Graduate Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program

The Graduate Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program encourages Tennessee residents who are registered nurses to become teachers and administrators in Tennessee nursing education programs.

Those who accept the award must sign a promissory note and in doing so incur an obligation to enter a faculty or administrative position at a college or university in Tennessee in a nursing education program. The obligation is equivalent to four (4) years of full-time employment to have the loan forgiven, immediately upon completion of the education program.

 If recipients do not meet this obligation the award must be repaid. Repayment will begin if the recipient does not complete the plan of study or is not employed in a faculty or administrative position at an eligible Tennessee college or university. Interest accrues at 9% from the last date enrolled in an eligible program or the day after graduation from an eligible program.

Awards are made in equal installments each term throughout the academic year. The award may be renewed three times for a total of four years for full-time students, up to seven times for a total of eight years for part-time students, or for the length of the program of study, whichever is less.

To be eligible, the applicant must:

• be a Tennessee resident and a U.S. citizen, 
• have an unencumbered Tennessee nursing license, 
• be enrolled in an eligible master’s degree or a post master’s degree in a nursing educational program at an eligible Tennessee institution.

Students participating in the Graduate Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program may not participate in any other loan forgiveness programs including federal, private or institutional.  Once the program is completed, the loan(s) cannot be combined to existing federal student loans the applicant may have received for the purposes of repayment.

To apply, visit and submit an application on the TSAC Student Portal. Awards are very competitive and based on funding. THEC must receive the application by March 2.

Award recipients must attend an eligible Tennessee college or university and be enrolled in a graduate program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and/or by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Also, the program must be approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and lead to a master’s or post-master’s degree in a field of study which will qualify the graduate to become a teacher or administrator in a college or university nursing education program in Tennessee. For a list of eligible institutions, please click here to a view a listing on the TN Dept. of Health’s website. (PLEASE NOTE: Only Tennessee institutions are eligible to participate in this program.)