Center for Excellence in Rural Health

Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program

The National Health Service Corps grants matching funds directly to States to operate their own loan repayment program to improve and expand access to health care for the underserved. In Kentucky this program is administered by the State Office of Rural Health. Program eligibility requirements and benefits are established by federal law authorizing the State Loan Repayment Program (Section 3881 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by Public Law 101- 587).

The Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program (KSLRP) is a 50/50 matching program that provides loan repayment for qualified educational loans incurred by primary care health professionals. In return, the professionals make a two-year commitment to practice full-time for an eligible sponsoring organization in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Visit www.hpsafind.hrsa.gov (external link) to determine if your chosen area qualifies.

In Kentucky, the health professional must seek his/her own sponsors for loan repayment; the award amount is negotiated between the health professional and the sponsoring organization. The award can be no more than $35,000 per year ($17,500 federal funds, $17,500 matching) for a total of $70,000 for a two-year obligation. Please see the KSLRP Fact Sheet for program eligibility.

For the fiscal year 2008-09, loan repayment awards will be available contingent upon continued funding from the National Health Service Corps.  Applications are accepted from September 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009, or until funds are exhausted. Application forms can be accessed using the following links.

• Provider Application (pdf)
• Site Application (pdf)
• Loan Verification Form (pdf) - * Printout of participant’s current Loan History from the Lending Institution’s website is also acceptable.

Related links

• Rural Kentucky Medical Scholarship Fund
• National Health Service Corps
• National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNET) (external link)
• UK Medical Professions Placement Service
• U of L Physician Placement Service (external link)
• Comprehensive Statewide Physician Workforce Study (external link)

For more information, contact Alice Combs or Peggy Lewis at the following address.

Kentucky State Office of Rural Health
State Loan Repayment Program
750 Morton Blvd
Hazard, KY 41701
(800)-851-7512