NHLBI Loan Repayment Programs

NHLBI's Loan Repayment Programs are part of the NIH-wide effort to recruit and retain researchers in biomedical and biobehavioral careers. Congress established the program family to reduce educational debt in exchange for a commitment to NIH mission-relevant research, and NHLBI participates at the institute level rather than running a separate stand-alone scheme. The program repays up to $50,000 per year of qualified educational debt. NHLBI participates in three extramural tracks: Clinical Researchers, Pediatric Research, and Health Disparities Research. The program is for individuals, not institutions, and it is administered by the NIH Division of Loan Repayment. Applications open each September, with deadlines in early December and awards beginning the following July. The fit is strongest for early-career or mid-career researchers who can make a multi-year commitment to NIH-relevant work and who carry debt that can be relieved by the award. Because the route is personal rather than institutional, applicants need a research plan, employment setting, and eligibility profile that match the specific LRP track. It is a retention tool as much as a recruitment tool, and the institute uses it to keep talent in research careers that align with its mission.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.