Applications Now Open for the STAR Loan Repayment Programme

The federal government has reopened the STAR loan repayment programme, giving clinicians a real chance to clear hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt. The 2026 Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program accepts applications through 23 June 2026. It offers eligible healthcare workers up to $250,000 in educational loan repayment. For clinicians already committed to addiction treatment, this is one of the most substantial financial incentives available anywhere in the field.

What the STAR Loan Repayment Programme Offers

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Workforce runs this programme to build the SUD treatment workforce in communities hit hardest by the overdose epidemic. Award recipients must commit to six years of full-time service at an approved facility. In return, they receive up to $250,000 applied directly towards outstanding educational loans.

The scale of need makes this investment urgent. Drug overdose deaths continue at crisis levels across the United States. The national average overdose death rate sits at 24.3 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the most recent CDC data. Furthermore, over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in a single recent year, a figure that underscores why the SUD loan repayment scheme targets the communities most affected.

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify for the STAR loan repayment programme, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Hold United States citizenship, national status, or permanent residency
• Carry full licensure and credentials in an eligible discipline
• Hold registration as a substance use disorder professional
• Work full-time at a facility the programme has approved

The programme covers a broad range of disciplines. Physicians, nurses, counsellors, social workers, and community health workers may all qualify, depending on credentials and role. Moreover, applicants should review the official list of eligible disciplines before they begin their submission.

Where Your Facility Must Be Located

Facility location is central to eligibility under the SUD loan repayment scheme. The STAR LRP uses three-year average county-level overdose mortality data from the CDC to assess whether a facility qualifies. Crucially, this differs from the five-year averages the public can access. For the 2026 cycle, a county must record a drug overdose death rate above 24.3 per 100,000 to meet the threshold.

Additionally, facilities in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA) may also qualify, even when the county does not meet the overdose mortality threshold. HRSA provides a downloadable county overdose mortality rate spreadsheet so applicants can check their facility’s status before investing time in the full application.

Funding Priority and How the STAR Loan Repayment Programme Ranks Applicants

The programme does not fund all eligible applicants equally. Instead, it operates a two-tier priority system that shapes who receives awards first.

Tier 1 covers clinicians who work at approved facilities in counties where the three-year overdose death rate exceeds the national average. These applicants get first consideration for funding.

Tier 2 covers clinicians at approved facilities in a designated MHPSA. When two or more applicants rank equally within either tier, the programme uses tenure at the approved facility as the tiebreaker. As a result, clinicians who have already committed to high-need communities gain an advantage.

How to Apply for SUD Loan Repayment

Applicants submit their applications through My BHW, the HRSA secure online portal. Those without an account must create one first. The portal includes built-in screening questions to help clarify eligibility before the full application begins. HRSA has scheduled several live support sessions ahead of the 23 June deadline:

• Q&A Session 1: Thursday, 11 June, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
• Q&A Session 2: Thursday, 18 June, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET
• All-Day Q&A Session: Monday, 22 June, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET

All sessions run via Zoom. HRSA also offers a detailed Application and Programme Guidance document along with a submission checklist. Applicants can reach HRSA directly on 1-800-221-9393, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

Why the STAR Loan Repayment Programme Matters for Communities

The STAR loan repayment programme sits within a wider set of federal workforce development efforts. It complements other SUD loan repayment schemes while expanding both the eligible pool of clinicians and the range of qualifying facilities. In doing so, it addresses a stubborn challenge in addiction medicine: the communities most battered by the overdose crisis often have the fewest resources to attract and keep skilled clinicians.

Consequently, the programme makes long-term careers in substance use disorder treatment a financially realistic option for newly qualified professionals. Without this kind of support, heavy educational debt pushes many clinicians towards better-paying specialisms. The six-year service requirement also ensures that communities gain sustained clinical capacity, rather than a revolving door of short-term placements.

For clinicians drawn to addiction recovery and treatment work, the 2026 STAR loan repayment programme cycle stands as a compelling opportunity to serve where help is needed most.

Applications close 23 June 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Visit the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce website to apply or call 1-800-221-9393.

Source: dbrecoveryresources