The Nursing Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is funded by the federal government through the department of Health and Human Services and the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing at Lamar University. The NFLP is a loan cancellation program with a service obligation for recipients of the loan. To participate in the program, a student must commit to serving as a faculty at a school of nursing following graduation, which will allow for up to 85% of the total NFLP loan to be forgiven over a consecutive four-year period while loan recipients serve as full-time nursing faculty at a school of nursing (i.e., baccalaureate or higher degree, associate degree or diploma schools of nursing).
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for a NFLP loan, an individual must:
- Be accepted for graduate study by Lamar University and the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing
- Be a United States citizen or national of the United States, or a lawful permanent resident of the United States and its territories
- Complete a NFLP Loan Application (listed under Important Links)
- Be enrolled as a part-time or full-time student in the MSN Nursing Education track
- Maintain enrollment for a minimum of 2 consecutive terms or semesters (full or part-time) during an academic year while receiving support from the NFLP
- Be in good academic standing
- File a FAFSA for each aid year that funds are requested
- Have no judgments or liens based on the default of a federal debt
Priorities and Loans to Students
Within the context of the above eligibility criteria, priority consideration will be given to continuing students in the MSN Nursing Education track who are already NFLP recipients. Remaining available funds will be distributed to continuing and new Nursing Education students.
- NFLP loans will be made to eligible students not to exceed the cost of tuition and fees
- Students may not exceed $35,500 of NFLP support for any academic year
- NFLP support cannot exceed 5 years to any individual student
- Loan offers are subject to availability of funds and priorities listed above
- Promissory Note (must be completed once)
- Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (to be completed annually)
- Entrance Counseling (to be completed annually)
Program Support to Students
In addition to NFLP support, students may receive support from the other private, university or federal programs, provided that the funds are not used to cover the same costs during the academic year. Additionally, the student may already receive other support that does not cover all costs (tuition and fees) for the academic period; in this case, the student may receive NFLP support to cover the remaining costs, excluding stipend support.
Termination of NFLP Disbursements
Disbursement of NFLP funds will be stopped immediately if the recipient:
- Does not enroll or changes to a different program of study
- Withdraws from the MSN Nursing Education track
- Fails to meet the academic standards of the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing
- Is not enrolled for two consecutive semesters
Triggering any of these conditions will result in future disbursements being canceled and the start of the grace period prior to repayment.
Terms and Conditions
- Required number of semesters: A recipient must be enrolled in two consecutive semesters.
- Length of support: Subject to availability of funds and status of recipient, the loan may be continued for a period not to exceed 5 years.
- Service obligation: To participate in the program, a student must commit to serving as faculty at an accredited school of nursing following graduation. The borrower must submit certification of employment to Lamar University as soon as possible, but within 12 months of graduation. Failure to certify proper employment will result in changes to repayment terms, including interest rates.
- Repayment conditions**: The repayment period for a NFLP loan begins following a 9-month grace period after the borrower:
- Graduates from their program, OR
- Ceases to be enrolled as a student in the program, OR
- Ceases full-time employment as a nurse faculty
- Interest: The loan bears interest on the unpaid balance at the rate of 3% per year beginning 3 months after the borrower ceases to be enrolled in the Nursing Education program. However, if the borrower either fails to complete the course of study or fails to serve as a faculty member for the full four years, the loan will bear interest on the unpaid balance at the prevailing market rates as determined by the Federal Register.
- Loan cancellation: The borrower will receive partial loan cancellation for each complete year of full-time employment as a nurse faculty in a school of nursing, up to a total of 85%. The school will cancel 20% per year for the first three years of full-time employment and 25% the fourth year.
- Exit interview: Lamar University will conduct and document an exit interview with its borrowers in order to obtain evidence that the borrower knows his or her rights and responsibilities concerning the conditions of the loan and documentation of the borrower's current address, telephone number, and other contact information needed for loan collection.
**If the borrower is not employed full-time as a nurse faculty at a school of nursing following graduation, a loan is repayable in equal or graduated installments over a 10-year period that begins 9 months after the individual ceases to be enrolled in the School of Nursing. When the school has canceled the maximum portion of the amount of the loan for those employed full-time as a nurse faculty, the remaining amount of the unpaid loan balance is repayable in equal or graduated periodic installments over the remainder of the 10-year repayment period.
| Number of Years Teaching |
Amount Forgiven |
Remaining Balance Due |
| 1 |
20% |
80% |
| 2 |
20% |
60% |
| 3 |
20% |
40% |
| 4 |
25% |
15% |
Contact Us
Ruthie Robinson, PhD, RN, CNS, FAEN, CEN, NEA-BC
Director of Graduate Nursing Studies
ruthie.robinson@lamar.edu
409-880-8820
School of Nursing Website