Rhode Island Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Rhode Island offers student loan repayment assistance that reaches beyond health care through the Wavemaker Fellowship, which turns your yearly loan payments into a refundable tax credit if you work in STEM, design, health care, or K-12 teaching. Clinicians get the bigger award through the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program, which takes 2027 applications until November 20, 2026. Everyone else should start with federal forgiveness programs, where the bigger dollars are.
Rhode Island Programs At A Glance
| Program | Who Qualifies | Maximum Award | Service Required | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) | Primary care, dental, and mental health clinicians at eligible sites | Up to $50,000 for the initial 2-year term | 2 years at a nonprofit site in a shortage area | Open |
| Wavemaker Fellowship | Graduates working in STEM, design, health care, K-12 teaching, and other key fields | $6,000/year (graduate), $4,000 (bachelor's), $1,000 (associate), for up to 4 years | Full-time work in Rhode Island | Annual Cycle |
| RISLA Nursing Reward Program | New RNs with eligible RISLA private loans | 0% interest for 48 months | 20+ hours a week at a Rhode Island licensed health care facility | Open |
Programs That Help Repay Loans You Already Have
Rhode Island borrowers carry roughly $32,900 in federal student debt on average, according to our Rhode Island student loans and financial aid breakdown. These three programs help with that debt once you're working in a qualifying job. Compare them against Public Service Loan Forgiveness, since the nonprofit clinics that host HPLRP providers are also PSLF employers.
Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) pays down student loans for primary care, dental, and mental health clinicians who commit to at least two years at an approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (RIDOH). Awards of up to $50,000 for the initial two-year term vary with income and loan balance, and clinicians can extend in one-year steps to a maximum of six years (RIDOH brochure). It's Rhode Island's version of the federal State Loan Repayment Program, which our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup compares with NHSC.
| Administered by | Rhode Island Department of Health, with an HPLRP Board that selects recipients |
| Who qualifies | U.S. citizens or nationals with an accredited graduate health degree and an unrestricted Rhode Island license in one of 17 eligible disciplines, including physicians, dentists, NPs, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, pharmacists, and dietitians |
| Award | Up to $50,000 for the initial two-year term, paid to your lender; continuations available up to six years total |
| Commitment | Two years at a public or private nonprofit outpatient site in a Rhode Island HPSA that uses a sliding fee scale, working at least 20 hours a week with 80% in direct patient care |
| Penalties | Breaking the contract can mean repaying at least $31,000 (RIDOH eligibility rules) |
| Status | The 2027 cycle opened September 14, 2026; applications are due November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, with finalists notified by July 1 |
| Official source | RIDOH HPLRP |
Wavemaker Fellowship
Rhode Island Commerce gives Wavemaker Fellows a refundable tax credit equal to their yearly student loan payments, up to $6,000 for a graduate degree, $4,000 for a bachelor's, or $1,000 for an associate degree, for up to four years (Wavemaker Fellowship). Eligible fields include life sciences, technology, engineering, medicine, and K-12 teaching, the only Rhode Island program we found that covers teachers, so pair it with the federal programs in our teacher student loan forgiveness breakdown.
| Administered by | Rhode Island Commerce |
| Who qualifies | Graduates with a two-year, four-year, or graduate degree from an accredited school who have yearly student loan payments and work full time (or have a job offer) in Rhode Island in an eligible field |
| Award | A refundable tax credit equal to your annual loan repayment, capped at $6,000 (master's or higher), $4,000 (bachelor's), or $1,000 (associate), for up to four years; eligibility is reviewed every 12 months |
| Selection | A Fellowship Committee gives priority to high-demand roles and to applicants for whom the award would be "last dollar funding" |
| Status | The 2026 application is closed; Commerce hasn't announced the next round |
| Official source | Wavemaker Fellowship |
RISLA Nursing Reward Program
The Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) drops the interest rate to zero for 48 months on eligible RISLA loans for new registered nurses who work in Rhode Island (RISLA). Your full payment goes to principal during those four years, and our nursing student loan forgiveness list covers federal programs for your other loans.
| Administered by | Rhode Island Student Loan Authority, a nonprofit agency |
| Who qualifies | New Rhode Island RNs with a RISLA Student Loan or Parent Loan issued on or after July 1, 2011, who weren't already RNs when they borrowed |
| Award | 0% interest for 48 months of repayment; federal loans don't qualify |
| Commitment | Work at least 20 hours a week for a licensed health care facility in Rhode Island, with annual employer certification |
| Official source | RISLA Rewards |
Federal Forgiveness Options For Rhode Island Borrowers
Federal programs reach far more Rhode Island 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). Rhode Island public school teachers, state and municipal employees, and public university staff 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 pays full-time primary care providers up to $75,000 for a two-year commitment in its 2026 cycle, or $80,000 with the Spanish-language bonus (HRSA). Nurse Corps pays 60% of nursing debt for two years of service and another 25% for a third year (HRSA), and the STAR program pays up to $250,000 for six years in substance use disorder treatment (HRSA). RIDOH's HPLRP is the state's HRSA-backed SLRP, and our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup covers eligibility for the federal programs.
Veterinarians. Rhode Island has no state 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.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxed In Rhode Island?
Rhode Island automatically conforms to federal tax rules, so it follows federal treatment of student loan forgiveness (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 Rhode Island follows that treatment (Taxes And Student Loan Forgiveness). Borrowers expecting IBR or RAP forgiveness can estimate the bill with our student loan tax bomb calculator.
Wavemaker credits can be applied against Rhode Island income tax or redeemed for cash, and Rhode Island Commerce notes that cash refunds may be subject to federal income tax (Wavemaker Fellowship). Ask RIDOH how an HPLRP award will be reported, and read our explainer on the 1099-C and student loan forgiveness before filing.
If Your Job Isn't Covered
Borrowers outside health care and the Wavemaker fields won't find a Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island savers should also review the CollegeBound Saver 529 plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rhode Island Have A Student Loan Forgiveness Program?
Rhode Island offers student loan repayment assistance programs rather than broad loan forgiveness. It runs three programs: HPLRP for health care clinicians, the Wavemaker Fellowship for graduates in STEM, health care, and teaching, and RISLA's zero-interest reward for new nurses. Borrowers outside those fields rely on federal programs like PSLF and income-driven plan forgiveness.
Is The Wavemaker Fellowship Still Available?
Yes, but the 2026 application is closed, and Rhode Island Commerce asks interested graduates to join its email list for the next round (Wavemaker Fellowship). Fellows get up to four years of tax credits, and our student loan calculator can help you see what a $4,000 or $6,000 yearly credit does to your payoff date.
Can Rhode Island Teachers Get Help Repaying Student Loans?
K-12 teachers are among the fields eligible for the Wavemaker Fellowship, which covers up to $6,000 a year of loan payments for teachers with a graduate degree (Wavemaker Fellowship). Public school teachers can also pursue federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF.
Can Rhode Island Doctors And Nurses Get Help Repaying Student Loans?
Clinicians at eligible nonprofit sites in shortage areas can get up to $50,000 over two years through HPLRP, with extensions possible up to six years (RIDOH). New nurses with RISLA loans can add the Nursing Reward Program, and our nursing forgiveness roundup covers federal Nurse Corps funding.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable In Rhode Island?
Rhode Island follows federal treatment, so PSLF and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are tax-free while income-driven plan forgiveness granted after 2025 is taxable (The College Investor). Use our tax bomb calculator to estimate what you'd owe.
Related Rhode Island Resources
How We Sourced This Data
Program details on this page come from the administering agencies: the Rhode Island Department of Health and its HPLRP eligibility rules and brochure, Rhode Island Commerce's Wavemaker Fellowship site, the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority, and the state's Caring Careers loan repayment navigation tool. 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 Rhode Island'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