers who earn less than $125,000 a year. Couples who file taxes jointly and earn less than $250,000 annually will also be eligible.
Pell Grant recipients, who make up the majority of borrowers, would be eligible for an additional $10,000 in debt relief. The overall plan is expected to help more than 40 million people with outstanding student loans.