Affording College An Introduction to Financial Aid

Health and Human Services Programs
In addition to the student aid programs administered by the Department of Education, Congress has authorized student aid programs for the health and nursing professions. These programs are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act, and most are similar to the federal campus-based programs described earlier in that funds are awarded directly to schools. Schools are then responsible for managing program funds and awarding them to eligible students according to requirements specified in the law, regulations, and policy directives from the Department of Health and Human Services. These programs include:
  • Nursing Student Loan Program (NSL) available to nursing students attending approved nursing schools offering a diploma, associate degree, baccalaureate or equivalent degree, or graduate degree in nursing.
  • Health Professions Student Loan Program (HPSL) which provides assistance to students enrolled in specified health profession fields.
  • Primary Care Loan Program (PCL) which provides assistance to allopathic and osteopathic medical students (that is, students pursuing an M.D. or D.O.) who intend to engage in primary care residency and/or practice upon graduating from their professional school program.
  • Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program (SDS) which provides scholarships to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are enrolled as full-time students committed to pursuing a career in the health professions.
  • Loans for Disadvantaged Students Program (LDS) which provides low interest loans to disadvantaged health professions students.
  • Exceptional Financial Need Scholarships (EFN) which are awarded to students who have exceptional financial need and who are enrolled in public or private non-profit schools of dentistry, allopathic and osteopathic medicine, in exchange for a commitment to practice in primary care after graduating.
  • Financial Assistance for Disadvantaged Health Professions Students (FADHPS) which provide scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds with exceptional need who are enrolled in schools of medicine and dentistry, and commit to practicing primary care medicine or dentistry after graduating.
  • National Health Service Corps Scholarships (NHSC) which are designed to encourage health professions students to perform as primary care practitioners in the underserved areas.
  • Health Education Assistance Loan Program (HEAL). Prior to October 1, 1995, the HEAL Program offered federally insured loans to full-time graduate and professional students attending eligible schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, chiropractic, and public health, and to those enrolled in graduate programs of health administration or clinical psychology. Full-time undergraduate students pursuing bachelor of science degrees in pharmacy also were eligible. As of October 1, 1995, HEAL is no longer available to new borrowers.
To assist health professions students who cannot borrow under the HEAL program, the Department of Education extended unsubsidized Federal Stafford and Direct Unsubsidized annual loan limits for certain health professions borrowers. Students should check with the schools to which they are applying to see if they are able to take advantage of these increased loan limits.

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Adapted with permission from "Financing Education Beyond High School,"
a presentation by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.