Virginia Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Virginia offers student loan repayment assistance programs aimed entirely at health care. The biggest awards go to primary care, dental, and behavioral health providers through the Virginia Department of Health, while nurses now apply through the new Virginia Nursing Workforce Center after a 2026 law moved those programs. Teachers, lawyers, and everyone else should start with federal forgiveness programs, where the bigger dollars are.
Virginia Programs At A Glance
| Program | Who Qualifies | Maximum Award | Service Required | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (VA-SLRP) | Primary care, dental, mental health, nursing, and pharmacy providers in shortage areas | $100,000 for 2 years (half from VDH, half from a community match); $140,000 over 4 years | 2 years in a Virginia HPSA, renewable for 2 more | Annual Cycle |
| Virginia Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program | Psychiatric providers, therapists, counselors, social workers, and other behavioral health staff | 25% of loan debt, up to $50,000/year (Tier 1), $20,000/year (Tier 2), or $10,000/year (Tier 3) | 4,000 hours (2 years full time) at an eligible site | Annual Cycle |
| Nurse Loan Repayment Program (NLRP) | LPNs, RNs, CNAs, and advanced practice nurses | Varies; CNA track up to $1,000 | Nursing service commitment in Virginia | Open |
| Mary Marshall Nursing Scholarships | CNA, LPN, and RN students | $1,000 (CNA) to $2,000 (LPN, RN) | 1 year of full-time work in Virginia | Open |
| Long-Term Care Nursing Scholarships | CNA, LPN, and RN students | $2,000 | 1 year full time in a Virginia long-term care facility | Open |
| Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, And Nurse Educator Scholarships | RNs in graduate programs | $7,000 | 1 year (NP, CNM) or 2 years (educator) per award year in an underserved area | Open |
| School Nurse LPN-To-RN Scholarship | LPNs working as school nurses | $10,000 | 1 year full time as an RN school nurse | Open |
Programs That Help Repay Loans You Already Have
Virginia borrowers carry an average federal student loan balance of roughly $39,700, according to our Virginia student loans and financial aid breakdown. These programs send money toward that debt once you're working in a qualifying job. Compare them against Public Service Loan Forgiveness, since community services boards, health departments, and nonprofit clinics are also PSLF employers.
Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (VA-SLRP)
VA-SLRP is a federal HRSA grant run by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) that repays loans for providers who give at least two years of primary care or dental service in a Virginia Health Professional Shortage Area (VDH). The initial two-year award tops out at $50,000 from VDH plus $50,000 from a community match, and the total over four years can't exceed $140,000 (VA-SLRP Eligibility Rules). Physicians weighing it against other offers should read our breakdown of student loan forgiveness for doctors.
| Administered by | Virginia Department of Health, Division of Primary Care and Rural Health |
| Who qualifies | Physicians (MD, DO) in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychiatry, or women's health; NPs, CNMs, and PAs in similar specialties; dentists and dental hygienists; psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and counselors; registered nurses; and pharmacists at eligible sites |
| Award | Up to $100,000 for the first two years ($50,000 VDH, $50,000 community match), up to $40,000 for each of a third and fourth year, and no more than $140,000 total |
| Commitment | Two years, with an optional two-year renewal; full time is 40 hours a week, 45 weeks a year, and half time is 20 to 39 hours a week |
| Eligible loans | Government and commercial loans for tuition and reasonable educational and living expenses |
| Citizenship | U.S. citizens or nationals |
| Restrictions | Practice sites or other public or private entities must match federal funds dollar for dollar; breaking the contract triggers repayment plus a $7,500 penalty per month of unserved time |
| Status | VDH hasn't posted the next application window, and its latest posted eligibility rules cover 2022 to 2025 |
| Official source | VDH Virginia Loan Repayment Programs |
Virginia Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program
The 2021 General Assembly created this program with $1.6 million to recruit behavioral health professionals to community services boards, health centers, free clinics, state mental health and correctional facilities, and other sites serving underserved patients (VDH). Awards cover up to 25% of your loan debt, capped at $50,000, $20,000, or $10,000 a year depending on your profession tier (BH-LRP Program Rules). Therapists and counselors at nonprofit agencies can also work toward PSLF at the same time.
| Administered by | Virginia Department of Health, Workforce Incentive Program Team |
| Who qualifies | Tier 1 ($50,000 a year): psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychiatric NPs, PAs, pharmacists, and RNs. Tier 2 ($20,000 a year): licensed clinical psychologists, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and clinical social workers. Tier 3 ($10,000 a year, added in FY2025): nurses, substance abuse counselors, school psychologists, peer recovery specialists, behavioral health technicians, art therapists, and related roles |
| Award | Up to 25% of total student loan debt, subject to the tier's annual cap; no employer match required |
| Commitment | 4,000 hours of direct clinical service (two years full time), or up to 48 months at 20 or more hours a week; up to two one-year renewals |
| Eligible loans | Government and commercial education loans; Parent PLUS loans, consolidated loans, credit cards, and home equity loans don't qualify |
| Restrictions | Breaking the contract means repaying awards within three years with interest plus liquidated damages of 50% of the amount paid |
| Status | Applications run October 15 to April 15, with awards announced by June 15 |
| Official source | VDH Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program |
Nurse Loan Repayment Program (NLRP)
Governor Spanberger signed SB 405 on March 31, 2026, moving every state nursing incentive program from VDH to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority's Virginia Nursing Workforce Center (VDH). The center's Nurse Loan Repayment Program covers LPNs, RNs, CNAs, and advanced practice nurses who agree to a nursing service commitment in Virginia, and a separate CNA track pays up to $1,000 (Virginia Nursing Workforce Center). Nurses who need more can compare federal Nurse Corps in our nursing forgiveness roundup.
| Administered by | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority |
| Who qualifies | LPNs, RNs, certified nurse aides, and advanced practice nurses with a qualifying Virginia license or certification and eligible education debt |
| Award | The center says awards "will vary"; the CNA track pays up to $1,000 |
| Commitment | A nursing service commitment in Virginia; the center doesn't publish its length |
| Status | The center said the 2026-27 application would open by August 1, 2026, and its homepage now says all nursing incentive applications are open |
| Official source | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center Loan Repayment |
Service-Based Funding For Students In Training
These four scholarship programs, all now run by the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, pay part of nursing school costs and require work in Virginia afterward. They count as forgiveness only if you complete the service, so weigh them against a private student loan with no strings attached.
Mary Marshall Nursing Scholarships
The Mary Marshall program pays up to $1,000 to CNA students and up to $2,000 to LPN and RN students in exchange for one year of full-time work in Virginia (Virginia Nursing Workforce Center). The LPN track requires that year in a Virginia long-term care facility. Associate and bachelor's RN students can pair this with the options in our nursing forgiveness roundup.
| Administered by | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center |
| Who qualifies | CNA, LPN, and RN (associate or bachelor's) students who have been Virginia residents for at least one year; LPN and RN students need a 2.50 cumulative GPA |
| Award | Up to $1,000 (CNA) or up to $2,000 (LPN, RN) |
| Commitment | One year of full-time employment in Virginia in the licensed role |
| Status | Applications open; the center doesn't publish a deadline on its scholarship page |
| Official source | VNWC Scholarships |
Long-Term Care Nursing Scholarships
This program pays up to $2,000 to CNA, LPN, and RN students who agree to work full time for one year in a Virginia long-term care facility (Virginia Nursing Workforce Center). Nursing home staff at nonprofit facilities may also qualify for PSLF on any federal loans they carry.
| Administered by | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center |
| Who qualifies | CNA, LPN, and RN students who have been Virginia residents for at least one year; LPN and RN students need a 2.50 cumulative GPA |
| Award | Up to $2,000 |
| Commitment | One year of full-time employment in a Virginia long-term care facility |
| Status | Applications open; no published deadline |
| Official source | VNWC Scholarships |
Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, And Nurse Educator Scholarships
RNs in graduate programs can receive up to $7,000 to become nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, or nurse educators (Virginia Nursing Workforce Center). NPs and midwives owe one year of full-time practice in a Virginia Medically Underserved Area or HPSA per award year, and nurse educators owe two years. Our graduate school forgiveness breakdown covers federal options for the rest of the degree cost.
| Administered by | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center |
| Who qualifies | Registered nurses in NP, CNM, or nurse educator programs with a 3.0 cumulative GPA who have been Virginia residents for at least one year |
| Award | Up to $7,000 |
| Commitment | One year (NP, CNM) or two years (nurse educator) of full-time practice in a Virginia Medically Underserved Area or HPSA for each award year |
| Status | Applications open; no published deadline |
| Official source | VNWC Scholarships |
School Nurse LPN-To-RN Scholarship
LPNs working as school nurses can receive up to $10,000 toward an RN credential if they then work one year full time as an RN school nurse in a Virginia school (Virginia Nursing Workforce Center). School nurses employed by public school divisions also work for PSLF-qualifying employers, covered in our PSLF breakdown.
| Administered by | Virginia Nursing Workforce Center |
| Who qualifies | LPNs employed as school nurses who are pursuing an RN, with a 2.50 cumulative GPA and at least one year of Virginia residency |
| Award | Up to $10,000 |
| Commitment | One year of full-time employment as an RN school nurse in a Virginia school |
| Status | Applications open; no published deadline |
| Official source | VNWC Scholarships |
Federal Forgiveness Options For Virginia Borrowers
Federal programs reach far more Virginia borrowers than the seven 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). Virginia public school teachers, state and local employees, public university staff, and federal workers in Northern Virginia 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. Virginia runs a HRSA State Loan Repayment Program (VA-SLRP, covered above), and VDH notes that the National Health Service Corps is fully federally funded and open to providers at HPSA sites (VDH). NHSC pays full-time primary care providers up to $75,000 for a two-year commitment, or up to $80,000 with a $5,000 Spanish-language bonus (HRSA), and Nurse Corps pays 60% of nursing debt for two years plus another 25% for a third year (HRSA). The STAR program pays up to $250,000 for six years in substance use disorder treatment (HRSA), and our nursing and health care forgiveness roundup covers eligibility for each.
Veterinarians. We found no active Virginia veterinary loan repayment program, but the USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program pays up to $25,000 a year for at least three years of 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 Virginia?
Virginia ties its tax code to the federal Internal Revenue Code as of a specific date, and its most recent update excluded student loan forgiveness from taxable income through December 31, 2025 (The College Investor). PSLF, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, and death and disability discharges are excluded under permanent federal rules.
Forgiveness under income-driven plans became federally taxable again on January 1, 2026, when the American Rescue Plan exclusion expired, and Virginia's exclusion window ended on the same date (Taxes And Student Loan Forgiveness). Unless the General Assembly passes a new exclusion, borrowers expecting IBR or RAP forgiveness should plan for a state bill and estimate it with our student loan tax bomb calculator.
Ask VDH or the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center whether your 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 an active Virginia 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. Virginia savers should also review the Invest529 plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Virginia Have A Student Loan Forgiveness Program?
Virginia offers student loan repayment assistance programs rather than broad loan forgiveness. It runs seven service-based programs for primary care, dental, behavioral health, and nursing professionals and students. Borrowers outside those fields rely on federal programs like PSLF and income-driven plan forgiveness.
Where Did Virginia's Nursing Scholarships And Loan Repayment Go?
SB 405, signed March 31, 2026, moved the Mary Marshall, long-term care, NP, nurse midwife, and nurse educator scholarships and the nursing preceptor program from VDH to the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center (VDH). Applications now run through the center's website, and our nursing forgiveness roundup covers the federal programs nurses can add.
Is The Virginia Physician Loan Repayment Program Still Available?
VDH says state funding isn't currently available to run the Virginia Physician Loan Repayment Program, so physicians should apply to VA-SLRP or NHSC instead (VDH). Our breakdown of student loan forgiveness for doctors lists the federal routes.
Does Virginia Help Teachers With Student Loans?
Virginia law creates a Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program for students in approved teacher preparation programs, with one year of Virginia public school teaching owed for each year of scholarship, but award amounts depend on annual appropriations (Code of Virginia § 22.1-290.01). Working teachers have no state repayment program, so federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness and PSLF, covered in our teacher forgiveness breakdown, are the main options.
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable In Virginia?
PSLF and Teacher Loan Forgiveness are tax-free, and Virginia's exclusion for other student loan forgiveness ran through December 31, 2025 (The College Investor). Income-driven plan forgiveness granted after that is federally taxable, so use our tax bomb calculator to estimate what you'd owe.
Related Virginia Resources
How We Sourced This Data
Program details on this page come from the administering agencies and state law: the Virginia Department of Health Division of Primary Care and Rural Health (VA-SLRP eligibility rules, Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program rules, and the SB 405 transition notice), the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority's Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, and the Code of Virginia. 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 Virginia'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