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Rural Health Information Hub

Scholarships, Loans, and Loan Repayment for Rural Health Professions – Funding & Opportunities

For additional funding options, please see RHIhub's Online Library: Funding & Opportunities

National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment assistance for medical, advanced practice nursing, physician assistant/physician associate, and dental students who agree to provide services in eligible Health Professional Shortage Areas of greatest need.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 19, 2026
Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Health Service Corps, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment assistance for researchers that are not employed by the NIH. Loan repayment awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career, not to support specific research.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 19, 2026
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
Scholarships for Native American and Alaska Native undergraduate students pursuing careers related to tribal public policy, native healthcare, and the environment.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Mar 4, 2027
Sponsor: Morris K Udall and Stewart L Udall Foundation
Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment for undergraduate and graduate health professional educational loans in return for full-time clinical service in Indian Health Service programs.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Aug 15, 2027
Sponsors: Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Training and Mentoring
Provides medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) training for clinicians in high-need communities. Clinicians who complete the training may be priority applicants for some National Health Service Corps loan repayment programs.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Health Service Corps, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Nurses for Nursing Homes
Loan repayment and a stipend for committing to spend 3 years working at a qualifying nursing home or state survey agency.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship
Stipend scholarships for medical students to complete a rural rotation designed to teach future physicians about anesthesia in rural areas.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Indian Medical Scholarship (AIMS) Inactive
Scholarships for students of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian descent that are pursuing careers in nursing, healthcare, and health education. The scholarship is designed to assist students who plan to work on reservations or in hospitals that serve Native populations with the goal of improving healthcare within those communities.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Nov 1, 2026
Sponsor: National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Health Care Scholars United Inactive
Scholarships for students currently pursuing a degree or certificate in a clinical health profession. Students seeking careers in rural health are a priority.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Sep 18, 2026
Sponsor: Scholarship America
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) Site Activation Inactive
Apply to be an approved Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program site to receive assistance with recruitment and retention of qualified SUD clinicians and paraprofessionals.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Sep 1, 2026
Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services