Loan Repayment Programs

Student Loans * Student Grants * Loan Repayment * IDEA * Tuition-Free Education * Head Start Program

List of Loan Repayment Programs from Federal and States’ Agencies

Disadvantaged Health Professions Faculty Loan Repayment (FLRP)

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS),
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: (301) 594-4130.

Grants (Direct Payments for FLRP) : FY 13 est $1,264,000; and FY 14 est $1,264,000
Faculty Loan Repayments Range for FY12 $20,151 to $59,853; Average: $57,485

Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) – Funds will be used to repay qualifying health professions educational loans consisting of principal and interest on loans incurred by the applicant while enrolled in a school in return for serving a minimum of least 2 years as a full-time or part-time faculty member at one of the following accredited health profession schools:

  • allopathic
  • osteopathic
  • podiatric or veterinary medicine
  • dentistry
  • pharmacy
  • optometry
  • nursing (RN or Advanced Practice RN)
  • physician assistants
  • allied health or graduate programs in public health or behavioral and mental health.

Health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds can receive up to a maximum of $40,000 towards repayment of their student loans in exchange for educating tomorrow’s clinicians. Individuals selected to participate in the program agree to serve on the faculty of an accredited health professions college or university for 2 years. The Government pays up to a maximum of $40,000 of the participant’s student loans and provides funds to offset the tax burden. Participants should also receive matching funds from their employing educational institution.

Beneficiary Eligibility

To be eligible for Disadvantaged Health Professions Faculty Loan Repayment (FLRP) Grants you must be a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S. National or Lawful Permanent Resident. A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) is any person, not a citizen of the U.S. who is residing in the U.S. under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant. An LPR is also known as a “Permanent Resident Alien,” “Resident Alien Permit Holder,” and “Green Card Holder.”

Individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds who:

(1) are U.S. citizens (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S. nationals or Lawful Permanent Residents;

(2) have a degree or certificate in one of the following health profession disciplines: allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric or veterinary medicine; dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, nursing (RN or Advanced Practice RN), physician assistants, allied health, or graduate programs in public health or behavioral and mental health; or are enrolled in an approved graduate training program in one of the health professions listed above, or are enrolled as full-time students (in the disciplines listed above) at an accredited health professions institution and are in the final course of study or program leading to a degree from that institution;

(3) have a minimum 2-year employment commitment from an eligible health professions school for a full-time or part-time faculty position;

(4) have a written agreement with the eligible health professions school for equivalent loan repayment; and

(5) be currently repaying qualifying educational loans.

Individuals with a degree or enrolled in an approved graduate training program in an eligible discipline:

  • Allopathic Medicine
  • Osteopathic Medicine
  • Podiatric Medicine
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Pharmacy
  • Optometry
  • Nursing (RN or Advanced Practice RN)
  • Public Health (graduate level only)
  • Physician Assistant
  • Behavioral and Mental Health (graduate level only)
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Clinical Social Work
  • Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Professional Counseling
  • Allied Health Professions (baccalaureate or graduate degree programs)
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Radiologic Technology
  • Speech Pathology
  • Audiology
  • Registered Dietitian

Individuals with an employment commitment for a full-time or part-time faculty position for a minimum of two years, beginning on or before July 31, 2013, from one of the following types of eligible schools:

  • Allopathic Medicine
  • Osteopathic Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Nursing
  • Pharmacy
  • Allied Health
  • Podiatric Medicine
  • Optometry
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Public Health (graduate level only)
  • A school offering physician assistant education programs
  • A school offering graduate programs in behavioral and mental health
  • From a disadvantaged background, based on environmental or economic factors.

How to Apply

Health Resources and Services Administration requires all FLRP applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov.

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Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program; CR LRP

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health

Project Grants FY 11 $64,252; FY 12 est $26,389; and FY 13 est $250,086
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: For initial 2-year contracts, loan repayments range from $4,000 to $70,000, Tax reimbursements range from $1,977 to $34,598.
The average contract cost which includes loan and tax reimbursement is $68,454.

To recruit and retain health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds to conduct clinical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by providing for the repayment of educational loans for participants with substantial amounts of educational debt relative to income, who agree by written contract to engage in clinical research as employees of the NIH for a minimum two-year period. To provide repayment of extant educational loans incurred by health professionals engaged, as employees of the NIH, in clinical research. Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 2 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. One-year continuation contracts are available, dependent upon the level of debt and continued involvement in clinical research. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayments and $13,650 per year in Federal tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual salary, which is referred to as their “debt threshold.” An amount equal to half of this “debt threshold” will not be repaid by NIH and must be paid by the Program participants.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Clinical researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds who have unpaid educational loans will benefit from this program. Eligible applicants must: (1) Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) possess a M.D., Ph.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.P.M., A.D.N., B.S.N., or equivalent degree; or hold the position of Physician Assistant; (3) come from a disadvantaged background as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (4) have qualified educational debt, which results from governmental or commercial loans obtained to support their undergraduate and/or graduate education, in excess of 20 percent of their annual NIH salary on the program eligibility date; (5) be appointed under any temporary or permanent employment mechanism in the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, so long as their employment has the potential to last a minimum of 2 years; (6) are not eligible to participate in the CR-LRP if they have an existing service obligation to Federal, State, or other entities, until such obligation is discharged or unless it is deferred during the period of program service; (7) submit an application to participate in the CR-LRP; and (8) sign and submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the time of agreeing to accept repayment of educational loans, a contract agreeing to engage in clinical research as an employee of the NIH for a minimum of 2 years.

How to Apply

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, to apply for the Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds.

National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Building 2, Room 2E18
2 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0230 Email: colep@mail.nih.gov Phone: 3014021283 Fax: 30148029

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Contraception and Infertility Research Loan Repayment Program CIR LRP

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health,
6100 Executive Blvd., Room 2C01, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510 Email: ehayunga@mail.nih.gov Phone: (301) 496-6856.

Direct Payments for Loan Repayments  FY 12 $1,285,525; FY 13 est $1,001,000; and FY 14 est $1,001,000

The CIR-LRP is designed to provide an incentive for health professionals to work in areas of reproductive research directly related to contraceptive development and/or infertility diagnosis and treatment by providing assistance in repaying educational loans for individuals. The CIR-LRP will pay up to $35,000 of the principal and interest of a participant’s educational loans for each year of commitment not to exceed one-half of the remaining loan balance. In addition to the loan repayments, the CIR-LRP will pay participants up to 39 percent of the amount paid to lenders as partial payments on the increased income tax liability caused by the Program’s loan repayments. In return for these loan repayments, applicants must agree to commit to a period of obligated service of not less than 2 years conducting research with respect to contraception and/or infertility. The long-range objective of the CIR-LRP is to stimulate the commitment of researchers to sustaining a career focus on contraception and/or infertility research.

The assistance provided by the CIR-LRP is entire of a financial nature in the form of loan repayments. The monies provided by this program are restricted to the repayment of pre-existing, qualified loans procured by the participant for educational expenses incurred in the pursuit of undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen (or U.S. national or permanent resident) and a physician, Ph.D.-level scientist, nurse, physician’s assistant, graduate student, or postgraduate research fellow training in the health professions. You must commit to conduct contraception and infertility research for 50% of your time (at least 20 hours weekly based on a 40 hour week) for two years and it must be funded by a domestic nonprofit or U.S. Government (Federal, state or local) entity. Also, the research must not be prohibited by Federal law or NIH policy.

In order to be considered for selection into the CIR-LRP, eligible applicants must complete and submit the electronic application materials located at www.lrp.nih.gov, which include: (1) a Loan Verification Form for each loan to be considered for repayment; (2) an institutional statement providing assurance that the applicant will be engaged in employment/training at an NICHD intramural laboratory or in a qualified domestic nonprofit institution (tax-exempt under 26 USC 501), for not less than two years from the anticipated effective date of the NIH Loan Repayment Program contract between the individual and NICHD (this assurance is conducted electronically); and (3) a signed NIH Loan Repayment Program Contract by which the applicant agrees to serve the obligated minimum period of two years conducting contraception and/or infertility research at an NICHD intramural laboratory or in a qualified domestic nonprofit institution (tax-exempt under 26 USC 501). Renewal applicants may request one-year awards. For these applicants, a one-year “institutional statement providing assurance” and “NIH Loan Repayment Program Contract” is sufficient.

How to Apply

For application contact: National Institutes of Health,  6100 Executive Blvd., Room 2C01, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510 Email: ehayunga@mail.nih.gov Phone: (301) 496-6856.

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Grants to States for Loan Repayment Program (State Loan Repayment Program)

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration

Grants to States for Loan Repayment FY 12 $7,706,400; FY 13 est $10,000,000; and FY 14 est $10,000,000 – SLRP.

To increase the availability of primary health care in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) by assisting States in operating programs for the repayment of educational loans of health professionals in return for their practice in HPSAs. Funds under this grant must only be used to repay the qualifying educational loans of health professionals who have entered into State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) contract with the States. Funds cannot be used for the following purposes: costs of administering the program, State matching funds, or any other purpose.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Applicants for State programs must have completed a course of study required to practice independently without supervision, as one of the following health care professionals: Doctors of Allopathic Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine, General Practice Dentists (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Pediatric Dentists, Primary Care Certified Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse-Midwives, Primary Care Physician Assistants, Registered Clinical Dental Hygienists, Health Service Psychologist (formerly Clinical or Counseling Psychologists (Ph.D. or equivalent), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (master’s or doctoral degree in social work), Psychiatric Nurse Specialists, Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselors (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in counseling), Marriage and Family Therapists (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in marriage and family therapy). The primary care specialties approvable for physicians are: family medicine (and osteopathic general practice), internal medicine, including geriatricians, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and geriatrics and general psychiatry. General practitioners (physicians who have not completed residency training programs) are not eligible for funding under the SLRP. The primary care specialties approval for nurse practitioners and physician assistants are: adult, family, pediatrics, psychiatry/mental health, geriatrics, or women’s health. Participants must provide full-time clinical service for a minimum of two years in a public or non-profit entity located in a federally designated health professional shortage area (HPSA). Refer to the NHSC State Loan Repayment Program Guidance for specific requirements.

How to Apply

Contact the headquarters Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services 5600 Fishera Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: (301) 594-4400 for application deadlines and to obtain the application.

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Loan Repayment Program for General Research (NIH General Research Loan Repayment Program; GR-LRP)

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health, Office of Intramural Training and Education National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Building 2, Room 2E18 2 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0230 Email: colep@mail.nih.gov Phone: 3014021283 Fax: 3014802942

Loan Repayment: For initial 3-year contracts, loan repayment awards may range from $6,000 to $105,000; Tax reimbursements range from $2,966 to $51,896. The average contract cost which includes loan and tax reimbursement is $102,000.

To recruit and retain health professionals performing research in fields required by the NIH to carry out its mission by providing educational loan repayment for participants with substantial amounts of educational debt relative to income, who agree by written contract to engage in laboratory or clinical research as employees of the NIH for a minimum 3-year period. To provide repayment of extant educational loans incurred by health professionals engaged, as employees of the NIH, in laboratory or clinical research. Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 3 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. Continuation contracts for 1-year terms are available, dependent upon the level of debt and continued involvement in research that supports the research and institutional needs and the mission of the NIH. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayments and $13,650 per year in Federal tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual salary, which is referred to as their “debt threshold.”

Beneficiary Eligibility

NIH researchers who possess substantial unpaid educational debt relative to income will benefit from this program. Eligible applicants must: (1) Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) possess an M.D., Ph.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.P.M., A.D.N., B.S.N., or equivalent degree, or hold the position of Physician Assistant; (3) have qualified educational debt, which results from governmental or commercial loans obtained to support their undergraduate and/or graduate education, in excess of 20 percent of their annual NIH salary on the program eligibility date; (4) be appointed to the NIH Intramural Research Program under any temporary or permanent employment mechanism, so long as the employment has the potential to last a minimum of three years; (5) not be under any existing service obligation to Federal, State, or other entities, until such obligation is discharged or unless it is deferred during the period of program service; (6) submit an application to participate in the Loan Repayment Program for General Research; and (7) sign and submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the time of application submission, a contract agreeing to engage in research as an employee of the NIH for a minimum of 3 years.

How to Apply

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

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National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC Loan Repayment Program)

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Intramural Training and Education, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services
Building 2, Room 2E18, 2 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0230 Email: colep@mail.nih.gov Phone: (301) 402-1283 Fax: (301) 480-4942.

Grants: FY 11 $233,569; FY 12 est $329,000; and FY 13 est $300,000
For initial 2-year contracts, loan repayment awards may range from $4,000 to $70,000; tax reimbursements range from $1,977 to $34,598. The average contract cost which includes loan and tax reimbursement is $53,162. There were no new awards in 2009. There 4 renewal awards.

To help assure an adequate supply of trained researchers (physicians, registered nurses and scientists) with respect to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by providing for the repayment of educational loans for participants who agree, by written contract, to primarily engage in AIDS research as employees of the NIH. This program will provide partial repayment of educational loans incurred by physicians, registered nurses and scientists engaged, as employees of the NIH, in AIDS research. Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 2 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. Continuation contracts are available, dependent upon the level of debt and continued involvement in AIDS research, and are issued for one-year periods. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayments and $13,650 per year in Federal tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual NIH salary, which is referred to as their “debt threshold.” An amount equal to half of this “debt threshold” will not be repaid by NIH and must be paid by the Program participants.

Beneficiary Eligibility

AIDS researchers who have unpaid educational loans will benefit from this program. Applicants must submit documentation of the following, as appropriate: 1) Copies of loan applications and agreements from governmental or commercial educational loans that are being considered for repayment; 2) copies of the standard student budget from schools attended during the period when the debt was incurred, and 3) other documentation as required by law. Eligible applicants must: (1) Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) possess an M.D., Ph.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.P.M., A.D.N., B.S.N., or equivalent degree, or hold the position of Physician Assistant; 3) have educational debt, which results from governmental or commercial loans obtained to support their undergraduate and/or graduate education in excess of 20 percent of their annual NIH salary (exclusive of special allowances of any kind) on the program eligibility date; 4) be appointed under any temporary or permanent employment mechanism in the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, so long as their employment has the potential to last a minimum of 2 years; 5) not have an existing service obligation to Federal, State, or other entities unless deferred during period of program service; 6) submit an application to participate in the Loan Repayment Program; and 7) submit to the Secretary for Health and Human Services, at the time of application, a signed contract agreeing to engage in AIDS research at the NIH for a minimum of 2 years.

How to Apply

Health Resources and Services Administration,  Office of Intramural Training and Education, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Building 2, Room 2E18, 2 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0230 Email: colep@mail.nih.gov Phone: (301) 402-1283 Fax: (301) 480-4942.

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National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Researchers (NIH LRP-CR)

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health
6011 Executive Blvd., Suite 206, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: boehlers@od.nih.gov Phone: (301) 451-4465

Grants for Direct Loan Repayments (NIH LRP-CR): FY 11 $40,000,000; FY 12 est $41,000,000; and FY 13 est $41,000,000
For initial two-year contract periods, loan repayments awards may range from $2,298 to $70,000; Tax reimbursements range from $896 to $27,300. The average cost which includes loan and tax reimbursement is $42,457.

To attract and retain health professionals to clinical research careers by offering educational loan repayment for participants who agree by written contract to engage in clinical research in a qualifying nonprofit institution for a minimum of 2 years.

To provide repayment of extant educational loans incurred by health professionals engaged in clinical research. Your research must be supported by a domestic nonprofit foundation, university, professional association, or other nonprofit institution, or a U.S. government agency (federal, state, or local). A domestic foundation, professional association, or institution is considered to be nonprofit if exempt from federal tax under the provisions of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501). NIH grants and university salaries are considered eligible for funding. Your primary employment must be with a nonprofit institution. Any employment or income outside of the nonprofit institution must be separate from your research and cannot represent a significant amount of your total income.

Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 2 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. Participants may apply for and the Secretary may grant extension contracts for one-year or two-year periods, as determined by the Secretary if the individual continues to engage in qualifying research. Renewal applications are competitively reviewed and the submission of a renewal application does not assure the award of benefits. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayments and $13,650 per year in Federal tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual salary, which is referred to as their “debt threshold.”

Beneficiary Eligibility

Health professionals who are interested in pursuing clinical research careers and who have unpaid educational loans will benefit from this program.

(1) A U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) Have a Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., Pharm. D., D.C., N.D., O.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution; (3) Have total qualifying educational loan debt equal to or in excess of 20 percent of their institutional base salary on the date of program eligibility (the effective date that a loan repayment contract has been executed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or designee); (4) Conduct qualifying research supported by a domestic nonprofit foundation, nonprofit professional association, or other nonprofit institution, or the U.S. or other government agency (State or local); (5) Engage in qualified clinical research. Clinical research is patient-oriented clinical research conducted with human subjects, or research on the causes and consequences of disease in human populations involving material of human origin (such as tissue specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator or colleague directly interacts with human subjects in an outpatient or inpatient setting to clarify a problem in human physiology, pathophysiology or disease, or epidemiologic or behavioral studies, outcomes research or health services research, or developing new technologies, therapeutic interventions, or clinical trials; (6) Engage in qualified clinical research for at least 50 percent of their time, i.e., not less than 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week; (7) Agree to conduct research for which funding is not prohibited by Federal law, regulation, or HHS/NIH policy, and in accordance with applicable Federal, State and local law (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations); and (8) Sign and submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the time of application submission, a contract agreeing to engage in clinical research in a qualifying institution for a minimum of 2 years. Full-time employees of Federal Government agencies are ineligible to apply for LRP benefits. Part-time Federal employees who engage in qualifying research as part of their nonfederal duties for at least 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week, and who are not compensated as a Federal employee for their research, are eligible to apply for loan repayment if they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Applicants electronically transmit the following documents to the NIH: Applicant Information Statement, Biosketch, Personal Statement, Description of Research Activities, 3 Recommendations, Loan Information including current account statement(s) and promissory note(s) or disclosure statement(s), Assessment of Research Activities Statement (completed by the research supervisor), and Description of the Research Environment (completed by the research supervisor), Training or Mentoring Plan (completed by the research supervisor). Institutional Contacts electronically transmit a certification that: (a) assures the applicant will be provided the necessary time and resources to engage in the research project for two years from the date a Loan Repayment Program Contract is executed; (b) assures that the applicant is or will be engaged in qualifying research for 50 percent of their time (or not less than 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week); (c) certifies that the institution is nonprofit (exempt from tax under 26 USC 501), and (d) provides the applicant’s institutional base salary.

How to Apply

National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Blvd., Suite 206, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: boehlers@od.nih.gov Phone: (301) 451-4465

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National Institutes of Health Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (NIH Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program; PR-LRP )

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health
6011 Executive Blvd., Suite 206, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: boehlers@od.nih.gov Phone: (301) 451-4465.

Grants for Direct Loan Repayments:  FY 11 $18,400,000; FY 12 est $19,000,000; and FY 13 est $19,000,000
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: For initial 2-year contract periods, loan repayment of 50 percent of education debt up to $70,000 plus tax payments. For renewal contracts, loan repayment of 50 percent of education debt per year up to $35,000 per year.

To attract and retain health professionals to pediatric research careers by offering educational loan repayment for participants who agree by written contract to engage in pediatric research in a qualifying nonprofit institution for a minimum of 2 years. To provide repayment of extant educational loans incurred by health professionals engaged in pediatric research in a qualified nonprofit institution or Federal or other domestic government agency (State or local), and who are engaged in research that is supported by a nonprofit foundation, nonprofit professional association, or other nonprofit entity, or a Federal or other domestic government agency (State, local). Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 2 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. Participants may apply for and the Secretary may grant extension contracts for one-year or two-year periods, as determined by the Secretary if the individual continues to engage in qualifying research. Renewal applications are competitively reviewed and the submission of a renewal application does not assure the award of benefits. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayments and $13,650 per year in Federal tax reimbursements, plus discretionary state and local tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual salary, which is referred to as their “debt threshold.”

Beneficiary Eligibility

Health professionals who are interested in pursuing pediatric research careers who have unpaid educational loans will benefit from this program. Eligible applicants must: (1) be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) have a Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., Pharm.D., D.C., N.D., O.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution; (3) have total qualifying educational loan debt equal to or in excess of 20 percent of their institutional base salary on the date of program eligibility (the effective date that a loan repayment contract has been executed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or designee); (4) conduct qualifying research supported by a domestic nonprofit foundation, nonprofit professional association, or other nonprofit institution, or a U.S. or other government agency (Federal, State, or local); (5) engage in qualified pediatric research (pediatric research is research that is directly related to diseases, disorders, and other conditions in children); (6) engage in qualified pediatric research for at least 50 percent of their time, i.e., not less than 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week; (7) agree to conduct research for which funding is not prohibited by Federal law, regulation, or HHS/NIH policy, and in accordance with applicable Federal, State and local law (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations); and (8) sign and submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the time of application submission, a contract agreeing to engage in pediatric research in a qualifying institution for a minimum of 2 years. Full-time employees of Federal Government agencies are ineligible to apply for LRP benefits. Part-time Federal employees who engage in qualifying research as part of their non-Federal duties for at least 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week, and who are not compensated as Federal employees for their research, are eligible to apply for loan repayment if they meet all other eligibility requirements.

How to Apply

Check Loan Repayment Programs website of National Institutes of Health for details on all programs and application process.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Check Frequently Asked Questions at the Food and Nutrition Services website.