PeopleJoy

Student loan debt has increased significantly over the past decade and has climbed to more than $1.7 trillion. Penn understands that many staff and faculty have been burdened with repayment, creating strains on your mental and financial health.

PeopleJoy, a financial wellness benefits organization that specializes in student loan repayment and forgiveness, can help you take charge of your student loan debt and get the support you need. 

Penn offers a free service to staff and faculty to help you determine your eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, assist you with navigating the application process, and advocate on your behalf with student loan providers. The qualifying loans must be in the employee's name. Student loans of other family members are not considered. 

Making an Impact

In the first three months of 2023, six Penn employees have received a total of $450,000 in loan forgiveness through PeopleJoy. Another 560 Penn employees are working with PeopleJoy for a projected $45 million in student loan forgiveness over the next 10 years.

See the Employee Testimonials section below where two employees talk about the impact of the program.

Services for You

  • Program assessments: Get help to identify the best federal repayment programs based on your individual financial situation.
  • Program enrollment: PeopleJoy will enroll you in the repayment programs, removing confusing paperwork and worries of missing enrollment or annual recertification deadlines.
  • Goals-based coaching: Receive repayment planning advice and coaching based on your short- and long-term budget, income projections, and financial health. Regular check-in calls are also available.
  • College financial planning: This includes 1-on-1 time with an advisor, evaluation of best college financing options, and other resources.

How to Use PeopleJoy

If you have outstanding student loans and would like to use this free service, visit the PeopleJoy platform at upenn.peoplejoy.com.  You will need your work email address, PennID, and information about your student loans.

Once you’ve filled in the required information, a member of the PeopleJoy support team will contact you via email to request additional information if needed, activate the service and identify next steps, or notify you if they are unable to assist you. 

For more information about PeopleJoy, visit upenn.peoplejoy.com or read the PSLF FAQs.

Employee Testimonials

"I had $180,000 in student loans forgiven through this program. The PeopleJoy platform was very user friendly. The relief of this financial burden has been incredible for our family. It has allowed us to reimagine our retirement."

Lindsey Albenberg, DO
Attending Physician
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

“I really appreciated that Penn provided this service for us. I otherwise never would have known that I was eligible for loan forgiveness. The process was relatively easy and no longer having student debt allows me to better support my son who is now in college.” 

Jami Fisher ($5,000 in student loans forgiven)
Director
ASL Program in the Department of Linguistics