Rural Health Funding & Opportunities: Financial aid for health career education

American Indian Medical Scholarship (AIMS)
Scholarships for students of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian descent that are pursuing careers in nursing, healthcare, and health education. The scholarship is designed to assist students who plan to work on reservations or in hospitals that serve Native populations with the goal of improving healthcare within those communities.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jun 1, 2025
Sponsor: National Society of the Colonial Dames of America

National Health Service Corps Site Application
Apply to be a National Health Service Corps Site to receive recruitment and retention assistance, networking opportunities, and other benefits.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jun 17, 2025
Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Health Service Corps, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Illinois Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment assistance for qualified mental health and substance use professionals who agree to practice in rural areas in Illinois.

Geographic coverage: Illinois
Application Deadline: Jun 30, 2025
Sponsor: Illinois Student Assistance Commission

Illinois Veterans' Home Medical Provider Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment assistance for certain medical professionals to pursue or continue careers at veterans' homes in Illinois.

Geographic coverage: Illinois
Application Deadline: Jun 30, 2025
Sponsor: Illinois Student Assistance Commission

South Dakota Recruitment Assistance Program
Provides qualifying physicians, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives an incentive payment in return for 3 continuous years of practice in an eligible rural community in South Dakota.

Geographic coverage: South Dakota
Application Deadline: Jun 30, 2025
Sponsor: South Dakota Office of Rural Health

Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program
Loan repayment for undergraduate and graduate health professional educational loans in return for full-time clinical service in Indian Health Service programs.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Aug 15, 2025
Sponsors: Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

3RNET Recruiting for Retention Academy
Online educational opportunity to learn about tools and resources that can assist in recruiting qualified providers to rural areas.

Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: 3RNET

Alabama Board of Medical Scholarship Awards
Forgivable loans for students enrolled in an Alabama medical school who agree to practice primary care in a pre-approved community in Alabama upon graduation.

Geographic coverage: Alabama
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: State of Alabama

Alaska Health Care Professionals Workforce Enhancement Program (SHARP – 3)
Direct incentive payments and loan repayment assistance for a wide range of healthcare professionals in exchange for working in an approved area in Alaska.

Geographic coverage: Alaska
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Alaska Department of Health

Alaska Supporting Health Care Access through Loan Repayment (SHARP-I)
Loan repayment assistance for certain healthcare professionals in exchange for working in a Health Professional Shortage Area of Alaska.

Geographic coverage: Alaska
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Alaska Department of Health

Rural Health Funding by Topic: Financial aid for health career education

Rural Health
Funding by Topic: Financial aid for health career education