In addition to awarding loan repayment program participants in HPSAs, we also will use designated Maternity Care Target Area (MCTA) scoring to distribute maternity care health professionals. MCTAs are located within primary care HPSAs.
Maternity care health professionals are obstetricians/gynecologists, family medicine physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis, and certified nurse midwives. Maternity care health professionals will be awarded using either the primary care HPSA or the MCTA score of their site, whichever is higher.
Service You have an opportunity to increase access to primary care services to communities in need.
Flexible Service Options You have a choice of service options:
Two-year full-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved site.
Two-year half-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved site.
Loan Repayment You will receive funds to repay your outstanding, qualifying, educational loans.
NHSC loan repayment funds are exempt from federal income and employment taxes.
Full-time service: Up to $75,000 (primary care providers) or $50,000 (for all providers) for a two-year initial term.
Half-time service: Up to $37,500 (primary care providers) or $25,000 (for all providers) for a two-year initial term.
Note: If you serve in a private practice, you aren't eligible to practice half-time.
Complete Repayment of Qualifying Loans After you complete the initial two-year service contract, you may be eligible to apply for additional loan repayment funds to pay any remaining educational loans through one-year continuation service contracts.
There is no guarantee that you will receive a continuation contract.
Application launch date: March 19, 2024
Application submission deadline: May 9, 2024
Employment start date: July 18, 2024
Scholars service obligation date: July 31, 2024
Notification of award: September 30, 2024
Contract termination deadline: 60 days from the effective date of the contract or at any time if the individual who has been awarded such contract has not received funds due under the contract.
Award increase for primary care providers
We have increased the award amount for physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants who provide primary care services in high-need communities (located in a primary care HPSA) to address the critical shortages of these practitioners.
The increased award amounts are:
Up to $75,000 for a full-time, two-year service commitment
Up to $37,500 for a half-time, two-year service commitment
If you are in an eligible discipline but you provide mental or behavioral health care services, you will not be eligible for the increased award amount. Instead, all other providers eligible for an NHSC award will receive up to $50,000 of support for a full-time, two-year service commitment.
Remember, all two-year loan repayment program participants can apply for an NHSC Loan Repayment Program Continuation Contract that may allow you to pay off most or all of your health professional education debt.
Primary Care Disciplines
Specialties
Physicians
Allopathic (MD)
Osteopathic (DO)
Family Medicine
General Internal Medicine
General Pediatrics
Geriatrics
Physician Assistants (PA)
Nurse Practitioners (NP)
Adult
Family
Pediatric
Women's Health
Geriatrics
Maternal Care Disciplines
Specialties
Physicians
Allopathic (MD)
Osteopathic (DO)
Family Medicine Physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis
A United States citizen (U.S. born or naturalized) or a United States national.
A provider (or eligible to participate as a provider) in the Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, as appropriate.
Fully trained and licensed to practice in the NHSC-eligible discipline and state in which you are applying to serve. This page lists eligible disciplines and specialties for primary care, dental care, mental/behavioral health care, and maternity care.
A health professional in an eligible discipline with qualified student loan debt for education that led to your degree.
Working at an NHSC-approved site.
New: You can now check your eligibility in the Bureau of Health Workforce Customer Service Portal. After you select Applying for the NHSC Loan Repayment Program on the main portal page, see the Eligibility box at the top of the page.
Clinicians who provide patient care under the following disciplines and specialties are eligible to apply to the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
New award enhancement for Spanish-language proficiency
For the 2024 NHSC loan repayment programs, we aim to address language access barriers to health care. To support this effort, we will provide a one-time enhancement award of $5,000 for a total loan repayment award of:
Primary care participants (physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, physician assistants serving in a primary care HPSA):
Up to $80,000 for full-time participants.
Up to $42,500 for half-time participants.
Non-primary care participants (physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants specializing in behavioral health serving in a mental HPSA, as well as dentists, dental hygienists, and behavioral health providers):
Up to $55,000 for full-time participants.
Up to $30,000 for half-time participants.
Award amounts are based on the outstanding balance of an applicant’s qualifying educational loans. Participants must complete the two-year service obligation regardless of the amount of their award.
Who is eligible for the enhancement?
If you indicated that you have proficiency in Spanish when the application closes, you will receive an email containing a link to a Spanish-language competency assessment. This assessment will be conducted by a vendor approved by the General Services Administration. To be eligible for the award enhancement, your score on the assessment must be three or higher.
Note: If your loans are less than the maximum $75,000 (full-time) or $37,500 (half-time) increased award amounts or the $50,000 (full-time) or $25,000 (half-time) traditional two-year award amount, you will not receive the award enhancement even if you are eligible under the other criteria.
Determine your eligibility
Do I qualify for the NHSC Loan Repayment Program?
You qualify if you meet these requirements:
A United States citizen (U.S. born or naturalized) or a United States national.
A provider (or eligible to participate as a provider) in the Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, as appropriate.
Fully trained and licensed to practice in the NHSC-eligible discipline and state in which you are applying to serve. This page lists eligible disciplines and specialties for primary care, dental care, mental/behavioral health care, and maternity care.
A health professional in an eligible discipline with qualified student loan debt for education that led to your degree.
Working at an NHSC-approved site.
New: You can now check your eligibility in the Bureau of Health Workforce Customer Service Portal. After you select Applying for the NHSC Loan Repayment Program on the main portal page, see the Eligibility box at the top of the page.
It takes three weeks to complete an application. That includes all required and supplemental documentation, and access to a credit report (failure/refusal to unfreeze a frozen credit report will deem your application ineligible).
Provide answers in your application that match your supporting documents. If they don't, we will reject your application.
You must submit a legible, complete online application by the application deadline.
Save each document as a PDF file before uploading to your application. Do not attempt to upload files larger than 5MB, or files saved as TIFF, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, and TXT.
We will not:
Accept requests after the deadline to update a submitted application or to submit additional materials.
The following provides an overview of the application requirements. Find our complete set of requirements and instructions in the application and program guidance.
Complete each of the sections below to submit your application.
Eligibility
If you do not pass the initial eligibility screening portion of the application, you cannot continue with the application.
Personal Information
Provide contact information such as your name, social security number, mailing and email addresses, as well as information about individual and family background.
Professional Information
Discipline, Training and Certification Provide information about your education, training, and licensure/certification.
Site Search (Employment) You will search for and select the NHSC-approved site(s), where you currently provide or will provide patient care.
We will notify the point(s)-of-contact at the NHSC-approved service site where you work (or plan to work), about your request.
The site(s) must complete the electronic EV before you can submit your application. It's your responsibility to ensure that the site point-of-contact completes the EV.
Professional Information You will respond to questions related to your profession and professional training.
Telehealth This section contains optional questions that you will answer about any telehealth services you provide.
Loan Information
Provide information on each qualifying educational loan for which you seek repayment.
We'll review supporting documents, contact lenders/holders, and check your credit report.
Each of the loans must have:
Name and contact information for the lender/holder.
Loan account number.
Original amount disbursed.
Original date of the loan.
Current outstanding balance (no more than 30 days from the date you submit your application).
Current interest rate.
Type of loan. If a consolidated loan, we need to know:
Original date of consolidation.
Original balance of consolidation.
Account number.
Purpose of loan.
An application is incomplete without the following required supplemental documents:
Proof of status as a United States citizen or United States national Acceptable documents: birth certificate, current U.S. passport’s ID page, or a certificate of citizenship or naturalization. Unacceptable documents: driver’s license or Social Security card.
Loan Information Verification Provide two types of documentation for each loan you submit:
Account Statement Current information on your qualifying educational loans. This document should:
Be on official letterhead or other clear verification that it comes from the lender/holder.
Include the name of the borrower (the NHSC Loan Repayment Program applicant).
Contain the account number.
Include the date of the statement (cannot be more than 30 days from the date you submit your application).
Include the current outstanding balance (principal and interest) or the current payoff balance.
Include the current interest rate.
Disbursement Report Verifies the originating loan information and should:
Be on official letterhead or other clear verification that it comes from the lender/holder.
Include the name of the borrower.
Contain the account number.
Include the type of loan.
Include the original loan date (must be prior to the date you submit your application).
Include the original loan amount.
Include the purpose of the loan.
You may need to submit additional supporting documents.
Submit these documents if we list them on the “Supporting Documents” page of the online application.
Specialty Certification If you select a specialty, you are required to upload a copy of the certificate of completion or diploma from the training program where you matriculated.
Postgraduate Training Verification. This document verifies that you completed the AMF Program or Graduate Psychology Education Program (GPE).
This documentation is in addition to the postgraduate training related to your practice area. Such documentation may include an official completion certificate.
Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Identification Number If you completed a postgraduate medical or dental training program funded by HRSA through the THCGME Payment Program, you are required to submit the residency identification number and residency completion certificate, if available. Use the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or The Commission on Dental Accreditation to look up your program identification number.
Verification of Disadvantaged Background A school official may complete the Verification of Disadvantaged Background(PDF - 406 KB). Applicants may also self-attest to having a disadvantaged background by uploading a document that validates that they meet the criteria included on the disadvantaged background form. (Federal student aid report, etc.).
Verification of Existing Service Obligation Verification from the entity for which you have an existing service obligation stating you will complete service there prior to the NHSC application deadline.
Payment History Verification that you used all NHSC Loan Repayment Program funds to repay the qualifying educational loans approved as part of your most recent NHSC LRP contract, if applicable.
Proof of Name Change Applicants will be required to provide legal documents (marriage license or divorce decree) if the name on the proof of citizenship document is different from the name in the application.
Print and keep a copy of your completed application package for your records.
After you apply
After you submit your online application, you'll see a receipt of submission.
After you submit the online application, you may make edits and upload new documents. You must make all final edits and resubmit your final, complete application by the application deadline. You must certify and submit your application each time you make any changes. Applications in an “In Progress” status cannot be considered for an award.
Can I withdraw my application?
Yes, you may withdraw your application from consideration any time before the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS), or their designee, signs the contract. Please reference the Application and Program Guidance(PDF - 597 KB) for additional information.
How do you evaluate me?
We review applications after the application deadline.
If you become an award finalist, we will email you and ask that you log into the BHW Customer Service Portal.
We will ask you to confirm:
Your continued interest in receiving an award.
The validity of the loan and employment information you provided us in your application.
That you have read and understand the Loan Repayment Program contract. (We ask you to e-sign this if you receive, and accept, an award.)
We ask you to provide:
Your direct deposit banking information. We use this for award funds if you receive an award.
Note: You must respond by the deadline we provide in the Confirmation of Interest email.
What if I don’t respond in time?
If you do not complete the Confirmation of Interest process by the deadline, we may withdraw your application from consideration.
If you still wish to participate in the program, you will need to submit a new application. You will need to do this during a future NHSC Loan Repayment Program application cycle for first-time participants. You will compete with other providers based on that cycle’s program requirements.
Who makes award determinations?
Only the Secretary of HHS or their designee can make an NHSC Loan Repayment Program award.
When will you notify me of an award?
You will receive final notification of an award, including your service obligation dates, no later than September 30.
Will you notify me if you don't select me for an award?
Yes. If we do not select you for an award, we will email you no later than September 30.
NHSC Loan Repayment Program contract & service obligation
When does my service obligation take effect?
Your service obligation begins on the date that the HHS Secretary (or the Secretary’s designee) countersigns your contract.
Can I terminate my contract?
Review the Application and Program Guidance and your contract. Both provide detailed information on the timeline and requirements for NHSC Loan Repayment Program contract termination.
If you terminate, you must repay all funds you receive under the contract.