On October 23, 2026, the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing announced a $600,000 federal HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program award from Aurora. Doctoral students preparing for faculty careers can apply for up to $40,000 per year to cover tuition and related costs.
Spring 2027 applications open at the end of November 2026. Recipients complete two nursing education courses and teach full time, with 15% to 25% of the loan forgiven for each year of faculty service. That faculty-pipeline exchange addresses an enduring nurse educator shortage.
What the $600,000 Nurse Faculty Loan Award Actually Funds
Nursing education costs continue to rise, so a dedicated loan-forgiveness pipeline can determine whether doctoral students finish on schedule. The University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing received $600,000 from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nurse Faculty Loan program, according to the CU Anschutz news announcement. The college is adding about $67,000 in matching funds, nearly one-tenth of the federal amount.
The award targets students in the college's Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program who intend to become nursing faculty, with some funding also available for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students. Eligible students can apply for up to $40,000 per year of their doctoral program.
What the money covers
- Tuition: Loan support can offset direct program costs.
- Other doctoral costs: Travel, education courses, and certification expenses are eligible uses.
CU Anschutz has received Nurse Faculty Loan program funding for more than 20 years, so this is an established faculty pipeline rather than a one-time grant.
Nurse Faculty Loan Program Eligibility and How Forgiveness Works
The Nurse Faculty Loan Program is built around a straightforward exchange: accept a loan for your doctoral nursing education, complete two nursing education courses, and cancel much of the balance by moving into full-time faculty employment after graduation.
Who can qualify
HRSA makes these institutional loans available to students in eligible advanced nursing programs, including master's, doctoral, post-master's certificate, and clinical nurse leader paths. CU Anschutz and other participating schools determine acceptable academic standing, so admission to an eligible program and a clear plan to teach are the practical starting points. You must graduate from the advanced program and establish full-time nurse faculty employment within 12 months of graduation to begin cancellation. Confirm citizenship or residency documentation and the current annual loan cap with the financial aid office, because HRSA guidance lists different annual amounts.
How forgiveness and repayment work
Once you are in a qualifying full-time faculty role, the school can cancel 15 to 25 percent of the original principal plus accrued interest for each year of full-time faculty service, up to 85 percent total.1 The two required nursing education courses are part of the program, and recipients commit to full-time teaching.2 Schools also set selection criteria and may renew funding for up to five years, so ask about cumulative limits before borrowing.3 If you leave full-time faculty employment early or never establish it, the loan becomes repayable. Repayment generally begins nine months after you complete the program, stop enrolling, or stop qualifying employment, and runs for up to ten years.2 HRSA materials describe a 3 percent rate during qualifying service, but the terms after you leave teaching should be confirmed directly with HRSA and the aid office.1
The Faculty-Pipeline Math: Why Schools Fund Future Nurse Educators
Doctoral students can choose a research-intensive PhD or a practice-focused DNP, but schools that need future nurse educators are concentrating forgivable-loan dollars on the PhD. AACN's 2025-2026 survey counted 1,588 full-time nurse-faculty vacancies nationally and a 7.2% vacancy rate, down from 7.9% in 2024.1 Among open positions, 29.7% had been unfilled for more than one year, and doctoral preparation was required or preferred for 80.9% of vacancies.1
The CU Anschutz funding pool
At CU Anschutz Nursing, 16 of 48 PhD students received a Nurse Faculty Loan in the last cycle, roughly one in three. The assistant dean of the PhD program estimates 70-80% of PhD students receive some funding, so the loan sits inside a wider aid picture. Treat those figures as estimates, not guarantees.
Why the pipeline is urgent
Doctorally prepared professors average 60.2 years old, associate professors 55.0, and assistant professors 48.9.2 The share of nursing faculty at least 65 doubled from 16.9% in 2017 to 34.2% in 2024.2 Schools are funding future educators because the current educator workforce is moving toward retirement.
PhD vs. DNP
This award is aimed primarily at PhD students, with limited DNP money. DNP applicants should plan for competition and carry backup funding.
Timeline: Applying for Spring 2026 Nurse Faculty Loan Funding
The College of Nursing expects to open Nurse Faculty Loan applications at the end of November 2026 for the Spring 2027 semester.
- Late November 2026Applications are scheduled to open at the end of November. The exact opening and closing dates are not yet published, so confirm directly with the College of Nursing.
- Admission statusBe admitted or advancing through admission to the PhD or DNP program. For Spring 2027, the DNP-APRN extended deadline is November 1, 2026; the PhD program is currently posted for Fall 2027 with a January 15, 2027 deadline.
- FAFSA and documentationHave a FAFSA on file and be ready to document a full-time faculty career goal plus a plan to complete the two required nursing education courses.
- Confirm remaining detailsSelection criteria and individual award amounts are not yet confirmed. The published maximum is $40,000 per year, but check with the CU Anschutz College of Nursing before applying.
How CU Anschutz Distributes Scholarships and Grants, and What Doctoral Tuition Looks Like
A CU Anschutz doctoral nursing degree varies in cost by residency and program, and aid comes from several sources.
The FAFSA opens access to federal and need-based aid, while the college also distributes donor scholarships and federal allocations such as the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. For 2026-2027, PhD tuition is $766 per credit for Colorado residents/WRGP students and $1,320 for nonresidents; DNP tuition is $820 per credit for residents/WRGP and $1,330 for nonresidents. Total program cost depends on the number of credits, so confirm each program's current fee schedule before budgeting.
How the college distributes aid
- Donor scholarships: Merit- and need-based awards, commonly up to $10,000, are available to new and continuing students when funding allows.
- Nurse Faculty Loan Program: The college's $600,000 HRSA award plus a roughly $67,000 match lets eligible PhD and some DNP students apply for up to $40,000 per year for tuition and other doctoral costs.
- Rural Midwifery Track: Accepted nurse-midwifery students may receive full resident tuition and fees plus a living stipend; nonresidents cover the difference.
Options beyond the college
- Friends of Nursing: Colorado residents with at least a 3.0 GPA who are juniors, seniors, or graduate students at participating schools can apply. The 2026 spring window closes November 6, 2026; individual awards vary.
- Air Force Health Professions Scholarship: Covers tuition, books, supplies, and lab fees, plus a $2,200 monthly stipend for qualifying nursing students.
Amounts and deadlines change, so check each program's own page for current details.
Pairing School Aid With Nurse Corps, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and Colorado Programs
School-based aid such as the CU Anschutz Nurse Faculty Loan can lower upfront doctoral costs, but many students will also weigh federal repayment and scholarship options. The key is understanding service obligations before combining awards, because programs like Nurse Corps treat an existing Nurse Faculty Loan commitment as a competing obligation.
| Program | Who qualifies | Benefit | Service commitment | Can it pair with NFLP? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Faculty Loan Program | PhD students preparing for nursing faculty roles; some DNP students may also qualify. | Up to $40,000 per year for tuition and doctoral costs such as travel, education courses, or certification; 15 to 25 percent forgiveness per year of full-time teaching after graduation. | Complete two nursing education courses and commit to full-time faculty employment after graduation. | Creates the faculty service obligation that other programs assess; not stacked with a new Nurse Corps award. |
| Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program | Licensed RNs, APRNs such as nurse practitioners, and nurse faculty with qualifying nursing debt; must work full-time at an eligible critical-shortage facility or accredited school of nursing. | Up to 60 percent of outstanding qualifying educational loan for the initial award period; an additional 25 percent of the original loan balance may be available for an optional third year. | Minimum 2 years; an optional third consecutive year may be available. | No; FY 2026 guidance lists the Nurse Faculty Loan Program among existing service obligations that disqualify an applicant from receiving a new Nurse Corps award. |
| Nurse Corps Scholarship Program | U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents accepted or enrolled in an accredited nursing degree program; must begin classes no later than September 30 and have no existing service commitment or overdue federal debt. | Payment of tuition, fees, and other educational costs, plus a monthly stipend. | Minimum 2 years full-time service, or part-time equivalent, at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses after graduation. | No; the FY 2026 definitions include the Nurse Faculty Loan Program as an existing service obligation, so the two cannot be held concurrently. |
| Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Nurse faculty working full-time for a qualifying public employer or eligible nonprofit, including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain other nonprofits providing public services such as public health nursing. | Eligibility is based on qualifying full-time employment with a public or eligible nonprofit employer and qualifying Direct Loan repayment requirements. | Qualifying public or nonprofit employment. | No categorical prohibition is stated for pairing PSLF with NFLP, but NFLP may create a separate service obligation, and Nurse Corps guidance treats NFLP obligations as incompatible with accepting a new Nurse Corps award. |
How to Find Similar Institutional Awards at Other Nursing Schools
There are two ways to find an award like CU Anschutz's: scrolling the school's graduate financial aid pages, or asking the doctoral program directly. The stronger path combines both.
Start with the federal program. HRSA's Nurse Faculty Loan Program page explains how the loan works, but HRSA does not accept student applications. Individual schools receive the funds and decide how to distribute them, so you will apply through the nursing school, not the agency. On any school you are considering, use the search function on its graduate financial aid and PhD or DNP funding pages for "Nurse Faculty Loan Program" or "NFLP."
Then email the doctoral program director or assistant dean. Ask what share of doctoral students receive funding, what the typical award amount is, and when the application opens. CU Anschutz reports that roughly 70 to 80 percent of its PhD students receive some support, which gives you a benchmark for comparing programs. Treat funding odds as part of the cost equation: a lower tuition sticker may matter less if one school funds far more of its future faculty.
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