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National Health Service Corps

The purpose of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs (LRP) is to recruit and retain primary care medical, nursing, dental, and behavioral/mental health clinicians in eligible communities of need designated as health professional shortage areas. NHSC program applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.

Review the Loan Repayment Comparison Chart to help you choose the best program for your career and service or visit the NHSC to learn more about these programs. 

NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

The 2025 NHSC LRP application cycle is open now through May 1, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. CT. 

Fully licensed clinicians with certifications in primary care medicine (family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine, geriatrics, general pediatrics, general psychiatry), physician assistant, nurse practitioner (adult, family, pediatric, psychiatric/mental health, geriatrics, and women's health), general or pediatric dentistry, mental and behavioral health psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional counselor, and marriage and family therapist are eligible to apply for loan repayment assistance in exchange for working in a health professional shortage area (HPSA) at an approved NHSC site. Loan repayment funding is tied to the HPSA score and may range from $30,000 to $75,000 in tax-free loan repayment awards in exchange for two years of full-time service in an HPSA. A half-time service commitment option is available. 

To prepare your application: 

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the 2025 NHSC Loan Repayment Program Application and Program Guidance (APG). It has the information you need to know about the application. Review the definitions to clearly understand the APG content. 
  3. Check out the LRP application checklist for all the documents needed to submit a complete application. 
  4. Compare the three loan repayment programs to determine which one is right for you. 
  5. Know the dates for application submission and employment. 

Visit the NHSC Loan Repayment Program to see important dates and review our list of frequently asked questions.

NHSC Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Workforce Loan Repayment Program

The 2025 NHSC SUD Workforce LRP application cycle is open now through May 1, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. CT. 

The NHSC Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Workforce Loan Repayment Program (LRP) offers student loan repayment awards of up to $75,000 to qualified clinicians in exchange for three years of service at an NHSC-approved site providing SUD services. These sites are located in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) around the country in rural, urban, and frontier communities.

NHSC-approved sites are generally outpatient facilities providing primary medical, dental, and/or mental and behavioral health services. These facilities may be federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, state or federal correctional facilities, or free clinics.

The full list of site types is available at NHSC.

Applicants from an NHSC-approved SUD treatment facility may receive priority for the NHSC SUD Workforce LRP if they have a DATA 2000 waiver to administer medication-assisted treatment (MAT); serve in an Opioid treatment program; or are certified in substance use disorder interventions, such as master’s–level substance use disorder counselors.

HRSA is opening this loan repayment opportunity to a broader pool of eligible disciplines and specialties, including physicians; nurse practitioners; physician assistants who are eligible to administer MAT; behavioral health professionals; substance use disorder counselors; registered nurses; and pharmacists.

To prepare your application: 

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the 2025 NHSC SUD Workforce LRP Application and Program Guidance. It has the information you need to know about the application. Review the definitions to clearly understand the APG content. 
  3. Check out the LRP Application Checklist for all the documents needed to prepare for the next application cycle. 
  4. Compare the three loan repayment programs to determine which one is right for you. 
  5. Know the dates for application submission and employment.
Visit the NHSC SUD Workforce Loan Repayment Program to see important dates. 

NHSC Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

The 2025 Nurse Corps Loan Repayment application is open!

This program targets nurse faculty, advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurses who either work in a critical shortage facility or nurse faculty employed at an accredited school of nursing. A Critical Shortage Facility is a health care facility located in, designated as, or serving a primary medical care or mental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Funding preference is given to nurses based on the greatest financial need, the type of facility, and the mental health or primary care HPSA designation.

To prepare your application:

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the 2025 NHSC Nurse Corps LRP Application and Program Guidance. It has the information you need to know about the application. Review the definitions to clearly understand the APG content. 
  3. Check out the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Fact Sheet and the Spanish Fact Sheet to help you prepare. 

FY25 Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Continuations Application

Do you currently have a two-year Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program contract that is expiring soon? Apply for a continuation:

January 14, 2025, to February 20, 2025 (if your initial contract ends April 1, 2025 - September 30, 2025)

Visit the NHSC Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program for more information. 

NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program 

The 2025 NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program application cycle is open now through May 1, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. CT. 

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Rural Community Loan Repayment Program is for providers working to combat the Opioid epidemic in the nation's rural communities. This program will make loan repayment awards in coordination with the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). This will provide evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, assist in recovery, and prevent overdose deaths across the nation. In exchange for loan repayment, program recipients must serve three years at an NHSC-approved SUD treatment facility in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). 

 To prepare your application:

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the 2025 NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program Application and Program Guidance. It has the information you need to know about the application. Review our definitions to understand the APG content. 
  3. Check out the LRP Application Checklist for all the documents needed to prepare for the next application cycle. 
  4. Complete the three loan repayment programs to determine which one is right for you. 
  5. Complete a free training to receive preference for you application. 

Visit the NHSC Loan Repayment Program for more information. 

NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

The 2025 Students to Service LRP application cycle has closed.  

To be ready for next year and prepare your application: 

All applicants will be notified of their award status by April 15, 2025. 

To start your application: 

Visit the HRSA Site for more information and to check your eligibility. 

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program (HRSA-25-076)

The SDS program application cycle has closed. 

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a new Notice of Funding Opportunity to increase the health workforce. 

The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Program funds schools that train health professions students in specific disciplines. Schools make scholarships available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

HRSA will award an estimated $51.47 million to approximately 85 grantees over a period of five years through this funding opportunity. 

Additionally, school programs are eligible if, for the most recent three-year-period, at least 20% of the school's full-time enrolled students and graduates are from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

A variety of resources are available for interested applicants, including the:

View the funding opportunity on Grants.gov for complete eligibility information. 

Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

The 2024 Pediatric Specialty LRP Application cycle has closed. 

The Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (LRP) offers loan repayment for eligible clinicians who provide pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or child and adolescent behavioral health care including substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment services. Eligible clinicians can receive up to $100,000 in loan repayment. In exchange, participants work full-time for three years in a Pediatric Specialty LRP-approved facility. Don't miss this opportunity to help others while paying off your loans. 

To be ready for next year and prepare your application:

To start your application: 

Visit the HRSA Site for more information and to see our list of frequently asked questions. 

Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP)

The 2024 STAR LRP Application cycle has closed. 

The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) gives behavioral health providers up to $250,000 to repay school loans in exchange for working full-time for six years at an approved site. The Health Resources & Service Administration (HRSA) oversees this program designed to help recruit and retain a more diverse set of behavioral health providers focused on combating the substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic. If you are a behavioral health worker, clinical support staff, or trained in substance use disorders, you can apply.

To be ready for next year and prepare your application: 

To start your application: 

Visit the HRSA Site for more information. 

NHSC Site Applications

The 2024 NHSC Site Application cycle has closed. 

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) can help you recruit, hire, and retain clinicians! Eligible clinicians can apply to one of the NHSC Loan Repayment Programs and you can hire an NHSC scholar or an NHSC Students to Service participant. Additionally, you can post job openings on the Health Workforce Connector and participate in Virtual Job Fairs. 

To be ready for next year: 

If you do not provide all documentation required, your site application may be denied. 

The benefits of becoming an NHSC site include: 

  • Networking with NHSC sites around the country. 
  • Participation in NHSC Virtual Job Fairs. 
  • Recruitment and retention of NHSC Loan Repayment, NHSC Scholarship, and NHSC Student to Service providers. 
  • Utilization of the NHSC Job Center. 

Visit the NHSC Site for more information.

NHSC Scholarship Program 

The 2024 NHSC Scholarship Program application cycle has closed. 

Students pursuing a career as a primary care physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner, physician assistant, general or pediatric dentist, or certified nurse-midwife are eligible to apply for the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC). In exchange for tuition, required fees, and a monthly support stipend, eligible applicants must serve in a Health Professional Shortage Area upon graduation and licensure.

To be ready for next year:

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the Scholarship Program Application and Program Guidance (APG) and review the definitions to clearly understand the APG content. 
  3. Check out the Scholarship Program Application Checklist to help gather your documents and know how to prepare for completing next year's application. 

Visit the NHSC Scholarship Program for more information and to review the eligibility requirements. 

NHSC Nurse Corps Scholarship Program (NCSP)

The 2024 Nurse Corps Scholarship Program application has closed. 

NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (NCSP) enables students accepted or enrolled in a diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate nursing programs (including Nursing Bridge Programs: RN to BSN; RN to NP; and non-nursing Bachelor's to NP) are eligible to receive funding for tuition, fees and other educational costs in exchange for working at an eligible Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) upon graduation.

To be ready for next year: 

  1. Sign up for emails to be notified when the next cycle opens. 
  2. Read the 2024 Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Application and Program Guidance
  3. Refer to the corresponding Application and Program Guidance Glossary
  4. Ready through the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Check out the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Fact Sheet or the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Fact Sheet -- Spanish
Visit the NCSP website for more information.

 

For questions about the Nurse Corps program, please contact Management Analyst Lakia Borns via email or (301) 287-0043. 

For more information regarding the benefits and eligibility requirements of NHSC sites, please contact Robert Jordan via email or (334) 206-5425.





Page last updated: March 25, 2025

NEED HELP?

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