Clarkson College Earns $400,000 HRSA Loan for Nurse Educators

In 2018, Clarkson College was awarded over $400,000 in funding, the largest received by a nursing institution in Nebraska, to assist nurses in graduate and doctoral programs who are interested in pursuing an education component as part of their advanced nursing career.  

For those eligible to earn the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) loan, the College will cancel up to 85 percent of the principal and interest of the loan over a consecutive four-year period following completion of the program. The loan forgiveness applies to students intending to enter a nurse faculty role as an academic educator or those in a clinical educator/preceptor position.

NFLP for Nurse Educators

  • Eligible participants must be a part- or full-time student enrolled in the Doctor in Health Care Education & Leadership (Ed.D.) program and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nursing Education program option. Eligibility for students enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will be available in the future.
  • Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of two consecutive semesters (either full- or part-time) during an academic year while receiving NFLP loan support. Students enrolled in the last year of the program are not required to enroll for two semesters if program requirements are met.
  • Clarkson College will make NFLP loans available to eligible students for the cost of tuition, fees, books, lab expenses and other reasonable education expenses.
  • NFLP loan may not exceed $35,000 per student for any academic year and is not to exceed five years of support to a student.
  • Enrollees must have an interest and intent to pursue a *full-time nurse faculty” (academic educator or clinical educator/preceptor) position after graduation.

* The purpose of NFLP is to encourage nurses to pursue educational and faculty roles, increase the number of qualified full-time nursing faculty and address the nursing faculty shortage. NFLP is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that defines “full-time nurse faculty” as individuals pursuing an academic educator and/or clinical educator/preceptor role following graduation. This definition allows individuals to meet various qualifications within several nursing roles and still qualify for an NFLP loan. “Full-time” nurse faculty employment is defined by the borrower’s employer and may consist of multiple positions in which there is an education component involved (does not have to be the majority of the time). The employer must be an accredited institution (i.e. hospital, school, institution, community program).

How to Apply for NFLP Funding  

  1. Be accepted into either the Ed.D. or MSN Nursing Education tracks at Clarkson College.
  2. Complete your FAFSA.
  3. Submit the NFLP application.
  4. Once approved, sign the letter of commitment.
  5. Complete the promissory note and truth in lending disclosures.

Eligible Borrowers

To be eligible to receive an NFLP loan, a borrower must:

  • Be a citizen or national of the U.S., or a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. and its territories
  • Have no judgment liens entered against him/her based on default of a federal debt
  • Be enrolled as a student in good standing in an advanced nurse education program at the College

Maintain good academic standing, according to the College, while enrolled in the advanced nurse education program. NFLP is not a need-based program, therefore financial records are not required to determine eligibility, however, a FASFA must be completed each year that funds are requested.