Loan Repayment Programs

NIH's loan repayment programs help M.D.s and some other doctoral-level professionals pursue research careers by repaying qualifying educational debt.

For more information, please contact Milton J. Hernandez at 301/496-3775 or mh35c@nih.gov.

Table of Contents

• General Information
• NIH LRP Types
  • NIAID-Sponsored LRPs
    • Clinical LRP
    • Pediatric LRP

General Information

• Application window begins September 1 and ends December 1.
• The Center for Scientific Review assigns applications to NIH ICs.
• NIAID reviews its applications in May and makes funding decisions in June.
• The NIH Office of LRP makes the awards by August.
  • The office handles all fiscal vetting such as eligibility of loans, exact amount of loans, and applicants’ salaries.
  • This office also handles changes of institution, mentor, or area of research.
  • It makes decisions with NIAID input.
• LRP awards offer up to $35,000 a year plus accrued taxes (39 percent). They offer some state tax relief as well. Read more at Guidelines for Tax Reimbursement Requests. Maximum award including taxes is about $50,000 to $60,000.

NIH LRP Types

• Clinical Research. Supported by all ICs including NIAID. Read more below.
• Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds. Supported by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, NCMHD.
• Contraception and Infertility Research. Supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD.
• Health Disparities Research. Supported by NCMHD.
• Pediatric Research. Supported by all ICs including NIAID. Read more below.

NIAID-Sponsored LRPs

FY 2006 NIAID LRPs:

• Total budget was $5.67 million.
• We received 245 applications and made 144 awards.
  • 94 awards were clinical LRPs ($3.8 million).
  • 50 awards were pediatric LRPs ($1.8 million).

Clinical LRP

• Eligibility
  • Applicants must work with patients regardless of clinical relevance of project. For this award, NIH defines clinical research as "patient-oriented clinical research conducted with human subjects."
  • You can apply even if you aren't a current NIH grantee.
• Must commit to doing clinical research for two years at 50 percent effort.
• Most recipients are M.D.s. Some are Ph.D.s working with patients.
• Read more at Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program and the August 21, 2007, Guide notice.

Pediatric LRP

• Eligibility
  • Applicants must propose either basic or clinical research with a clearly explained pediatric relevance.
  • You can apply even if you aren't a current NIH grantee.
• Must commit to doing clinical research for two years at 50 percent effort.
• Most recipients are M.D.s. Some are Ph.D.s and D.V.M.s working in pediatric research. Non-pediatricians have trouble qualifying unless the application clearly explains the pediatric relevance.
• Read more at Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program and the August 21, 2007, Guide notice.

For more, visit NIH Loan Repayment Programs or contact Milton J. Hernandez at 301/496-3775 or mh35c@nih.gov.