Transcript State Update

NC Forgivable Education Loans for
Service
April, 2012
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Bill Cox
Deputy Director
Grants, Training and Outreach
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
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FELS - Introduction
• 2011 General Assembly enacted legislation that merged
multiple state programs into a single new program – FELS
for 2012-13
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FELS – Intent of Program
• Provides financial assistance in the form of forgivable
loans to qualified students who are committed to working
in North Carolina in identified critical employment
shortage professions
• Current target employment areas are teaching, nursing,
allied health and medicine
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FELS - History
• With creation of FELS, the following programs will cease funding new
students beginning 2012-13
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Nurse Educators of Tomorrow Scholarship Loan
Nurse Education Scholarship Loan Program
Nursing Scholars Program
Board of Governors’ Dental Scholarship Loan
Board of Governors’ Medical Scholarship Loan
Prospective Teachers Scholarship Loan
Teacher Assistant Scholarship Fund
Health, Science, and Mathematics Student Loan
www.CFNC.org/FELS
FELS - History
• Millennium Teachers Scholarship Loan (Elizabeth City State
University, Fayetteville State University and Winston-Salem State
University) merged with PTSL on January 1, 2012. PTSL will become
FELS on July 1, 2012.
• Renewal recipients only after January 1, 2012
• New applicants after January 1, 2012 must have applied for the new
FELS program
www.CFNC.org/FELS
FELS – Student Eligibility Requirements
A recipient must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for FELS:
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Be a legal North Carolina resident and NC resident for tuition purposes
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Register with the Selective Service System, if required;
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Must not be in default, or does not owe a refund, under any federal or State
loan or grant program
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Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to policy of the
institution.
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Be willing to work in NC in a designated critical employment profession.
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FELS – Student Eligibility Requirements
• Minimum grade point (GPA) average at the time of application, must
be:
– 3.00 for graduating high school students (weighted GPA)
– 2.80 for undergraduate students pursuing an associate or bachelor's
degree
– 3.20 for students pursuing a graduate or professional degree
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FELS – How Much?
Annual Loan Amounts are as follows:
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Certificate and/or associate degree programs: $3,000
Bachelor's degree program: (freshmen and sophomores) $3,000
Bachelor's degree program: (juniors and seniors) $7,000
Master's degree program: $10,000
Doctoral degree program: $14,000
Maximum Aggregate Loan Limits:
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Certificate and/or associate degree programs: $6,000
Bachelor's degree program: $20,000
Master's degree program: $20,000
Doctoral degree program: $56,000
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FELS - Advisory Group
• General Assembly provided that an advisory group
would periodically make recommendations to SEAA
regarding identifying critical shortage professions
– For 2012-13, this group included representation from:
• NC Community Colleges
• UNC General Administration
• Council for Allied Health in NC
• Department of Commerce
• Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
• NC Independent College and Universities
• Department of Public Instruction
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FELS – Approved Programs
Education Programs (Undergraduate or Master’s)
• Biology
• Chemistry
• English as a Second Language
• Math
• Middle Grades
• Science
• Special Education
2011-12 TASF recipients – special population
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FELS – Approved Programs
Nursing Programs
• Nurse Educator (Masters, Doctorate)
• Nurse Practitioner (Masters, Doctorate)
• Nursing (ADN, LPN, BSN, RN2BN, RIBN)
Medical Programs
• Dentistry (DDS)
• Medical Doctor (MD)
• Osteopathy (OD)
• Podiatry (PD)
• Psychology (PhD or PsyD)
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FELS – Approved Programs
Allied Health Programs
Chiropractic Care (Doctorate)
Cytotechnology
Dental Hygiene
Emergency Medical Science
Emergency Medical Technology
Medical Technology
Occupational Therapy & Assistant
Optometry (Doctorate)
Pharmacy (PharmD) & Technician
Physical Therapy (Doctorate) & Assistant
Physician Assistant
Radiography
Radiology & Radiology Technician
Sonography
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FELS – the Commitment to Work
• Loan recipients must sign a promissory note that will require them to
seek loan forgiveness through employment in an approved position or
repay in cash with interest
• Loan recipients must be continuously enrolled in an approved education
program
• Generally, a loan for one academic year will be forgiven for:
– one year of full-time employment; or
– two years of part-time employment in an approved qualified position
• Interest will accrue at rate of 8% per year from the date of disbursement
• The repayment period generally will not exceed ten years and varies
depending on the borrower’s degree program and loan amount
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
Teaching
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NCDPI
• Teach in a qualified position
– Includes employment in a NC public school or charter school, school
operated by the State of NC or operated by the federal government in NC
Employment as an administrator or as a substitute teacher or
employment in a nonpublic school, community college or institution of
higher learning is not eligible for forgiveness
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
Nursing
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NC Board of Nursing
• Practice nursing at the Approved Education Program
funding level
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that
provide medical services to North Carolina residents
Nurse Educators
• Teach at a public or nonprofit institution approved by the
NC Board of Nursing
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
Allied Health
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain certification or licensure from applicable licensing
agency
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that
provide medical services to North Carolina residents
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
Medicine
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NC Medical Board
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that
provide medical services to North Carolina residents
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FELS – Approved Institution’s Responsibilities
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Execute a Participation Agreement
Certify that borrowers meet the eligibility criteria
Disburse FELS funds to borrower accounts
Refund money within prescribed timeframes
Maintain records
Reassure current recipients that renewals will be
honored based upon the terms of renewal
• Renewals require successful academic progress (SAP)
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FELS – Additional thoughts
• Please update your publications and websites NOW to
remove references to the discontinued programs and to
share the FELS information with interested parties
• Reassure current recipients that renewals will be honored
based upon the terms of renewal
• Renewals require successfully progressing (SAP), so no
decisions before the end of each Spring semester
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FELS – Interesting Statistics
2012-13 Applicant Pool:
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Teaching (Undergraduate) 381 applicants
Teaching (Masters) 47 applicants
Nursing 1,475 applicants
Allied Health (Undergraduate) 214 applicants
Allied Health (Masters) 112 applicants
Allied Health (Doctorate) 164 applicants
Medical Doctor 49 applicants
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Scholarship Loan Renewals (old programs)
• SEAA will notify students that renewal is possible
• Students will submit a request for renewal
• SEAA will publish Notification Lists to the School Portal
• Schools will certify renewal eligibility
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FELS – Resources and Contacts
• The program rules can be found at
http://www.ncseaa.edu/Program_Information.htm
• Terrence Scarborough, Program Manager, SEAA
– [email protected]
NCSEAA Student Portal (for students):
www.cfnc.org/seaastudent
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Questions?
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