National Institutes of Health Intramural Loan Repayment Program
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
To recruit and retain health professionals performing research in fields required by the NIH to carry out its mission by providing educational loan repayment for participants with substantial amounts of educational debt relative to income, who agree by written contract to engage in laboratory or clinical research as employees of the NIH for a minimum period of two years for AIDS or Clinical Research or three years for General Research.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Other
Eligible applicants must: (1) Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; (2) possess a M.D., Ph.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.P.M., A.D.N., B.S.N., or equivalent degree, or hold the position of Physician Assistant; (3) have qualified educational debt, which results from governmental or commercial loans obtained to support their undergraduate and/or graduate education, in excess of 20 percent of their annual NIH salary on the program eligibility date; (4) be appointed to the NIH Intramural Research Program under any temporary or permanent employment mechanism, so long as the employment has the potential to last the required minimum period; (5) not be under any existing service obligation to Federal, State, or other entities, until such obligation is discharged or unless it is deferred during the period of program service; (6) submit an application to participate in the Intramural Loan Repayment Program; and (7) sign and submit to the NIH Director, at the time of application submission, a contract agreeing to engage in research as an employee of the NIH for a minimum of 2 years (AIDS, Clinical) or 3 years (General).
How to Apply
Award Procedure
The NIH Loan Repayment Committee (LRC) will review, rank, and approve or disapprove applications recommended for program participation by each Institute or Center (IC). Applications approved for participation by the LRC will be notified by the Program Director. The NIH Director, or a designee, will sign the LRP contract, provide a copy to the participant, and notice of the approved loan repayment amount.
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 90 to 120 days
- Renewal interval: From 90 to 120 days
- Appeal: From 90 to 120 days
The approximate time for approval/disapproval is 3 months.
Program details & compliance
Description
The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers. The LRPs counteract that financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. There are two LRPs, one for researchers not employed by NIH (Extramural) and another for researchers employed by NIH (Intramural).
Mission Categories
Primary: Research and Development
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
To provide repayment of extant educational loans incurred by health professionals engaged, as employees of the NIH, in laboratory or clinical research. Recipients must agree by written contract to engage in such research, initially, for a minimum of 2 or 3 years; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied or have been deferred during the period of program service. Continuation contracts for 1-year terms are available, dependent upon the level of debt and continued involvement in research that supports the research and institutional needs and the mission of the NIH. Maximum program benefit is $50,000 per year in loan repayments and $23,250 per year in Federal tax reimbursements. Recipients must have qualified educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual salary, which is referred to as their "debt threshold."
Required Documentation
Applicants must submit documentation of the following, as appropriate: (1) Copies of loan applications and agreements from government or commercial educational loans which are being submitted for repayment; (2) copies of the standard student budget from each school attended during the period in which the debt was incurred; and (3) other documentation as may be required. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.
This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.