Quick Highlights
The Arkansas Graduate Nursing Education Student Loan and Scholarship Program (AGNSLS) lets eligible Arkansas graduate nursing students borrow toward their degree and convert that loan into a scholarship grant by teaching full time in an Arkansas nursing school. The program operates generally on a one-year-of-service-per-year-of-funding basis, subject to residency, enrollment and board approval requirements that should be confirmed directly with the administering board before applying.
If the idea of teaching calls to you but the pay gives you pause, Arkansas has built something specifically for that hesitation: a state loan-to-scholarship program for graduate nursing students who commit to teaching in an Arkansas nursing school afterward. National data bears out the hesitation: the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported a 7.2% nurse faculty vacancy rate in 2025, and a persistent pay gap between clinical and teaching roles is a leading reason schools cite for those openings.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has identified loan forgiveness and tuition support as one of the more effective tools for closing that gap. This guide walks through how AGNSLS works and where the eligibility lines fall for Arkansas State University (A-State) MSN – Nurse Educator and DNP – Education students specifically, so you can weigh it alongside the degree itself.
How AGNSLS Works
AGNSLS allows eligible Arkansas graduate nursing students to receive loan funds during their program, then have those loans converted to non-repayable scholarship grants once they complete a qualifying service obligation. For a nurse educator track, that service obligation means teaching full time in an accredited Arkansas nursing school, generally on a one-to-one basis: one year of qualifying teaching service for each year of loan funding received, as set out in the Arkansas Code governing the program.
Funding is capped by degree level. Master’s students can receive up to two years (four regular semesters) of full-time support, while doctoral students can receive up to four years (eight regular semesters).
Am I Eligible? A Quick Checklist
- Residency: You must be an Arkansas resident.
- Enrollment: You must be enrolled in an Arkansas-accredited graduate nursing program located in Arkansas whose master’s or doctoral nursing track holds national nursing accreditation (nursing education is one of the covered tracks alongside nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife and nursing administration).
- Academic and character standing: You must maintain good academic standing and demonstrate good moral character, per the program’s own language.
- Financial need: You must demonstrate financial need to complete your nursing studies.
- Board approval: Every applicant must be approved individually by the AGNSLS board.
- Program level: A-State’s MSN Nurse Educator and DNP Education students both fall within eligible degree levels in principle, since the program covers nursing education at both the master’s and doctoral level; confirm your specific enrollment status with the AGNSLS administrator before applying.
Important Note
Because AGNSLS eligibility rules exclude students who already hold an MSN and are returning only for a post-master’s certificate, A-State’s graduate certificate in nurse education does not qualify for AGNSLS funding on its own.
What Counts as a Qualifying Service Year?
The program’s service requirement is full-time teaching employment at an accredited Arkansas nursing school, matched year for year to the funding received. A nurse who receives two years of AGNSLS funding during a DNP Education program, for example, would generally need two years of qualifying full-time teaching service in an Arkansas nursing school to convert that funding fully to a grant.
The exact mechanics of partial years, approved leave, and what qualifies as “full time” are set by the administering board’s current rules. Confirm them before counting on a specific conversion outcome.
How to Apply
- Confirm your eligibility against the checklist above, paying particular attention to the residency and enrollment requirements.
- Submit your application for AGNSLS board review and approval.
- If approved and funded, track your service obligation carefully against the terms of your specific award letter, since the conversion from loan to grant depends on meeting that obligation as documented.
Application windows, award amounts and deadlines for AGNSLS change by funding cycle. Confirm the current figures with an AGNSLS administrator before relying on them for your own planning.
What If Service Goes Incomplete?
A recipient who does not complete the required service obligation generally converts back into a standard loan repayment obligation rather than keeping the funds as a grant. This can happen by leaving Arkansas, leaving teaching, or leaving nursing altogether before the obligation is met.
The specific repayment terms for incomplete service are set by the AGNSLS board. Any partial-credit rules should be confirmed before assuming a particular outcome.
Does This Fit Your Program?
- MSN Nurse Educator students: Within the program’s covered tracks at the master’s level; confirm your specific eligibility given your enrollment status.
- DNP Education students: Generally found within the program’s covered tracks at the doctoral level, subject to the same confirmation.
- Graduate certificate students: Not eligible under AGNSLS’s published rules, which exclude students returning solely for a post-master’s certificate.
Considering the nurse educator path in Arkansas? Explore A-State’s online MSN – Nurse Educator program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AGNSLS a guaranteed loan forgiveness program?
No. It is a conditional loan-to-scholarship conversion tied to completing a specific service obligation. Funds function as a standard loan unless and until that obligation is met.
Can I use AGNSLS funding for tuition at Arkansas State University specifically?
AGNSLS funds a student’s graduate nursing education broadly, and eligibility depends on enrollment in an Arkansas-accredited graduate nursing program rather than any single school.
Does the service requirement have to be completed immediately after graduation?
The program sets its own timeline requirements for beginning and completing service.
What happens if I move out of Arkansas after graduating?
Teaching service under AGNSLS must generally take place at an Arkansas nursing school, so moving out of state before completing your service obligation would typically affect your ability to convert the loan to a grant.
Are DNP Education students eligible under the same terms as MSN students?
Both master’s and doctoral nursing education students fall within the program’s general scope, though the maximum funding duration differs: up to two years for master’s students and up to four years for doctoral students, per the Arkansas Code.
Is there a federal equivalent to AGNSLS?
A related federal option exists: HRSA’s Nurse Faculty Loan Program provides loan cancellation to nursing students who commit to full-time faculty employment after graduation. It can be worth exploring alongside AGNSLS.