To be eligible for a FLRP award, all applicants must:

1. Be a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S. national or Lawful Permanent Resident.
2. Provide certification from the health professions school (previously attended by the applicant) that identifies the applicant as coming from a disadvantaged background based on environmental and/or economic factors.  HHS defines an individual from a disadvantaged background as one who comes from 1) an environment that has made obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to enroll in and graduate from a graduate or undergraduate school challenging for the individual, or 2) a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds.  (For more details, refer to the term, “Individual from a Disadvantaged Background” under the Definitions section.)
3. Have a degree in one of the following eligible health profession disciplines:
   1. Allopathic Medicine;
   2. Osteopathic Medicine;
   3. Podiatric Medicine;
   4. Veterinary Medicine;
   5. Dentistry;
   6. Pharmacy;
   7. Optometry;
   8. Nursing (RN or higher);
   9. Public Health (graduate level only);
   10. Physician Assistant;
   11. Behavioral and Mental Health: clinical psychology, clinical social work, professional counseling, or marriage and family therapy (graduate level only); or
   12. Allied Health Professions: dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, radiology technology, speech pathology, audiology, and registered dietitians (baccalaureate or graduate level; see Definitions)

   4. Have an employment commitment from an eligible health professions school for a full-time or part-time (as defined by the school) faculty position for a minimum of 2 years, with employment to commence on or before July 31, 2011.  Eligible health professions schools must be located in a State and be an accredited public or nonprofit private school (see exception below) of:

4. Allopathic or osteopathic medicine;
5. Dentistry;
6. Nursing;
7. Pharmacy;
8. Allied health;
9. Podiatric medicine;
10. Optometry;
11. Veterinary medicine;
12. Public health (graduate level); 
13. A school offering physician assistant education programs; or
14. A school offering graduate programs in behavioral and mental health.

5. Have a written agreement with the eligible health professions school in which the school has agreed to pay principal and interest due on the applicant’s educational loans in an amount equivalent to the loan repayments made by the DHHS under FLRP, unless the school has been granted a full or partial waiver of this requirement from the FLRP.  This amount is in addition to the pay the individual would otherwise receive as a faculty member.