Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is a federal initiative managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program is designed to address the critical national shortage of nursing faculty by offering financial incentives for individuals pursuing careers as nurse educators. Specifically, the program provides low-interest loans to eligible students enrolled in advanced nursing education programs who are committed to serving as nursing faculty upon graduation. The primary purpose of the NFLP is to bolster the capacity of nursing schools by increasing the number of qualified faculty members. Graduates who fulfill the service requirement — working full-time as nurse faculty at accredited schools of nursing — may receive loan cancellation of up to 85 percent of their loan principal and interest over a four-year period. This also extends to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who serve as full-time preceptors in academic-practice partnerships. By alleviating financial burdens, the program encourages advanced nursing students to pursue faculty roles in educational institutions, thereby expanding training capacity for future nurses. The NFLP supports schools of nursing across the United States, with up to 80 awards expected in the 2026 fiscal year and a total estimated program funding of $25.6 million. Each award may range from as low as $1 up to $2,000,000, indicating a potentially broad distribution strategy depending on the size and scope of institutional proposals. Awarded institutions are responsible for administering the loans and reporting compliance with accreditation standards and program implementation. Applicants must be accredited schools of nursing, which may include public, private, nonprofit, and tribal institutions. Accreditation must be from a nationally or state-recognized body approved by the Secretary of Education. All affiliated nursing programs must hold valid accreditation status throughout the duration of the grant. Tribes and tribal organizations that own and operate accredited nursing schools are also eligible to apply. The opportunity includes a matching requirement, although the specific match percentage is not stated in the forecast. The application process will be managed electronically, and the estimated application due date is June 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The projected post date is April 21, 2026, with anticipated award announcements on June 1, 2026. The project start date for awarded institutions is expected to be July 1, 2026. No pre-application documents such as letters of intent or concept papers are indicated as mandatory in this forecast. For more information or questions regarding the application process, prospective applicants can contact Nawall Kertache at 877-464-4772 or via email at [email protected]. The program does not currently provide a publicly available PDF of the Notice of Funding Opportunity, as this is a forecasted opportunity. Based on the stated pattern and annual timing, this opportunity appears to recur annually with the next expected cycle likely in Spring 2027.