Are you a Colorado veterinarian looking for support repaying your veterinary loans?

Colorado veterinarians have access to several programs that assist with veterinary education loan repayment while also assisting communities in need. There has been a nationwide shortage of large animal veterinarians in rural areas since 2003; the intent of these programs is to strengthen the nation’s animal health infrastructure with particular emphasis on rural areas that lack food animal veterinarians. Each year, USDA provides a list of designated veterinary services shortage situations based on the recommendation of the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office. Veterinarians interested in receiving funding to work in a shortage area can contact the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office to request their area be designated as a shortage area.

Are you a community or organization looking for resources on grant funding? Click here.

PLEASE NOTE: These are not CVMA programs and CVMA does not provide funding for these programs. The information provided on this page is available only for educational purposes. Please contact the program administrator for more information about these programs.

Click the links below to navigate between the programs listed on this page:

Colorado Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program (VELRP)

USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Colorado Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program

What is the Colorado Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program?

Signed into Colorado law in 2017, the Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program paves the way for veterinarians to work in rural communities where large and small animals – and their owners – need professional services. The Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program is part of a national effort to address veterinary shortages in rural areas.

How are applicants selected for the program?

The Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program council oversees the program and selects up to six qualified veterinary applicants to participate in the program.

Which rural communities must applicants work in to receive funding through the program?

While USDA provides a list of veterinary services shortage situations each year based on recommendations from the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office, the council is willing to consider alternative locations. If an applicant feels another location should be considered a designated shortage area, they are encouraged to provide a justification for inclusion of the location within their application. Applicants may identify more than one designated shortage area in which they would be willing to serve. A location qualifies as a designated shortage area when it has significant potential for negative food animal impacts due to a shortage of veterinarians.

What are the repayment amounts that are available through the Colorado program?

Selected veterinarians are eligible for the following loan repayment amounts (up to $90,000) based on length of participation in the program. Finalists will be required to provide additional financial information.

• Upon completion of six months of veterinary service, up to $15,000
• Upon completion of two years of veterinary service, up to an additional $20,000
• Upon completion of three years of veterinary service, up to an additional $25,000
• Upon completion of fourth years of veterinary service, up to an additional $30,000

Where can I find details on full eligibility requirements for this program?

Click here to get more details on eligibility requirements from Colorado State University.

USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program

What is the USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program?

The USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program repays a portion of veterinary loans for recipients who provide veterinary service in a designated veterinary shortage situation for three years. The intent of the program is to strengthen the nation’s animal health infrastructure and supplement the federal response during animal health emergencies.

How are applicants selected for the program?

Applications are evaluated by a panel of peer reviewers who are selected based upon training and experience in relevant veterinary clinical medicine, veterinary science, or veterinary specialty area fields. During review, panel members consider the quality of match between an applicant’s professional training and experience and the circumstances and needs of the designated shortage situation it proposes to fill.

On average, the program receives about 150 applications and issues approximately 70 awards each year. However, the number of awards depends on a few unknown factors such as the amount of appropriated funds, eligible debt held by successful applicants and the quality of applicant pool, but the intent is to maximize the number of awards within the funding available for awards under this program. Each shortage situation area can only be awarded to one applicant.

Which rural communities must applicants work in to receive funding through the program?

USDA provides a list of designated veterinary services shortage situations each year based on the recommendation of the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office; veterinarians must work in one of these areas to receive funding through the USDA program. Veterinarians interested in receiving funding to work in a shortage area can contact the Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office to request their area be designated as a shortage area.

What is the repayment amount that is available through the federal program?

Selected veterinarians are eligible for up to $25,000 each year toward a qualified educational loan for a period of three years.

Where can I find details on full eligibility requirements for this program?

Click here to get more details on eligibility requirements from the USDA.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

What is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program forgives the remaining debt on eligible loans for borrowers who have worked at least 10 years in public service or the nonprofit sector. It’s a powerful resource for veterinarians working in public health, public service, or private nonprofits.

How do applicants receive funding through this program?

To qualify for this program, applicants must be employed in the public service or nonprofit sector and must have direct loans from the government. Additionally, applicants must have made 120 on-time payments in a qualifying repayment plan (this generally means an income-driven repayment plan, which is a plan based on your income and family size, not loan balance).

Where do applicants need to work to receive funding through the program?

Applicants need to have worked at least 10 years in public service or the nonprofit sector.

What is the amount that is available through this program?

The remaining balance of an eligible loan is forgiven through this program.

Where can I find details on full eligibility requirements for this program?

Click here to get more details on eligibility requirements from the AVMA.