Historic NHSC Loan Repayment Funding Means More Clinicians and Scholars Will Be Awarded Than Ever Before
The Health Resources Services Administration offers loan repayment and scholarship opportunities through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps to help clinicians pay off student loan debt in exchange for service to underserved communities. The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved is excited to join Dr. Luis Padilla, NHSC Director, in sharing that the NHSC and Nurse Corps recently received historic funding through the American Rescue Plan. This means we will award more clinicians this year than ever before. If you are pursuing a career in primary care and work at an eligible site, this is the year to apply to the NHSC. You have a strong likelihood of receiving an award, even if clinicians at your site have not been competitive in the past.
The ACU and HRSA’s NHSC and Nurse Corps clinicians have a long history together. We share a commitment to helping underserved urban and rural areas, many of which have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHSC and Nurse Corps clinicians’ have played a powerful role in addressing health equity by expanding access to high quality primary care services, regular dental care, behavioral health care, women’s health, and preventive screenings. In return, the NHSC and Nurse Corps relieve the burden of student debt through loan repayment and scholarships. Please take a moment to consider the options available for you.
Opportunities for Clinicians
- ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOW: Three NHSC Loan Repayment Programs (NHSC LRPs) – As an eligible clinician, you could be awarded up to $100,000, depending on the program. Through continuation awards, you may be able to repay your entire outstanding debt. Applications close on May 27, 7:30 p.m. ET. Learn more and apply today.
- The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Eligible registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nursing faculty can apply for funding in exchange for a two-year service commitment at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses or an eligible school of nursing in the case of nurse faculty. Additional loan repayment is available for a third year of service. Sign up to be notified when the program opens again next year.
Opportunities for Students
- Nurse Corps Scholarship Program (Nurse Corps SP) – Eligible students can apply to this program that provides financial support to students enrolled in nursing degree programs in exchange for a commitment to serve in high-need areas across the country. Applications close on May 26.
- NHSC Scholarship Program – Health professions students receive one year of scholarship funding and related financial support; in exchange, they commit to service at a site in a high-need community. Sign up to be notified for future funding cycles.
- NHSC Students to Service Program – In your final year of medical school, you may be eligible for up to $120,000 in student loan repayment funds in exchange for three years of full-time practice. Sign up to be notified when the program opens later this year.
If you have specific questions, you can reach the National Health Service Corps at our Customer Care Center at 1-800-221-9393 (TTY: 1-877-897-9910).
