Student loan relief stalled: 1M+ spplications in limbo | ChicagoNOWAs student loan borrowers across the country wait for relief, a growing backlog is stalling key federal programs. This week, the U.S. Department of Education revealed that over a million Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) applications remain unprocessed, while the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Buyback backlog has grown for six straight months.