AF extends Health Professions Loan Repayment Program

  • Published
  • By Kat Bailey
  • Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
Application packages for the Air Force’s Health Professions Loan Repayment Program will now be accepted until Sept. 1, 2017. Active-duty Biomedical Sciences Corps and Nurse Corps officers are eligible to apply. 
  
HPLRP provides an incentive for current active-duty medical personnel to extend their active duty commitment through the repayment of professional educational loans, provided they are in the selected career fields and otherwise eligible.
 
“We want our people to be able to balance their commitment to serve their country and support their families,” said Maj. Connie Converse, a Biomedical Sciences Corps utilization officer at the Air Force Personnel Center. “This initiative helps alleviate some of the financial burden of student loans, instilling greater confidence about their futures and allowing greater flexibility for families.”
 
The maximum loan repayment is $40,000 per year for up to two years, minus about 28 percent in federal income taxes, which are taken out prior to lender repayment. 

“The loan repayment counts as income,” Converse said. “We encourage officers with questions about the tax effects to consult with their tax expert prior to applying for the program.” 

Repayment may consist of loan amounts for principal, interest and reasonable educational and living expenses, and are sent directly to the lending institution on behalf of the HPLRP participant. 

Officers may use HPLRP to repay any qualified loans obtained for their qualifying degree that allows them to hold their Air Force Specialty Code. 

“The Air Force Officer Classification Directory on myPers is the source document that provides the type of qualifying degree the member requires in order to obtain their commission,” Converse said. “The expense to obtain that degree is what the Air Force considers eligible debt for this program.” 

The service commitment for HPLRP is a minimum of two years, Converse said. 

Find additional information about the application requirements and process on myPers. Select “Active Duty Officer” from the dropdown menu and search “HPLRP.”
 
For more information about Air Force personnel programs, go to myPers. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions.