If your loans are not paid in full upon completion of your initial two-year service obligation, the LRP can still help. You can apply for a contract extension
and continue to serve full time at the same site or at a different priority site to receive one year of loan repayment for each additional year of service until
your qualifying loans are paid.
Your extension request will be considered if:
- The IHS determines that you satisfactorily completed your previous service obligation
- You provide current employment verification indicating full-time employment at an eligible Indian health program site
- You continue to provide full-time clinical services in your chosen health profession
- Priority staffing needs of IHS or Indian health programs continue to be met by an extension of your service
- You have qualified student loans not paid for under your initial contract
- You provide a payment history from your lending institution(s) indicating that maximum payments from your LRP award were applied to your eligible
outstanding debt during your service with the program (for example, if the LRP provides $20,000 during your last year, you are required to show via an
official statement from your lending institution that the entire amount was applied to your outstanding loan debt)
- LRP funds are available
As an LRP recipient, you will receive priority consideration for an extension of your LRP award, but you must submit your extension request in writing via
letter or email prior to January 1 of the final year of your LRP contract. If you miss the deadline, you are still eligible to apply for an extension but you will
not receive priority consideration. Unlike initial applications, extensions are granted regardless of a site's score. If you receive an extension, your new
contract will start the day after your current contract expires.
You may apply for multiple extensions until your qualified student loans are paid. Your total period of obligated service cannot exceed the number of years
that it will take to repay the total amount of outstanding qualified student loans at the rate of up to $20,000 per year under the terms of this contract.
Download the LRP Policy Clarifications Memo (PDF - 466KB)
for information regarding contract extensions.
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