Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

 

The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment assistance to professional registered nurses (RN), including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), in return for a commitment to work full-time in eligible health care facilities with a critical shortage of nurses or serve as a nurse faculty in an eligible school of nursing. Nurse Corps LRP decreases the economic barriers associated with pursuing careers at Critical Shortage Facilities or in academic school of nursing.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
93.908
Federal Agency/Office
Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
C - Direct Payments For Specified Use
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016 No Current Data Available. Fiscal Year 2016: 518 new awards were made.
Fiscal Year 2017 501 new awards were made.
Fiscal Year 2018 544 new awards were made and 279 continuation awards.
Authorization
Section 846 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS) (42 USC 297(n)
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Individuals who satisfy the following criteria are eligible to apply: (1) have received a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, an associate degree, a diploma, or a doctoral degree in nursing; (2) have outstanding qualifying educational loans leading to a degree or diploma in nursing; (3) a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S., national or a lawful permanent resident of the United States; (4) employed full-time (32 hours or more per week) at a critical shortage facility (CSF) or employed as a full-time nurse faculty member at an accredited, public or private nonprofit school of nursing; (5) have completed the nursing education program for which the loan balance applies; (6) have a current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted license in the State in which they intend to practice or be authorized to practice in the State under the Nurse Licensure Compact; and (7) submit a complete application, including a signed contract to work full-time as a registered or advanced practice nurse for 2 years at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses or an accredited, eligible school of nursing. Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government and Native American Organizations may apply if they are otherwise eligible.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Beneficiaries include registered nurses who have received a diploma, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing.
Credentials/Documentation
Applicants should review the individual HRSA Application and Program Guidance issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants may apply online at https://programportal.hrsa.gov/extranet/landing.seam.
Award Procedure
Funding preference is given to applicants with the greatest financial need, defined as those qualified applicants whose debt-to-salary ration is 100 percent or greater. Qualified applicants are grouped into funding preference tiers and awards are made in order of decreasing debt-to-salary ratio beginning with Tier 1, until all funds are expended. Award notifications are sent by email before October 1 of each year.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Notification to all applicants are made no later than September 30th of the application year.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Renewals for the third year of service will be considered based on the availability of funds.
How are proposals selected?
Funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific category of group of approved applicants ahead of other categories or groups of approved applicants. As provided in section 846(e) of the PHS Act, as amended, a funding preference is given to eligible applicants with the greatest financial need. Awards are made to the highest ranked applicants until funds are expended.
How may assistance be used?
The program offers registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) substantial financial assistance to repay a portion of their qualifying educational loans in exchange for full-time service either at a Critical Shortage Facility or an eligible school of nursing. Nurse Corps LRP participants enter into a two-year contract agreeing to provide full-time service at an approved Critical Shortage Facility or an eligible school of nursing. In return, Nurse Corps LRP will pay participants a total of 60 percent (30 percent for each year) of their total outstanding qualifying nursing education loan balance. Eligible participants may apply for an optional third year service commitment, for which the Nurse Corps LRP will award an additional 25 percent of the participant's original total qualifying educational loan balance, bringing the total to 85 percent of eligible loan balances.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
Not applicable.
Records
Not applicable.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
RNs and APRNs must provide full-time service at a public or private nonprofit Critical Shortage Facility for a minimum of 32 hours per week or provide full time service (as defined by the employer) as a nurse faculty member for a minimum of 9 months per service year at an accredited public or private nonprofit eligible school of nursing, for a period of two consecutive years beginning on the effective date of the contract. Payments are made to individuals via electronic direct deposit. Notifications are made by e-mail. Payments are made to individuals via electronic direct deposit. Notifications are made by e-mail.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
None/Not specified.
Headquarters Office
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program, Division of Health Careers and Financial Support, Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW),
Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857 US
CMahlmann@hrsa.gov
Phone: (301) 594-4130
Website Address
https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps/lrp
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-0350-0-1-550
Obligations
(Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 18$47,533,618.00; FY 19 est $47,533,618.00; FY 20 est $45,351,550.00; FY 17$48,870,088.00; FY 16$49,549,932.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
FY18 Range for new awards - $20,766.33 to $263,992.93; Average new award - $81,617.33. FY19 est Range for new awards - $20,766.33 to $263,992.93; Average new award - $81,617.33. FY20 est Range for new awards - $20,766.33 to $263,992.93; Average new award - $81,617.33.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Please see application process for NURSE Corps LRP at https://bhw.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nursecorps-lrp-guidance.pdf Refer to the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program Guidance.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 


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