Utah Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Utah offers two student loan repayment assistance programs, both built for health care providers. The Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program is the one to look at first, since it covers everyone from physicians to registered nurses and now takes applications year-round. Future teachers and police officers can get scholarships for working in Utah, but there's no program for teachers' existing loans, so everyone else should start with federal forgiveness programs.
Utah Programs At A Glance
| Program | Who Qualifies | Maximum Award | Service Required | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program (HCWFAP) | Physicians, dentists, pharmacists, PAs, APRNs, mental health providers, RNs, and hygienists | $30,000 to $75,000 from the state, plus a 20% site match | 3 years at a site in a shortage area | Rolling |
| Rural Physicians Loan Repayment Program (RPLRP) | MDs and DOs at rural Utah hospitals | $40,000 from the state, matched by the hospital; up to $120,000 with extension | 2 years at a rural hospital | Rolling |
| T.H. Bell Education Scholarship | Students in teacher education or speech-language pathology programs | Based on available funding, up to 4 years | Teach or work as an SLP in a Utah public school | Annual Cycle |
| Karen Mayne Public Safety Officer Scholarship | High school graduates entering police academy and criminal justice study | Varies with funding, up to 4 years | 5 years as a certified peace officer in Utah | Annual Cycle |
Programs That Help Repay Loans You Already Have
Utah borrowers carry roughly $31,800 in federal student debt on average, according to our Utah student loans and financial aid breakdown. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Primary Care and Rural Health runs both programs, and both require your employer to chip in. Many qualifying sites, from community health centers to county hospitals, are also Public Service Loan Forgiveness employers.
Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program (HCWFAP)
HCWFAP pays up to $75,000 over three years to physicians, dentists, and pharmacists, $45,000 to PAs, APRNs, nurse midwives, and psychologists, $37,500 to LMFTs, LCSWs, and mental health counselors, and $30,000 to bachelor's-degree RNs and dental hygienists (Utah DHHS). The practice site adds a match equal to 20% of the state's award. HCWFAP takes applications on a rolling basis, so nurses should compare it with the options in our nursing student loan forgiveness roundup.
| Administered by | Utah DHHS Office of Primary Care and Rural Health |
| Who qualifies | Providers with an unrestricted license who have worked at the site for fewer than 18 months; the site must be in a designated shortage area and offer a sliding-fee schedule |
| Award | $75,000 (MD, DO, DDS, DMD, PharmD), $45,000 (PA, APRN, CNM, psychologist), $37,500 (LMFT, LCSW, CMHC), or $30,000 (BS/BA RN, RDH, BSDH), plus a 20% site match |
| Commitment | Three years, with semiannual progress reports; DHHS lists a one-year extension option (Utah DHHS) |
| Status | Rolling applications; submit before March 1, 2027, for the next enrollment period |
| Official source | Utah DHHS HCWFAP |
Rural Physicians Loan Repayment Program (RPLRP)
RPLRP pays full-time physicians up to $40,000 from the state for a two-year commitment at a rural Utah hospital, and the hospital must match it dollar for dollar, for $80,000 total (Utah DHHS). An optional third year brings the maximum to $120,000, and part-time physicians working 20 or more hours a week receive half. Our breakdown of student loan forgiveness for doctors shows how the current award compares with federal options.
| Administered by | Utah DHHS Office of Primary Care and Rural Health |
| Who qualifies | MDs and DOs licensed in Utah who work at a rural Utah hospital with a written matching-funds agreement |
| Award | Up to $40,000 from the state plus a 100% hospital match ($80,000) for two years full time; up to $120,000 with a one-year extension; half those amounts for part time |
| Commitment | Two years at an eligible rural hospital |
| Status | Rolling applications, due within 18 months of starting at the site |
| Official source | Utah DHHS RPLRP |
Service-Based Funding For Students In Training
These two Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) scholarships pay for school in exchange for working in Utah after graduation. USHE's pages don't spell out what happens if you don't complete the service, so ask before you accept, and compare the terms with a private student loan with no strings attached.
T.H. Bell Education Scholarship
The T.H. Bell Education Scholarship supports students who commit to teaching, or working as a speech-language pathologist, in a Utah public school after graduation (USHE). Awards are based on available funding for up to four consecutive years, with priority for first-generation students and those headed into high-need teaching areas. Future teachers can pair it with the federal programs in our list of student loan forgiveness options for teachers.
| Administered by | Utah System of Higher Education |
| Who qualifies | Recent high school graduates and adult students who declare an approved teacher education or speech-language pathology major |
| Award | Based on available funding, for up to four consecutive years |
| Service | Teach or work as an SLP in a Utah public school; USHE doesn't publish the required number of years |
| Status | Apply through the financial aid office or college of education at your school; USHE doesn't publish a statewide deadline |
| Official source | USHE T.H. Bell Education Scholarship |
Karen Mayne Public Safety Officer Scholarship
This scholarship covers tuition, fees, required textbooks, and POST training for up to four academic years for students who enroll in a state-certified police academy and a criminal justice program (USHE). Recipients commit to working as a certified peace officer in Utah for at least five years after POST certification. Officers at city, county, and state agencies also work for PSLF-qualifying employers, which our PSLF breakdown covers.
| Administered by | Utah System of Higher Education |
| Who qualifies | High school graduates enrolled in basic training at a certified academy and a criminal justice program who complete the FAFSA |
| Award | Varies with available funding; covers tuition, fees, textbooks, and POST training |
| Service | Five years as a certified peace officer in Utah |
| Deadlines | The 2026-27 application opened January 5, 2026, and closed March 20, 2026 |
| Official source | USHE Karen Mayne Scholarship |
Federal Forgiveness Options For Utah Borrowers
Federal programs reach far more Utah borrowers than the four 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). Utah public school teachers, state and county 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 pays full-time primary care providers up to $80,000 for a two-year commitment, including a $5,000 Spanish-language enhancement (HRSA). Nurse Corps pays 60% of qualifying nursing debt for two years of service and another 25% for an optional third year (HRSA). HRSA lists Utah DHHS as a State Loan Repayment Program grantee (HRSA), and our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup covers eligibility for each federal program.
Veterinarians. We couldn't confirm a Utah 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 Utah?
Utah is one of 20 states that start from federal adjusted gross income and automatically update to match changes in federal law (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 automatic-conformity states like Utah follow that treatment (Taxes And Student Loan Forgiveness). Borrowers expecting IBR or RAP forgiveness can estimate the bill with our student loan tax bomb calculator.
Ask DHHS or USHE whether your Utah award will be reported as income. Our explainer on the 1099-C and student loan forgiveness covers what to expect at filing time.
If Your Job Isn't Covered
Borrowers outside health care won't find a Utah program for existing loans, 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. Utah savers should also review the my529 plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Utah Have A Student Loan Forgiveness Program?
Utah offers student loan repayment assistance programs rather than broad loan forgiveness. It runs two loan repayment programs for health care providers and two service scholarships for future teachers and police officers. Borrowers outside those fields rely on federal programs like PSLF and income-driven plan forgiveness.
Is The Utah Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program Funded?
Our 2023 page listed HCWFAP as unfunded, but DHHS now accepts applications on a rolling basis for the next enrollment period, with a March 1, 2027, submission target (Utah DHHS). Nurses, counselors, and dentists can compare it with federal options in our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup.
Can Utah Teachers Get Help With Student Loans?
Utah has no program for teachers' existing loans, though the T.H. Bell scholarship helps future teachers who commit to Utah public schools (USHE). Working teachers should look at federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF, covered in our teacher forgiveness breakdown.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable In Utah?
Utah automatically conforms to federal tax law, 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 Utah Resources
How We Sourced This Data
Program details on this page come from the administering agencies: the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, the Utah System of Higher Education, and HRSA's State Loan Repayment Program contact list. 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 Utah'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