A “complete application” includes a response to every question (applications with blank answer fields will not be processed), as well as successful uploading of all required supporting documentation. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED.
Yes. Loans may be awarded for up to three years for a person pursuing or holding a master’s degree and as many as four years for a person pursuing or holding a doctorate. However, funds are limited and there is no guarantee that past participants will be selected again.
No. You must repeat the application process each year.
Alabama residents who are enrolled full-time in accredited nursing education programs approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing and pursuing graduate degrees, qualifying the nurse to become employed as a nurse educator in a pre-licensure nursing education program; or is a current nurse educator in a pre-licensure nursing program who completed their graduate education within the previous five (5) years.
Nurses with encumbered Alabama RN licenses and/or nurses with a significant history of professional misconduct are ineligible. Board Members and staff of the Alabama Board of Nursing are also ineligible for the Loan Repayment Program.
Yes. You are still eligible for the Loan Repayment Program, even if you receive other financial aid.
Recipients are chosen by the Board using criteria on the application. Complete applications that are received before the deadline are given equal consideration.
If you are selected as a participant for the Loan Repayment Program, you will be notified by email following the decision of the Board. You must respond to that email stating whether you plan to accept or decline the loan award. If you choose to accept, you will be given further instructions regarding signing your contract and promissory note, as well as how to register with the State of Alabama, in order to receive your loan monies.
When you register as required to receive the Loan payment from the State of Alabama, you will have the option of choosing an electronic fund transfer (EFT, or “direct deposit”) or a paper check which will be mailed to the address you have provided. Following receipt of all the necessary legal documents, your payment will be processed through the State of Alabama Trust Fund. It may take up to 4-6 weeks to receive the money. It is important to note that participants who choose the EFT option receive their funds quicker than those who choose paper checks to be mailed.
Each loan recipient must repay any loans received by working in full-time practice as a nurse educator in an Alabama pre-licensure nursing education program for twenty-four (24) months for EACH YEAR he or she received a loan under the Loan Repayment Program. Recipients will be required to submit regular Employment Verification Forms, in order to ensure compliance with the repayment obligations with qualified employment. Failure to submit the Employment Verification Forms will result in default on your Loan Repayment Program award.
A qualified nursing education program is an accredited prelicensure nursing education program conducted by a public two-year or four-year institution of higher education in this state.
Yes, but you must notify the Board on your semi-annual employment verification.
No. You must be employed as a nurse educator by an Alabama pre-licensure nursing education program to repay your obligations. Failure to do so will result in defaulting on your loan repayment agreement.
Circumstances that would cause you to default include, but are not limited to: failure to maintain full-time status in school, failure to complete the graduate nursing program, failure to obtain or maintain employment as a nurse educator in an Alabama pre-licensure nursing education program, failure to submit required documentation related to school and/or employment, and failure to work the required quantity of time as required by your loan repayment agreement(s).
If you default on or otherwise fail to honor your loan repayment agreement for any reason, you will be liable for immediate repayment of the total amount that was awarded to you, plus interest and penalties, as applicable.
Failure to comply with the provisions of any contract or loan repayment agreement is grounds for discipline up to and including revocation of your Alabama nursing license.
Yes, provided the leave is an approved maternity or medical leave and does not result in a change of employment status. The time you spend on leave will not count towards the time owed to repay your loan.