North Dakota Student Loan Forgiveness Programs

In terms of loan forgiveness and repayment programs, states can vary drastically in the type of different opportunities they offer. While many different criteria must be met, among the most common are those that are professionally or subject matter defined. North Dakota is no exception to this generalized rule. The following are a few of the different North Dakota student loan forgiveness programs that are available for those with educational debt in the state of North Dakota and as you will find, the main criteria focus on the different professions into which you may or may not be going.

For more general information, check out our guide to student loan forgiveness!

Teacher Shortage Program

One area where many states incentivize professionals to stay active is in the field of education. North Dakota is a state that follows this trend with the Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program. As the name suggests, the Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program is open to educators that are serving in geographical areas or subject areas that are underrepresented in the state. Those educators who are also teaching in a subject area that is lacking are also eligible to apply, too. There are a few criteria to meet in order to earn the one-thousand dollars per year for up to three years if you receive this loan repayment program reward.

They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Must teach in the aforementioned subject, geographical, or designated areas
• Must be an educator in the state of North Dakota
• Must meet all Department of Public Instruction criteria
• Must read and apply according to the other requirements found on their website.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Loan Forgiveness

For those that want to pursue a degree in an often underrepresented field of study, there are rewards to doing so. Of course, there is the benefit of obtaining a degree in a tough and arduous field. There is also the potential student debt forgiveness as well. For students who complete a degree in one of the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) loan forgiveness is possible. Students must meet all of the requirements, however, in order to be eligible for up to a maximum of six thousand dollars.

These eligibility criteria include:

• Completing an approved STEM program, as noted by the state board
• Must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA throughout school, cumulatively speaking
• Must receive a degree from an accredited university
• Must be employed in an approved job in the state of North Dakota for at least twelve months to be eligible—approval will be given by the North Dakota board

All other occupational restrictions and eligibility requirements can be found by clicking here.

Dental Loan Forgiveness

The state of North Dakota often sees a shortage of dental care in areas that are socioeconomically depressed or are more rural in nature. As such, they have developed a loan forgiveness program that incentivizes those in this field to practice in these regions of the state and help those who may not have the proper care.

The North Dakota Dental Loan Repayment Program as it is called, offers students up to eighty thousand dollars in additional funds to help repay their loans. Though individuals do not have to be a resident of North Dakota, they do have to make a commitment to serve in an area of need within the state. These areas are determined by the state and federal governments.

There are several different requirements for this program and to be eligible, including:

• Must be a recent dental school graduate
• Must make a commitment to work and serve the citizens of North Dakota
• Must carry all necessary licenses