Nurse Student Loan Forgiveness Programs Explained

Nursing school leaves a lot of nurses in debt. About 2 million nurses, or 45%, reported using federal loans to help pay for at least part of their first nursing degree in 2022, and RNs collectively carry an estimated $48 billion in student loan debt.

The upside: if any of that debt is federal, you likely qualify for one or more forgiveness or repayment programs. These programs reward public service, usually in exchange for working a set number of years in an underserved community, the military, or another high-need setting. This guide walks through the programs nurses are eligible for and what each one requires.

Two things to keep front of mind. Most forgiveness programs apply only to federal loans, not private ones. And the rules shift, especially around income-driven repayment, so verify current terms with your loan servicer and at studentaid.gov before you count on any number here.

How Loan Forgiveness Works

If you meet a program's requirements and fulfill your work commitment, the funder pays down or clears your remaining federal balance. With Public Service Loan Forgiveness, for example, you submit a PSLF form and the funding goes straight to your outstanding balance once you have met the conditions. Most programs target professionals who serve the public, so the trade is consistent: time in a high-need role in exchange for debt relief.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

PSLF forgives the loans of nurses who work full-time, at least 30 hours a week, for a federal, state, local, or tribal government or a qualifying nonprofit. Loans are forgiven after you make the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments. Check that your loan type qualifies before you start counting.

Your employer has to certify your employment. If they cannot or will not, or the organization has closed, you may be able to certify with tax documents or pay stubs instead.

Who qualifies: nurses working full-time for a government, including the military, or a qualifying nonprofit, who have made the equivalent of 120 qualifying payments and still carry a balance.

Perkins Loan Cancellation

If you received a Perkins Loan by June 30, 2018, you may qualify for up to 100% cancellation for five years of full-time service as a nurse providing health care. Time spent as a medical technician before becoming a nurse can count toward those five years. Eligible volunteer service, such as the military or Peace Corps, may also count, as long as the work happened on or after October 7, 1998.

Who qualifies: nurses with at least five years of full-time work as a nurse or medical technician, or four years as an eligible volunteer, who still owe on a Perkins Loan.

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

HRSA's Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program pays up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt for RNs, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty. In exchange, you work two years full-time at an eligible facility with a critical nursing shortage, or at an eligible nursing school as faculty. You get 60% of your outstanding loans repaid after the first two years, with an option for another 25% after a third year. The repaid amount counts as taxable income.

Who qualifies: RNs, APRNs, and nurse faculty with qualifying nursing debt.

Army Nurse Health Professions Loan Repayment Program

Enlist in the U.S. Army or Army Reserve and you can receive loan repayment paid directly to your lender: up to $120,000 for three years of active duty or up to $60,000 for two years in the reserves. You may also qualify for a signing bonus, a salary, and a housing allowance, and the Army offers several scholarships. Repayment counts as taxable income, and the dollar figures and bonuses change regularly, so confirm current terms with an Army recruiter.

Who qualifies: RNs with a bachelor's degree in nursing or higher, and APRNs.

Faculty Loan Repayment Program

Nursing faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds who hold at least a two-year contract to teach at a public or nonprofit school can receive up to $40,000 in loan repayment, plus funding to offset the tax burden. Teaching nursing in a graduate-level public health program also qualifies.

Who qualifies: RN or APRN graduates from a disadvantaged background teaching at a public or nonprofit school.

Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program

Nurses who commit to at least two years at facilities serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities can receive up to $50,000 toward loan repayment through the Indian Health Service. You do not have to be of Indigenous American heritage to participate.

Who qualifies: RNs in community or public health and case management, diabetic nurse educators, and APRNs including nurse-midwives and nurse anesthetists. Non-nursing health professionals are eligible too.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program

The NHSC Loan Repayment Program is open to APRNs who treat Medicare, Medicaid, or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients and work at an NHSC-approved site in a health professional shortage area. The commitment is two years, with the option to extend for additional funds.

Primary care providers can receive up to $75,000 for full-time service or $37,500 for part-time. Other providers can receive up to $50,000 full-time and $25,000 part-time. Spanish-language proficiency adds up to $5,000.

Who qualifies: nurse-midwives, psychiatric nurse specialists, and NPs in adult, family, geriatric, mental health and psychiatry, pediatric, or women's health specialties.

NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program

This program is open to APRNs and specialty nurses who participate in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP and specialize in primary care, mental or behavioral health, or maternity care at an NHSC-approved substance use treatment facility. It pays up to $75,000 for three years of full-time service or up to $37,500 for half-time, plus a one-time award of up to $5,000 for Spanish-language proficiency.

Who qualifies: RNs, NPs, psychiatric nurse specialists, and certified nurse-midwives.

NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program

This program is open to APRNs and specialty nurses providing substance use disorder care to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP recipients in a rural health professional shortage area. The work has to be at an NHSC-approved site, which can include nonprofits, government organizations, and private practices. It forgives up to $100,000 for three years of full-time service or $50,000 for three years of half-time service, plus up to $5,000 for Spanish-language proficiency.

Who qualifies: RNs, NPs, psychiatric nurse specialists, nurse-midwives, and nurse anesthetists.

NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program

This one is for students in their final year of school. It provides up to $120,000 in tax-free loan repayment in exchange for at least three years of full-time service at an NHSC-approved site in a designated health professional shortage area. An additional Maternity Care Target Area supplemental award of up to $40,000 is available for eligible maternity care providers.

Who qualifies: nurse practitioner and certified nurse-midwife students in their final year.

Income-Driven Repayment Plans

Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans set your monthly payment based on income and family size, then forgive the remaining balance after a set number of payments over 20 or 25 years. The forgiven amount may count as taxable income.

This area is in flux. The SAVE plan was found unlawful and is being wound down, and borrowers enrolled in it have been directed to move to a legal plan. A new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) launches July 1, 2026 and replaces most existing IDR plans for new borrowers. Income-Based Repayment (IBR) remains available to existing borrowers, while Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) are scheduled to sunset by July 1, 2028. Qualifying months you have already earned generally carry over when you switch plans. Because the rules and deadlines keep moving, check with your loan servicer and studentaid.gov for the current picture.

Who qualifies: nurses and other borrowers with eligible federal loans, including direct loans, direct consolidation loans, and Stafford Loans.

School-Related Loan Cancellations

Something the school did when you first took out a loan can qualify you for a cancellation or discharge. There are four to know:

• Borrower Defense to Repayment, for borrowers whose school misled them or broke certain laws. It applies to Federal Direct Loans; FFEL and Perkins loans may qualify if you consolidate into the Direct Loan Program.
• False Certification Discharge, for borrowers whose school falsely certified their eligibility for a Direct Loan or FFEL loan.
• Closed School Loan Discharge, for borrowers whose school closed while they were enrolled or shortly after they withdrew. Available for Direct, FFEL, and Perkins loans.
• Unpaid Refund Discharge, for borrowers who withdrew and whose school failed to return required loan funds to the servicer.

Who qualifies: nurses and other borrowers with federal loans whose school misled them, broke certain laws, falsely certified their eligibility, closed, or failed to return required funds.

FAQ

Can nurses really get their student loans forgiven? Yes. The federal government runs several forgiveness, repayment, and cancellation programs that can cover part or all of a nurse's debt. Most require a commitment to serve an underserved community for a set time.

What do the NHSC programs require? RNs, APRNs, and eligible students in the final year of a nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife program qualify if they work at, or commit to, NHSC-approved facilities in health professional shortage areas and meet all eligibility requirements. Some require a specialty such as primary care, mental health, or maternal care.

What is the difference between forgiveness, repayment, and cancellation? They all reduce or eliminate qualifying debt. Forgiveness and cancellation erase a balance after you meet conditions; repayment programs pay a set dollar amount toward your loans in exchange for service. The right one depends on your loan type and where you work.