• Share
  • Add this to...
  • Favorites
  • Del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo MyWeb
• 
• 
• 
• 

Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program

The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program is a selective program of the U.S. Government that helps alleviate the critical shortage of nurses by offering loan repayment assistance to registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses, such as nurse practitioners, in return for working in a Critical Shortage Facility  and nurse faculty  in return for working full time at an accredited school of nursing. 

In exchange for a 2-year service commitment, participants receive 60 percent of their total qualifying nursing education loan balance. For an optional third year of service, participants may receive 25 percent of their original total qualifying nursing education loan balance.

Participants also receive the salary and benefits they have negotiated with their employing facility.

Eligible Applicants

To be eligible to apply, you must be a registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse, such as a nurse practitioner, or nurse faculty who has completed training (diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate), is licensed and employed full time (at least 32 hours per week) at a public or private, non-profit Critical Shortage Facility or employed as a full-time nurse faculty member at a public or private non-profit school of nursing.

You must be a U.S. citizen (born or naturalized) or National and Lawful Permanent Resident and your education must be from an accredited school of nursing located in a U.S. State.

Eligible Facilities

Nurse Faculty: Accredited, public or private, non-profit school of nursing.

Registered Nurses and Advance Practice Nurses: Public or private, non-profit Critical Shortage Facility that is designated as, located in or primarily serving a designated primary care or mental health Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA):

• Critical Access Hospital   
• Disproportionate Share Hospital   
• Public Hospital  
• Federally Qualified Health Center  
• Indian Health Service Health Center  
• Native Hawaiian Health Center
• Rural Health Clinic  
• Skilled Nursing Facility   
• State or Local Public Health or Human Services Department  
• Ambulatory Surgical Center  
• Home Health Agency  
• Hospice Program  
• Nonprofit, Non-Disproportionate Share Hospital  
• Nursing Home

Funding Preference

Nurse Faculty: Preference will be given to faculty with the greatest financial need and to faculty working at schools of nursing with at least 50 percent enrollment of students from a disadvantaged background.

Registered Nurses and Advance Practice Registered Nurses: Preference will be given to nurses based on the greatest financial need, the type of facility, and the mental health or primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation.  

For more detailed information, see the Funding Determinations section of the Application and Program Guidance.

Before You Apply

Applications are accepted once each year. Before you apply, please read the Application and Program Guidance (updated annually) carefully. The application includes a contract that obligates you to serve 2 years at the facility listed in your application if you are selected to participate in the program. If you are selected and you do not fulfill that obligation, you will face serious financial consequences.