Washington Health Corps funding opens for 2024

The Washington Health Corps is offering conditional scholarships and loan repayment for a variety of healthcare professionals, including registered and advanced practice nurses and, now, nurse educators.

The Washington Health Corps programs support licensed health professionals in providing care at approved sites in critical shortage areas. In exchange for loan repayment, participants commit to serving in certain communities for a set period of time.

Terms and payment

State Health and Behavioral Health participants are required to work at least 24 hours per week at a preapproved site. The service obligation term is three years for full-time employment (40 hours a week), or a prorated equivalent term of up to five years for less than full-time employment. Awards are a maximum of $75,000 (not to exceed participant’s loan debt).

The Federal Health Program matches state funds with federal funds from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services – State Loan Repayment Program. Washington State received a new, three-year federal matching grant beginning in 2022. Federal Health participants are required to work full time (a minimum of 40 hours per week) for a minimum of two years at a preapproved site. Awards are a maximum of $70,000 (not to exceed participant’s loan debt).

In order to be eligible, applicants must be employed at a site on the Preapproved Site List and working under an eligible license type for that site. There are 416 approved sites for registered nurses and 282 for licensed practice nurses. Before applying, review the Washington Health Corps Reference Guide. This is a 28-page guide that defines what site is eligible, how long someone must work, what happens if someone breaches their contract, among other things.

Visit the Washington Health Corps website to learn more and apply.

Nurse educators

The Nurse Educator program is funded with state dollars. Participants are required to teach at least one class per semester or quarter at an approved nursing program. The service obligation term is three years for full-time employment or a prorated equivalent term of up to five years for less than full-time employment (or adjunct). Awards are a maximum of $75,000 (not to exceed participant’s loan debt).

Nurse educators must work at an institution of higher education authorized to participate in state financial aid programs, and the program must lead to a degree or licensure in nursing approved by The Washington State Board of Nursing.

For nurse educators, there is a separate reference guide.  Nurse educators apply through the Nurse Educator Loan Repayment program.

History

The original Washington State Health Professional Loan Repayment and Scholarship program was established in 1989 to address healthcare workforce shortage issues in rural and underserved urban communities. The 2019 Washington State Legislature created the Washington Health Corps as an umbrella under which the State Health Program and Federal Health Program continued, and a new Behavioral Health Program was created. And in 2022, the Washington State Legislature added the nurse educator loan repayment program.

Other programs

If you work in a qualifying healthcare role, you could also qualify for student loan assistance through organizations like the National Health Service Corps (registered nurses, psychiatric nurse specialists, registered nurses, certified registered nurse anesthetists) or the National Institutes of Health (research).

The National Health Services Corps offers up to $120,000 in loan assistance for qualifying full-time healthcare professionals, while the NIH offers up to $50,000 per year to healthcare professionals conducting qualified research.

Eligible nurses might also qualify for an up to 60% loan payoff through the Nurse Corps loan repayment program in return for a two-year service commitment.

Note: The National Health Services Corps payments aren’t taxable, but NIH and Nurse Corps repayments are taxable.