Nurse Retention Loan Repayment Program (NULR)
Program Overview:
The Nurse Retention Loan Repayment Program (NULR) is designed to retain new nurses in Mississippi by helping them repay their student loans. Only licensed practical nurses or registered nurses with a current relevant nursing license who are in their first year of employment* after licensure are eligible to apply as new recipients. Nurses who received loan repayment for their first year of employment may reapply in their second and third year of employment as renewal recipients.
*NOTE: See Important Dates below to determine when you should apply based on when you started working.
Eligible recipients must work full-time in the State of Mississippi as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse in a skilled nursing home or a general acute care hospital that is licensed by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Second-year and third-year nurses are only eligible if they received NULR in their first year of nursing.
Eligible recipients must also have outstanding postsecondary educational loans.
The annual award will be up to six thousand dollars ($6,000) per year for a maximum of three (3) years.
Nurses MUST reapply each year for which they wish to receive loan repayment and submit the Employment Verification Form to demonstrate continued employment.
Rules and Regulations:
Important Dates:
New nurses who started working full-time for the first time since licensure between:
Application Cycle 1 Closed – March 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022:
- Complete the 2023-2024 MAAPP by September 15, 2023.
- Submit supporting documents by October 15, 2023.
Application Cycle 2 OPEN – July 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023:
- Complete the 2024-2025 MAAPP between October 1, 2023, and September 15, 2024.
- Submit supporting documents by October 15, 2024.
October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024:
- Complete the 2025-2026 MAAPP between October 1, 2024, and September 15, 2025.
- Submit supporting documents by October 15, 2025.
October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025:
- Complete the 2026-2027 MAAPP between October 1, 2025, and September 15, 2026.
- Submit supporting documents by October 15, 2026.
Initial Eligibility:
- Complete the Mississippi Aid Application.
- Be a Mississippi resident.
- Hold a current Mississippi practical nursing license or registered nursing license.
- Be employed full-time at a single qualified skilled nursing home or general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi. Qualifying skilled nursing homes and general acute care hospitals are designated by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
- View a list of qualified Skilled Nursing Homes.
- View a list of qualified General Acute Care Hospitals.
- Be in your first year of nursing employment since licensure.
- Have postsecondary student loans in your name. Perkins loans do not qualify.
- Must not be currently in default or delinquent on any federal, state, or local educational loan.
- Must not have received funds from the Nursing Education Forgivable Loan Program – BSN (NELB), Nursing Education Forgivable Loan Program – RN to BSN (NELR), Nursing Education Forgivable Loan Program – MSN (NELM), Nursing Education Forgivable Loan Program – RN to MSN (NERM), Nursing Education Forgivable Loan Program – PHD/DNP (NELP), Nursing Teacher Stipend Forgivable Loan Program (NTSP) or any other state forgivable loan.
- Recipients will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis from all eligible applicants who apply by the deadline date. In the second and subsequent years of the program, priority consideration will be given to renewal applicants.
Renewal Eligibility:
- Complete the Mississippi Aid Application.
- Continue to be a Mississippi resident.
- Must have previously received NULR.
- Remain employed full-time at a single qualified skilled nursing home or general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi. Qualifying skilled nursing homes and general acute care hospitals are designated by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
- View a list of qualified Skilled Nursing Homes.
- View a list of qualified General Acute Care Hospitals.
- Have outstanding postsecondary student loans in your name. Perkins loans do not qualify.
- Recipients will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis from all eligible applicants who apply by the deadline date. In the second and subsequent years of the program, priority consideration will be given to renewal applicants.
Award Amount and Length of Eligibility:
- Awards will be made on a rolling basis as soon as the applicant submits all required documents.
- Recipients receive up to $6,000 annually.
- Awards are paid directly to the loan servicer.
- Recipients may receive NULR for up to three years and a total of $18,000, but awards will not exceed the balance of a student’s outstanding loans.
- Awards will be paid annually to the recipient’s lender/loan servicer.
- NULR recipients are not eligible for any other state aid.
To Apply:
- Complete the online application. The online application must be completed each and every year for which the applicant seeks aid.
- Submit one form of proof of Mississippi residency. A valid Mississippi Driver’s License or Mississippi Identification number submitted during the online application process will fulfill this requirement.
- Submit proof of your current Mississippi practical nursing license or registered nursing license.
- Submit a complete, executed Employment Verification Form documenting dates of full-time employment in a qualified skill nursing home or general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi.
Award offers will be made on a rolling basis as soon as the applicant submits all required documents.
How to Submit Supporting Documents
Frequently Asked Question:
- Do I still need to make payments on my undergraduate loans after I have been offered an award?
Yes. However, SFA will provide you with an award offer letter (upon request) that you can present to your servicer, and your servicer may defer payments. - I consolidated my loans. Do I still qualify for the program?
Yes. If you consolidated your loans, just list your current loan servicer on the application.
