Loan Forgiveness Program

Florida Department of Education
Office of Student Financial Assistance
Florida Statutes 240.4075

Offered by

State of Florida

Description

The Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program provides financial assistance to eligible nurses in repaying student loans incurred toward a nursing education which led to licensure or certification by the Florida Board of Nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP).

Any hospital, birth center or nursing home licensed as such by the State of Florida may participate. Nurses employed at these sites may be enrolled only if the employer agrees to pay 50% of the total annual award. Complete details are provided in the application packet.

Value

Eligible nurses may have 25% of their outstanding student loan(s) paid annually, for a maximum of four years. The maximum payment is $4,000 per year. Application is made quarterly: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1, based on the date the completed application is received in the department. The application deadline is 30 days in advance of the quarter application date.

Renewal applicants receive priority for awards. In addition, priority is given to those nurses employed at the Department of Health's 67 county health departments, federally-funded community/migrant health centers, state-operated medical facilities and the six statutorily defined teaching hospitals: University Medical Center in Jacksonville, Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Eligibility Criteria

An applicant must:

• Have graduated from an accredited or approved nursing program.
• Be currently licensed or certified as an LPN, RN, or ARNP by the Florida Board of Nursing.
• Be employed in a full-time capacity at an eligible designated site.
• Have outstanding student loans, incurred toward a nursing education, that are not in default status, unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made.
• Submit initial application forms NSLF-1,2,3 to the Florida Department of Education by the deadline indicated on the application.
• Continue to make payments to lender(s) while participating in the program.
• Remain employed full-time at the site for the entire grant year.

Renewals

Participants must submit a Renewal Application and Invoice for Payment to the Florida Department of Education each year. Both are mailed to each participant approximately 30 days before the end of the contract year.

For Further Information:

Contact the Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, 1940 North Monroe Street, Suit

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