NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program

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800.221.9393
Bureau of Health Workforce Customer Service Portal

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) provides loan repayment assistance for medical, nursing, and behavioral/mental health clinicians with specific training and credentials to provide evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in rural communities designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

To be eligible, applicants must:

1. Be a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized) or U.S. National
2. Have a current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted health professional license, certificate or registration in the discipline in which he/she is applying to serve
3. Participate or be eligible to participate as a provider in the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs, as appropriate
4. Be eligible for federal employment
5. Be employed by, or have accepted a position at, a rural NHSC-approved SUD treatment facility where employment and provision of care to patients will begin no later than July 18, 2024

Additional information about eligible disciplines and specialties is provided on the HRSA Loan Repayment Program infographic.

Applicants employed at an NHSC-approved site that is also participating in the Rural Community Opioid Response Program (RCORP), an initiative of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, will be given priority.

Up to $100,000 for 3 years of full-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved SUD treatment facility that is located in a Mental Health or Primary Medical Care HPSA and up to $50,000 for 3 years of half-time clinical practice.

A one-time award enhancement of up to $5,000 for clinicians who demonstrate Spanish-language proficiency through a competency assessment is also available.

Links to the application instructions and the online application portal are available on the program website.

Applicant webinar recording