NHSC service-obligation scholarships are available for U.S. citizens. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited U.S. school in a course of study leading to a degree in allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) medicine, dentistry, primary care nursing, nurse midwifery, or a degree as a primary care physician assistant. Applicants must not have any federal judgment liens, federal loan defaults, or conflicting service obligation. NHSC guidelines state, "The applicant must submit an application and a signed contract to the National Health Service Corps, Division of Applications and Awards, the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service by the last Friday in March, agreeing to accept payment of scholarship and provide full-time primary health services in a Health Professional Shortage Area ( HPSA)."
The United States Health and Human Resources Administration (HRSA) requires all NHSC applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov. Pre-application coordination is a required part of the application process. This program is excluded from coverage under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-102 and OMB Circular No. A-110 in the management of grants. An objective review committee will review all qualified applications and advise the HRSA program official who is responsible for funding and final applicant selection.
Successful and rejected applicants will be notified no later than six months after the application deadline.
Statutes require that first priority be given to applicants who previously received a scholarship under NHSC 93.288 or under the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, Title III, section 758. Priority will be given to students who are most likely to continue professional practice in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) when their service obligation is complete. According to NHSC, an HPSA is a rural, demographic, county, or other area designated by HRSA as having shortages of primary medical care, dental or mental health providers in the United States. Disadvantaged students will make up the third priority group under consideration for assistance.
According to NHSC, the program requires one year of service for each full or partial year of support, with a minimum two-year service commitment after graduation. Applicants may receive up to four years of support with applicable service obligation agreement. Service sites are selected by the scholarship recipient from the list of high priority sites in HPSAs identified by the NHSC.