Each nurse practice loan recipient approved by the Graduate Nurse Educator Loan and Scholarship Board shall reside in Arkansas and practice full-time as a nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist in an Arkansas community, serve as a nurse administrator in an Arkansas complex health care agency, or work full-time in the Arkansas Department of Health one year for each year funding is borrowed. If awarded funding for one semester or multiple years including only one semester of an academic year, the payback terms of the one semester are an entire year.
Each nurse educator loan recipient approved by the Graduate Nurse Educator Loan and Scholarship Board shall reside in Arkansas and teach full-time at an Arkansas-accredited school of nursing one year for each year funding is borrowed. If awarded funding for one semester or multiple years including only one semester of an academic year, the payback terms of the one semester are an entire year. For a nurse educator loan, teaching full-time both fall and spring semesters is considered an entire year of compliance.
For each continuous whole calendar year of full-time employment compliant with the terms of the student’s loan, the Graduate Nurse Educator Loan and Scholarship Board shall cancel, by converting to a scholarship grant, the full amount of one year’s loan plus accrued interest. Loans made for subsequent years will be converted in like manner–one year of service for each year or partial year of assistance–until the loan obligation is retired.
Loan Default
The recipient remains obligated to repay loans received, together with interest at the maximum rate allowed by Arkansas law, or 5% above the federal discount rate, whichever is less. Interest accrues from the date each loan check was received. Repayment shall be due and payable in full when it is determined that the recipient is not in compliance with the provisions of the contractual agreement.
Loan Deferment
The AGNSLS Board will consider granting loan deferments. Students must request a deferment in writing to the AGNSLS program coordinator.
Conditions for loan deferments are as follows:
- Military deferment: During any one period of time a loan recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States Armed Forces. Interest will continue to accrue during deferment.
- Education: Upon graduating from an Arkansas master’s nursing graduate program in nursing, during enrollment in an Arkansas doctoral program in nursing, OR upon graduation from an Arkansas doctoral nursing graduate program, during the award period for a post-doctoral appointment. Interest will continue to accrue during deferment.
- At the Board’s discretion: A recipient can write the Board requesting deferment for a one-semester absence from enrollment. Interest will continue to accrue during deferment.
Death
The law stipulates that all upaid loans shall be due and payable with interest.