Pursuing a career in health doesn’t mean you need to take on student loan debt. There are scholarship and loan repayment programs available to individuals who go on to work in primary care, nursing, mental health, and public health, among other fields. Schools, hospitals, and health departments have funding to help support your journey to becoming a health worker.
$120K
the amount you may qualify for in loan repayments through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
20,000+
clinicians received scholarships and loan repayment for practicing in underserved communities
On this page:
For current students
| Featured Program | Eligibility Criteria | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| NHSC Scholarship Program | Students in certain health degree programs may qualify | Tuition, reasonable educational expenses, and a monthly stipend |
| Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) | Master’s-level or postgraduate students pursuing careers in mental health or substance use treatment may qualify | Tuition, mentorship, training opportunities, and other benefits |
| Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship Program | American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students pursuing health careers may qualify | Tuition, required fees, and other educational and living expenses |
Scholarships
There are options that can help you pay for a substantial portion of your health education:
- Nurse Corps Scholarship Program: Students earning eligible nursing degrees or certificates may qualify for coverage of tuition and other education costs if you agree to work for at least 2 years at an eligible health facility with a critical shortage of nurses.
- Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP): Native Hawaiian students pursuing careers in primary and behavioral health disciplines may qualify for coverage of tuition and other education costs if you agree to work for 2-4 years in a medically underserved area in Hawai’i.
- American Indians into Medicine, Psychology, and Nursing Programs: AI/AN students in medical, psychology, or nursing programs at specific grant-awarded universities may qualify for scholarships and financial aid to support your entrance into the health field.
- Check with your state’s health department for additional scholarship opportunities.
Loan repayment options
- NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program: Students in your last year of medical or dental school or a nurse midwifery, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner program may qualify for up to $120,000 in loan repayments if you serve 3 years in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
Paid on-the-job programs
- Externship Program for IHS Scholars: Health students may be employed for 30 to 120 workdays per calendar year during non-academic period in this pre-professional training with IHS.
- Public Health AmeriCorps: If you are at least 17 years old, you may be eligible to receive a living allowance and student loan forgiveness or deferment/forbearance if you use a gap year or post-graduate experience to train to work in advancing health outcomes for underserved communities.
- Pathways Programs: Current students as young as high school, recent graduates, and individuals with advanced degrees may qualify for paid jobs with federal agencies, including within HHS and its offices and agencies.
For working professionals
| Featured Program | Eligibility Criteria | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
Clinicians working in primary care medicine or mental/behavioral health may qualify |
Up to $105,000 in loans repaid |
|
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) |
Health workers, clinical support staff, and mental/behavioral health professionals at an approved facility may qualify |
Up to $250,000 in loans repaid |
NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program |
Clinicians working in primary care medicine or mental/behavioral health may qualify |
Up to $80,000 in loans repaid |
Loan repayment options
There are options that can help you repay part of your school loans while you serve in a community of need:
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program: Primary care, dental, and behavioral health clinicians working in approved facilities may be eligible for up to $80,000 of your qualifying student loans being repaid if you agree to serve 2-3 years at an eligible site.
- Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program: Registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty may be eligible for up to 85% of your qualifying nursing educational loan balance being repaid if you agree to serve at least 2 years in an eligible health facility with a critical shortage of nurses or as faculty at a school of nursing.
- IHS Loan Repayment Program: Eligible health graduates may qualify for up to $50,000 in loan repayments if you serve at least 2 years in health facilities serving AI/AN communities.
- Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program: If you are a clinician providing pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care including substance use disorder prevention and treatment services you may qualify for up to $100,000 in loan repayments if you agree to work for 3 years in an approved pediatric facility.
- Faculty Loan Repayment Program: If you are a faculty member from an economically and environmentally disadvantaged background you may qualify for up to $40,000 in loan repayments if you agree to serve for 2 years at an eligible health professions school.
- Public Health AmeriCorps: You may be eligible for student loan forgiveness or deferment/forbearance as you get hands-on experience in becoming a public health leader who is advancing health outcomes for underserved communities.
- Check with your state’s health department for additional loan repayment opportunities.
Join the NHSC
supports more than 18,000 primary care medical, dental, and behavioral health providers through scholarships and loan repayment programs.
