Louisiana Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Louisiana offers student loan repayment assistance programs almost entirely for health care, with two repayment programs for providers in shortage areas and a service-based contract program for optometry and podiatry students. The State Loan Repayment Program is the one most providers should watch, since it covers doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, and behavioral health workers. We didn't find a program for teachers, lawyers, or other public servants, so those borrowers should start with federal forgiveness programs.
Louisiana Programs At A Glance
| Program | Who Qualifies | Maximum Award | Service Required | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) | Primary care, dental, and behavioral health providers | $30,000/year for physicians, psychiatrists, and dentists; $20,000/year for others | 3 years at a site in a shortage area, with a possible 2-year extension | Annual Cycle |
| Louisiana Physician Loan Repayment Program (LPLRP) | Primary care, emergency medicine, OB-GYN, and psychiatry physicians | $30,000/year for 5 years, plus $15,000/year for a 2-year renewal | 5 years full time in a shortage area | Paused |
| Regional Contract Program (RCP) | Louisiana optometry and podiatry students at six out-of-state schools | Part of enrollment costs | 18 months of Louisiana practice per year of funding | Annual Cycle |
Programs That Help Repay Loans You Already Have
Louisiana borrowers carry roughly $34,700 in federal student debt on average, according to our Louisiana student loans and financial aid breakdown. These two programs send money toward that debt once you're working in a qualifying health care job. Compare them against Public Service Loan Forgiveness, since the nonprofit and public sites they require are also PSLF employers.
Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
Physicians, psychiatrists, and dentists can receive up to $30,000 a year, and other health professionals up to $20,000 a year, for a three-year initial commitment at a site in a federally designated shortage area (Well-Ahead Louisiana). Participants who finish can apply for a two-year extension of up to $30,000, pending budget availability. Doctors comparing this against federal awards should read our breakdown of student loan forgiveness for doctors.
| Administered by | Louisiana Department of Health, Well-Ahead Louisiana Primary Care Office |
| Who qualifies | Physicians, dentists, PAs, NPs, certified nurse midwives, dental hygienists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, counselors, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and substance abuse counselors |
| Eligible sites | FQHCs, rural health clinics, community outpatient facilities, mental health centers, health departments, critical access hospitals, Indian Health Service sites, correctional facilities, and private practices in HPSAs |
| Commitment | Full time (40 hours a week), with at least 32 hours of outpatient clinical care |
| Status | Well-Ahead lists the 2026–2027 cycle as closed; the page also still carries older cycle notices, so confirm the next window |
| Official source | Louisiana SLRP |
Louisiana Physician Loan Repayment Program (LPLRP)
Act 167 of 2022 set up this program, funded through the Rural Primary Care Physicians Development Fund, which pays up to $30,000 a year for a five-year initial commitment and $15,000 a year for a two-year renewal (Well-Ahead Louisiana). Physicians work full time at a public or nonprofit primary care site in a shortage area. Doctors weighing it against other options should read our student loan forgiveness for doctors breakdown.
| Administered by | Louisiana Department of Health, Well-Ahead Louisiana Primary Care Office |
| Who qualifies | Physicians in general practice, family practice, OB-GYN, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, or general psychiatry |
| Commitment | Five years at 40 or more hours a week in a federally designated HPSA |
| Status | LDH's page says application review was temporarily postponed during a staff and office transition and was expected to resume in mid-July; confirm with Well-Ahead before applying |
| Official source | Louisiana Physician Loan Repayment Program |
Service-Based Funding For Students In Training
This program funds school up front and cancels the debt through service after graduation. It counts as forgiveness only if you complete the service, and walking away means repaying the loan under the promissory note, so weigh it against a private student loan with no strings attached.
Regional Contract Program (RCP)
The state pays part of the enrollment costs for Louisiana optometry and podiatry students at six out-of-state schools (LOSFA). Recipients practice in Louisiana, enrolled as a Medicaid provider, for 18 months for each year of funding. Graduates with other debt should also review our list of student loan forgiveness programs.
| Administered by | Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance |
| Participating schools | Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University, Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine, Southern College of Optometry, UAB School of Optometry, Northeastern State University College of Optometry, and University of Houston College of Optometry |
| Penalties | Repay the loan as set out in the promissory note if you don't complete the service |
| Status | Funding depends on the legislature's appropriation each year |
| Official source | LOSFA Regional Contract Program |
Federal Forgiveness Options For Louisiana Borrowers
Federal programs reach far more Louisiana borrowers than the three state programs, and each one runs on its own rules for combining with a state award. Our full list of forgiveness programs covers every federal option.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Borrowers who make 120 qualifying payments while working full time for a government agency or qualifying nonprofit get their remaining Direct Loan balance forgiven tax-free (StudentAid.gov). Louisiana public school teachers, state and parish employees, and public university staff all work for qualifying employers, and our PSLF breakdown covers the 2026 employer rule litigation.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Teachers with five consecutive years at a low-income school can receive up to $17,500 if they teach secondary math, science, or special education, or up to $5,000 in other subjects (StudentAid.gov). The same years can't count toward both Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF, which our teacher forgiveness breakdown walks through.
Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and IBR. RAP launched July 1, 2026, and forgives any remaining balance after 360 qualifying payments (How RAP Works). Borrowers deciding between plans can run the numbers in our RAP vs. IBR comparison.
Health care programs. The National Health Service Corps paid full-time primary care providers up to $80,000 for a two-year commitment in its 2026 cycle, including a $5,000 Spanish-language bonus (HRSA). Louisiana's SLRP is the state's HRSA-supported State Loan Repayment Program (HRSA SLRP contacts). Our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup covers eligibility for the federal programs.
Veterinarians. We didn't find a Louisiana veterinary loan repayment program, but the USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program pays up to $25,000 a year for service in designated shortage areas (USDA NIFA). Vets carrying private loans should also check our list of private student loan forgiveness options.
Lawyers. LOSFA runs the federal John R. Justice program for prosecutors and public defenders with at least $20,000 in eligible loans who agree to stay in the job for three years, and the 2026 deadline was June 1 (LOSFA). LOSFA doesn't publish an award amount, so prosecutors and public defenders should also track PSLF.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxed In Louisiana?
Louisiana is one of the states that automatically conform with federal tax rules, so it follows federal treatment of canceled student debt (The College Investor). PSLF, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, and death and disability discharges stay tax-free at both levels.
Forgiveness under income-driven plans became federally taxable again on January 1, 2026, when the American Rescue Plan exclusion expired, and conforming states like Louisiana may tax it as well (Taxes And Student Loan Forgiveness). Borrowers expecting IBR or RAP forgiveness can estimate the bill with our student loan tax bomb calculator.
NHSC loan repayment awards are tax-free (HRSA). Ask the administering agency whether your Louisiana state award will be reported as income, and read our explainer on the 1099-C and student loan forgiveness before filing.
If Your Job Isn't Covered
Borrowers outside health care won't find a Louisiana program, but three options remain. Employers can pay up to $5,250 a year toward your student loans tax-free, and our list of companies that offer student loan repayment assistance shows who offers it.
Borrowers with private loans or high-rate federal loans they don't plan to have forgiven can lower their rate through student loan refinancing. Refinancing federal loans into a private loan ends eligibility for PSLF, RAP, and IBR, so don't refinance a balance you expect to have forgiven.
Families with leftover 529 money can put up to $10,000 per beneficiary toward student loans, which our 529 plan for student loan repayment explainer covers. Louisiana savers should also review the START Saving 529 plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Louisiana Have A Student Loan Forgiveness Program?
Louisiana offers student loan repayment assistance programs rather than broad loan forgiveness. It runs two loan repayment programs for health care providers in shortage areas and a service-based contract program for optometry and podiatry students. Borrowers outside those fields rely on federal programs like PSLF and income-driven plan forgiveness.
Can Louisiana Doctors Get Help Repaying Student Loans?
Primary care physicians and psychiatrists can receive up to $30,000 a year through either the SLRP or the Louisiana Physician Loan Repayment Program, which also covers emergency medicine (Well-Ahead Louisiana). Federal NHSC awards can pay more, and our student loan forgiveness for doctors breakdown compares them.
Does Louisiana Have Loan Forgiveness For Teachers?
We didn't find a Louisiana program that repays teachers' existing student loans, and LOSFA's Geaux Teach Scholarship doesn't list a teaching service requirement (LOSFA). Louisiana teachers should look at federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF, both covered in our teacher forgiveness breakdown.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable In Louisiana?
Louisiana conforms to federal tax rules, so PSLF and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are tax-free while income-driven plan forgiveness granted after 2025 may be taxable (The College Investor). Use our tax bomb calculator to estimate what you'd owe.
Related Louisiana Resources
How We Sourced This Data
Program details on this page come from the administering agencies and state law: the Louisiana Department of Health's Well-Ahead Louisiana Primary Care Office, Act 167 of the 2022 Regular Session and LAC 48:V.Chapter 133 as cited by LDH, and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. Federal program details come from StudentAid.gov, HRSA, and USDA NIFA. Read more about how we fact-check and update content.
Page refreshed annually in August, after Louisiana's legislative session and agency rule approvals, and reviewed in January for tax season. Last full refresh: September 23, 2026.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Claire Tak