Nursing Education
As the nursing faculty workforce declines and the demand for professional nurses rises, the need for skilled educators to train the next generation of nurses is more urgent than ever. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP), funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), addresses this critical need by reducing the cost of earning an advanced nursing degree for current and aspiring nurse educators, leaders, and clinicians.
The NFLP provides forgivable loan funding for students in Duke University School of Nursing’s Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program who are or intend to become full-time educators. Since 2004, more than 300 Duke nursing students have benefited from this program. Through the NFLP, eligible students can have up to 85% of their loan forgiven, including interest, after completing up to four years of full-time employment as a nursing educator.
In addition to the financial benefit of nurse faculty loan forgiveness, the NFLP encourages advanced practice registered nurses to expand their clinical training opportunities by serving as full-time preceptors within academic-practice partnerships. Our nursing education courses also enhance your ability to plan, deliver, and evaluate teaching and prepare you to work with adult learners pursuing health professions.
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Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice
Designed for nurses in advanced practice with a master's degree in nursing or a health-related profession. Preparing nurses as clinical scholars skilled in translating research and other evidence into clinical practice, measuring patient outcomes, and transforming healthcare systems to ensure quality and safety.
How the Nurse Faculty Loan Program Works
To be eligible for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, you must be enrolled as a Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice student. Matriculated DNP students who hold a master’s degree in Nursing Education (NE) from an accredited institution are also eligible.
If selected, you’ll receive up to $50,000 per academic year toward tuition and required fees. The NFLP is awarded annually by the Health Resources and Services Administration, with priority given to returning borrowers each academic year. Award amounts and funding are subject to change.
To qualify for nurse faculty loan funding, you must:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Complete at least nine (9) credit hours in education coursework, including N741, N742, N743, and N755.
- Be enrolled at least half-time
- Commit to full-time employment as a nurse faculty member within 12 months of graduation
The post-graduation service as a nurse educator can be applied in a classroom (regular rank faculty) in a nursing program of any level (diploma, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate), in the simulation lab, in a clinical setting as a clinical nurse educator, as a preceptor, or in a combination of any of these teaching/educational offerings.
The NFLP also helps cover the cost of additional courses required for the DNP program, including one course beyond the standard two elective courses. After graduation, loan payments are reduced incrementally over four years.
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Shape the Future of Nursing Education With the NFLP
The Nurse Faculty Loan Program empowers Duke Post-Master’s DNP students to make a lasting impact on healthcare by preparing future nursing professionals for meaningful careers. Whether you’re a current or aspiring nurse educator, leader, or clinician, the NFLP can help you share your gifts with colleagues and learners by reducing the cost of your advanced nursing degree.
For more information on the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, contact our Financial Aid office: