Minnesota Hospital Registered Nurse Loan Forgiveness Program

About this program

The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care offers loan forgiveness to recruit and retain registered nurses in Minnesota hospitals serving communities with health care access needs. Selected participants may receive $6,000 annually for up to two years, or $12,000 total, toward qualified educational loans, subject to available funding. Eligible applicants must be licensed RNs—or nursing students who will be licensed and employed by the applicable deadline—and provide direct patient care at least 30 hours per week in a Minnesota nonprofit or public hospital. Applicants must have at least $6,000 in eligible loan debt and commit to a minimum two-year service obligation; the 2026 application cycle runs August 1 through October 6, 2026.