NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program

NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (formerly Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program) enables dedicated registered nurses committed to caring for underserved people to serve in hospitals and clinics in some of America's neediest communities, improving the lives of their patients and transforming their own.

NURSE Corps members help to build healthy communities in poor urban and rural areas as they build their own fulfilling and productive careers.

About the Program

NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program puts registered nurses (including advanced practice nurses and nursing faculty) on a rewarding career path while paying off 60 percent of their unpaid nursing student loans in just 2 years – and an additional 25 percent of the original balance for an optional third year. 

In return, NURSE Corps members fulfilling a service obligation at any one of thousands of nonprofit hospitals, clinics and other facilities located in designated primary medical care or mental health Health Professional Shortage Areas across the U.S.  

NURSE Corps members enjoy the same the competitive pay and benefits negotiated with their employer as non-members. 

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible to apply, you must be a licensed registered nurse (nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses are encouraged to apply) or nurse faculty, have completed your training (diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate), and be employed full time (at least 32 hours per week) at an eligible critical shortage facility.

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.

Funding preference is based on your financial need and the facility where you work. 

What are Critical Shortage Facilities?

Nurse Corps members work at many different types of Critical Shortage Facilities.

For nurse faculty, any accredited public or private not-for-profit school of nursing located in a U.S. State is a Critical Shortage Facility and an eligible place of employment for Nurse Corps members. Applicants working at schools where at least half of enrolled students come from disadvantaged backgrounds receive funding preference. 

For all other registered nurses, including advanced practice nurses, any public or private not-for-profit  private organization located in a designated primary medical care or mental health Health Professional Shortage Area that is one of the following types is a Critical Shortage Facility (facilities marked with * receive funding preference) and an eligible place of employment for Nurse Corps members:

Clinics

• Federally Qualified Health Center*, Indian Health Service Health Center*, Native Hawaiian Health Center*, Rural Health Clinic*, Public Health Clinic*

Hospitals

• Any public* or private nonprofit acute care or rehabilitation hospital, including Disproportionate Share Hospitals* and Critical Access Hospitals*

Inpatient Nursing Facilities

• Skilled nursing facility*, nursing home

Outpatient Facilities

• Ambulatory surgical center

Service Providers

• Home health agency, hospice, State or local public health or human services department*

Before You Apply

Applications are accepted once each year. Before you apply, please read the Application and Program Guidance (PDF - 33 pages) (updated annually) carefully. The application includes a contract that obligates you to serve 2 years at the critical shortage 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.