Nevada HEAL Program
The Nevada Health Equity and Loan Assistance (HEAL) Program was created through Assembly Bill 45 of the 82nd Session of the Nevada Legislature. Originally known as the "Student Loan Repayment for Providers of Health Care in Underserved Communities Program", this State funded student loan forgiveness initiative aims to increase and retain healthcare professionals in Nevada. The amount of total student loan repayment can range from $15,000 to $120,000, depending on the type of provider. At least 15% of money available for the program’s student loan repayment funding each year will be used to repay student loans for providers who commit to practicing in Nevada rural counties (all but Washoe and Clark). An application scoring system will be used to prioritize funding and will be published 30 days in advance of applications being accepted.
How it works
To qualify for up to $120,000 in student loan repayment, applicant must be an eligible provider of health care in one of the listed professions. Providers who receive repayment of student loans must be actively licensed, certified or registered in good standing in Nevada at the time of approval and student loan repayment. Providers must also commit to providing healthcare services in rural or urban underserved communities of the state of Nevada for at least 5 years of full-time clinical practice. Funds are dispersed annually in one-fifth installment payments, directly to the loan servicer (over a five-year time span).
Timeline
Applications to the Nevada HEAL Program will be accepted during a 30-day period each year. Applicants can review scoring criteria 30 days before the application period opens. It is recommended that applicants review the “Information and Documentation to Apply” list prior to applying, to gather all needed information.
- 30 days prior to application period opening: scoring criteria posted on website
- Application period (30 days): eligible providers of health care can apply for the Nevada HEAL Program
- Application review period: applications will be scored according to posted criteria and applicant information will be verified. Additional information and/or documentation may be requested. Please be mindful of deadlines to provide this information
- After application review period: applicants will be notified whether they’ve been approved to receive assistance from the student loan repayment program
- Annually after approval: documentation will be reviewed at the end of each year. Upon verification of licensure and active practice in an underserved community, payments will be made directly to student loan servicers
How to apply:
Program applications will be accepted during a 30-day period each year.
Applicants can review the program’s scoring criteria 30 days before the application period opens.
Applicants should review the “Information and Documentation to Apply” list prior to applying, to gather all needed information.
The application window is now closed.
Applications for the 2025 round of funding were accepted from Wednesday, January 15, 2025, through February 13, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. The application period is now closed. The next application window will open in January 2026.