The Chicago School is currently working to strengthen ties to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program. Chicago School students, alumni, and community agencies may be eligible to participate.

What is the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program?

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) offers loan repayment to caring, culturally competent healthcare professionals committed to work in highly underserved communities. NHSC participants represent a variety of disciplines including medicine, nursing, dentistry, and mental health (master’s and doctoral level). Currently, the program is helping more than 650 psychologists, clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychiatric nurse specialists pay off their student loans in return for working with those most in need. NHSC is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administrative, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

How does the program work?

The loan repayment program, available to licensed master’s- and doctoral-level mental health professionals, requires at least a two-year commitment, but participants are eligible to extend their agreement on an annual basis. For the first two years, the government will compensate the clinician up to $25,000 per year on top of his/her salary to reconcile their educational loans. One-year amendments are awarded for a maximum of $35,000 per year to the extent that participants have unpaid loans and continue to serve at an eligible site.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Loan repayment participants must be U.S. citizens willing to make at least a two-year commitment to the program. Additionally, recipients must possess a valid professional license, be in good standing with all student loan lenders, have no other service obligations, and be employed at an approved NHSC site.
Click here for more information.

How do I apply?

Healthcare professionals interested in the loan forgiveness program need to complete an application that is typically available in October and postmarked no later than the last Friday in March. While the official deadline is in March, applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications in February. Click here for more information about the application process.

What does this mean for Community Agencies?

Before a practitioner can receive loan repayment, his/her place of employment must be approved by the NHSC as an eligible site. A list of nearly 4,000 pre-approved sites can be found on the NHSC website.

Additionally, new sites can complete a relatively simple “Recruitment and Retention” application. In general, approved sites serve the underserved, accept Medicaid/Medicare and offer sliding scale fees. Approved sites include public facilities, private practices, community health centers, and prisons. Click here for more information about site eligibility.

What is the NHSC looking for in an applicant?

The NHSC seeks healthcare professionals who are:

• Dedicated to service
• Culturally competent
• Community responsive
• Interdisciplinary focused

As such, graduates of The Chicago School are extremely well prepared to meet the opportunities available to them through the NHSC, and several of the school’s alumni have successfully completed the program.

Where can I find more information about the Loan Repayment Program?

Highly committed civil servants who are eager to assist applicants through the process work with the NHSC. Interested professionals should visit the NHSC website and/or contact one of their representatives by phone at 800.221.9393 or email at callcenter@hrsa.gov.