(Allied) Health Sciences Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, & Awards: Loan Forgiveness
Created by Health Science Librarians
Change Comes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness Limited Waiver Opportunity (Studentaid.gov Oct 6, 2021)On Oct. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a change to PSLF program rules for a limited time as a result of the COVID-19 national emergency. Throughout the pandemic, ED has provided a variety of benefits to borrowers.
Now, for a limited period of time, borrowers may receive credit for past payments made on loans that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. - from Inside Higher Ed (by Alexis Gravely, Oct 7, 2021)Most of the reforms are temporary, but they’ll still help hundreds of thousands of borrowers chart a renewed path toward loan forgiveness.
- USN&WR Explainer: What's Behind Changes in Student Loan Forgiveness (By the AP, Oct 8, 2021)A student debt forgiveness program with notoriously complex eligibility rules is getting an overhaul intended to extend debt relief to thousands of public workers.
2021 NIH Loan Repayment Program/UNC OSR Deadline November 12, 2021
- 2021 Deadline: NIH Loan Repayment Program 2021/UNC ResearchThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accepting new and renewal applications for its Loan Repayment Programs that provide support to health professionals pursuing careers in biomedical and behavioral research. The application cycle is September 1, 2021 – November 18, 2021. In order to complete your application by the deadline, the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) requires a completed UNC Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Certification Form be submitted to our office by November 12 to certify your application.
NIH can repay up to $50,000 a year of qualified educational debt via six (6) extramural programs:
Clinical Research
Pediatric Research
Health Disparities Research
Contraception and Infertility Research
Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
*New* Research in Emerging Areas Critical to Human Health (REACH)
See Link for more information.
NIH Division of Loan Repayment: Eligibility & Programs
- NIH Division of Loan Repayment: Eligibility & ProgramsSee additional information on this page for UNC OSR's internal deadline for the NIH Loan Repayment Program.
This is a set of programs established by Congress designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The programs counteract financial pressures by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.
Don't be scammed!
Payback Time for Student Loan Scams: Marketplace.org report on loan payback scams (July 14, 2014)
Illinois Attorney General sues student loan debt settlement firms: Chicago Tribune (July 14, 2014)
Companies that offer help with student loans are often predatory, officials say: The New York Times (July 13, 2014)
North Carolina's Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS)
College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC)
Desseminates information about and handles applications for the Forgivable Education Loans for Service program in North Carolina.
"The Forgivable Education Loan for Service (FELS) was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011 and the first loans available for the 2012-13 academic year. The loan provides financial assistance to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in fields designated as critical employment shortage areas."
The CFNC FELS webpage covers the following information:
- Eligibility
- Value (Annual Loan Amounts and Maximum Aggregate Loan Limits)
- Application Procedure and Deadlines
FELS loan recipients must sign a promissory note that will require them to seek loan forgiveness through employment in an approved position or repay the loan in cash. Loan forgiveness is described in the FELS Rules. Generally, a loan for one academic year will be forgiven for one year of full-time employment. Loans will accrue interest at the rate of 8% per year from the date of the loan disbursement. Recipients cannot receive FELS funding concurrently with other state-funded loans.
Service Professions Loan Forgiveness Programs
- Loan Forgiveness Programs (AAMC)Many--but not all--of the programs listed on this site from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) include other health professions, including the allied health sciences. Select by state (or military branches, NIH, National Health Service Corps), designation (state/federal), and type (scholarship, forgiveness, repayment).
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness from The Project on Student DebtAlso contains information on Income Based Repayment (IBR), which can help keep your loan payments affordable during the 10 years of eligible employment and qualifying loan payments for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
Health Professions Loan Forgiveness/Repayment
Special Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs for Health Professionals (including researchers)
- HRSA Loans and Scholarships
- Includes programs such as Faculty Loan Repayment, National Health Service Corps, NURSE Corps.
- Includes programs such as Faculty Loan Repayment, National Health Service Corps, NURSE Corps.
- NIH Loan Repayment Programs for Health Professions Researchers
- The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers. Repay up to $35,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.
- The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers. Repay up to $35,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Loan Repayment/Forgiveness & Scholarship Programs (various health professions)
- See also Allied Health Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants & Awards LibGuide
- Most of these resources are appropriate for many different kinds of health professionals, not just those in the Allied Health sciences.
- NIH: Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB)The objective of the LRP-IDB is to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds into clinical research careers.
Federal Student Loan Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge
Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge from Federal Student Aid (studentaid.ed.gov) provides the information you need to understand whether you qualify for loan forgiveness due to your job, disability, or other circumstances.
Disability Discharge
- Federal Student Aid: Total and Permanent Disability Loan DischargeIf you’re totally and permanently disabled, you may qualify for a discharge of your federal student loans and/or Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant service obligation.
See details and how to qualify. - Student Loan Disability Discharge: What to Know (Sept 22, 2021, by Meghan Lustig)If you are permanently unable to work, you may qualify to have your student loans canceled.
- NPR Story (12/4/2019): Why Student Loan Borrowers With Disabilities Aren't Getting The Help They DeserveInvestigative story about the difficulties of using this program may help those eligible avoid these issues. Note, in particular, the three-year income-monitoring period, which requires specific documentation.
