The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is a federal program that provides scholarships or repays the educational loans of primary care physicians and other health care providers (nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists and hygienists, mental health professionals and certified nurse midwives) who agree to serve a minimum of two years in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSAs).
The NHSC must approve both the health care provider and the placement site. Technical assistance is provided to clinicians and site applicants at the state level prior to application to the National Health Service Corps.
The NHSC builds healthy communities by supporting qualified health care providers dedicated to working in areas of the U.S. with limited access to care.
application cycles
A new site application cycle opens every year. In a typical cycle, you have 6-8 weeks to submit your site application. The new site application cycle is for sites that:
- Have never been approved for NHSC, including sites that have applied and had their application denied or canceled
- That are currently inactive for NHSC due to expiration or past compliance issues.
Prepare for Application
Read the site reference guide, detailing everything we expect of NHSC-approved sites.
- Read the NHSC Site Agreement
- Gather or create all required documentation.
- Create an account or log into the BHW Customer Service Portal
Site Approval Designation
- NHSC will notify you through the BHW Customer Service Portal.
- NHSC will also send you information on how to post job positions on the Health Workforce Connector.
approval period expiration
The approval period does expire, with the exception of eligible auto-approved NHSC sites.
If NHSC approves your application, it is valid for three years. However, your site must remain in an HPSA and continue to meet the NHSC eligibility requirements and qualification factors throughout the approval period