The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) offers registered nurses substantial assistance to repay educational loans in exchange for service in eligible facilities located in areas experiencing a shortage of nurses. Authorized by section 846 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the purpose of the NELRP is to assist in the recruitment and retention of professional nurses dedicated to providing health care to underserved populations.

Individual Eligibility Requirements
NELRP participants must:

• Have a diploma, associate or baccalaureate degree in nursing or graduate degree from an accredited school
  of nursing
• Have unpaid qualifying loans obtained for nursing education
• Be a citizen, national or permanent resident of the United States
• Be employed full time at an eligible health facility
• Have a current unrestricted license in the State in which they intend to practice under the NELRP
• Submit a complete application, including a signed contract to serve full-time as a qualified nurse for two or three years at an eligible health facility

 

Individual not eligible to participate in NELRP include those who:

• have an existing service obligation for health professional service that is owed or provided for under the agreement with a Federal, State, or local government or nay other entity, prior to beginning the period of service under this contract (e.g., an active or reserve military obligation, or existing commitment to an institution for educational pay back service)
• have a judgment lien against their property for debt owed to the United States have breached an obligation for professional service to a Federal, State or local government entity are in default of an Federal debt (e.g., student loans, delinquent taxes, etc) and are not considered by their creditors to be in good standing.

 

Length of Service Obligations
All NELRP participants must enter into a contract agreeing to work full time in an approved eligible health facility. For two years of service, the NELRP will pay 60 percent of the participant's total qualifying loan balance; for three years of service, the NELRP will pay 85 percent of the participant's total qualifying loan balance. A participant who agrees to serve two years may be eligible to amend the NELRP contract and work a third year at an eligible facility, for which the NELRP will pay a additional 25 percent of the qualifying loan balance.

Types of Eligible Health Facilities:
For more information, call NELRP toll-free 866-813-3753, e-mail NELRP@hrsa.gov, or contact NELRP Staff:

To Contact program staff:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
Bureau of Health Professions
Division of Nursing
Diversity and Basic Nurse Education Branch
Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-36
Rockville, Maryland 20857
Phone: 301-443-3232
Fax: 301-443-0791

From California, Colorado, Georgia,Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska
Contact Leola Bennett, Public Health Analyst, lbennett@hrsa.gov

From Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, South Dakota
Contact Jackie Brown, Public Health Analyst, jbrown1@hrsa.gov

From Guam, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
Contact Robin Ingram, Public Health Analyst, ringram@hrsa.gov

From Alaska, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina
Contact Jerry Locklear, Management Analyst, jlocklear@hrsa.gov

From American Somoa, Oklahoma,Oregon, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Contact Donna Schwab, Management Analyst, dschwab@hrsa.gov

From Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi,New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont Contact Denise Wright, Public Health Analyst, dwright@hrsa.gov

Jim McCann, DSNc, RN, CANP
Branch Chief, Diversity and Basic Nurse Education
jmccann@hrsa.gov

Madeline Turkeltaub, RN, PhD, CRNP
Nurse Consultant
mturkeltaub@hrsa.gov

Ernell Spratley
Health Manpower Education officer
espratley@hrsa.gov