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Process for requesting a certification

Requests take 7–10 business days to process.

If you are a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, please follow these procedures:

1. Review the types of certification documents available below.
2. Create an RPCV Portal account (if you don’t already have one). Note: to reduce delays, please use the name you used during your Peace Corps service.
3. Login to the RPCV Portal. Verify your contact information and service dates. Your documents will be sent to the email in the RPCV Portal.
4. Request your certification documents through the Contact Us page. Indicate if they need to be sent to another email or address.

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Types of certification documents

Certification of Noncompetitive Eligibility

If you need to verify your noncompetitive eligibility status for a federal employer, please use your Description of Service. You can request your Description of Service through the RPCV Portal.

Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after an individual has made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. The U.S. Department of Education has recently taken several steps to increase access to and eligibility for the PSLF program. These changes include a temporary waiver, which ends on October 31, 2022, that may allow RPCVs to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF. For more information on the PSLF program, and the temporary PSLF waiver, visit https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

RPCVs interested in completing their PSLF employment verification for their Peace Corps service should first check with their lender to see if they qualify, then complete sections 1 and 2 of the required form [PDF], sign, scan, and send the form to [email protected].

Note that while the Peace Corps can certify your time as a Volunteer or Peace Corps staff member, we cannot offer personal loan advice or address questions related to the PSLF program as a whole, as this program is administered by the Department of Education

Certification for Partial Perkins Loan Cancellation

You may be eligible for partial Perkins loan cancellation if you have a non-consolidated Perkins loan. Contact your lender to see if and how you may qualify for this benefit. 

Certification of Peace Corps Health Care Coverage

This certification provides proof of your Peace Corps health-care coverage during service. It can be used to reinstate Medicare Part B.

Certification of Service for Employment Purposes

This is an official verification of your Volunteer service, including dates and country of service, for a potential employer.

Certification of Service for Federal Retirement

Employees who are covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) may be eligible to receive credit for their Peace Corps Volunteer service to put toward their retirement.

Also see: Federal Retirement

Certification of Teaching

If your primary assignment during service was as a teacher and you served for 18 months or more, many states will allow you to count this time toward your professional teaching experience.

Also see: State and territorial teaching certifications [PDF] (Updated Aug. 1, 2019)

Description of Service

This document contains a written description of the Volunteer’s service, indicates NCE eligibility, Coverdell Fellows participation eligibility, and teacher certificate eligibility. It is signed by the Country Director, and a copy is given to the returned Volunteer upon completion of service.

Questions about requesting a certification? Contact us.