November 2013
NCASFAA
Cherokee, North Carolina
Bill Cox
Deputy Director
Grants, Training and Outreach
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
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Forgivable Education Loans for Service -
Introduction
• 2011 General Assembly enacted legislation that merged multiple state programs into a single new program – FELS for 2012-13 and beyond
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FELS – Intent of Program
• Provides financial assistance in the form of forgivable loans to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in identified critical employment shortage professions
• Current target employment areas are teaching, nursing, allied health and medicine
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FELS - History
• With the creation of FELS, the following programs ceased funding new students beginning 2012-13
 Nurse Educators of Tomorrow Scholarship Loan
 Nurse Education Scholarship Loan Program
 Nursing Scholars Program
 Board of Governors’ Dental Scholarship Loan
 Board of Governors’ Medical Scholarship Loan
 Prospective Teachers Scholarship Loan
 Teacher Assistant Scholarship Fund
 Health, Science, and Mathematics Student Loan

FELS - History
• Millennium Teachers Scholarship Loan (Elizabeth City State
University, Fayetteville State University and Winston-Salem State
University) merged with PTSL on January 1, 2012. PTSL then became
FELS on July 1, 2012.
• Renewal recipients only after January 1, 2012
• New applicants after January 1, 2012 must have applied for the new
FELS program

A recipient must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for FELS:
• Be a legal North Carolina resident and NC resident for tuition purposes
• Register with the Selective Service System, if required;
• Must not be in default, or does not owe a refund, under any federal or State loan or grant program
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to policy of the institution.
• Be willing to work in NC in a designated critical employment profession.
• Not contingent on Federal Pell or Title IV eligibility
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FELS – Student Eligibility Requirements
• Minimum cumulative grade point (GPA) average at the time of application, must be:
– 3.00
for graduating high school students (weighted GPA)
– 2.80 for undergraduate students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree
– 3.20
for students pursuing a graduate or professional degree
– For 2013-14 , certain professional student applicants were not required to provide transcripts and their admission credentials replaced the GPA requirement.
Minimum GPA not required for renewal (SAP is required for renewal)
Currently offered fall and spring semesters; not available in the summer
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FELS – How Much?
Annual Loan Amounts are as follows:
• Diploma, Certificate and/or associate degree programs: $3,000
• Bachelor's degree program: (freshmen and sophomores) $3,000
• Bachelor's degree program: (juniors and seniors) $7,000
• Master's degree program: $10,000
• Doctoral degree program: $14,000
Maximum Aggregate Loan Limits:
• Diploma, Certificate and/or associate degree programs: $6,000
• Bachelor's degree program: $20,000
•
Master's degree program: $20,000
• Doctoral degree program: $56,000
Total Maximum Aggregate: $56,000
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FELS – How Much?
By credit hour:
• 12 credits or more - Certificate, Diploma or Associate degree programs: $3,000
• 12 credits or more - Bachelor's degree program: Freshman and Soph: $3,000
• 12 credits or more - Bachelor's degree program: Junior and Senior: $7,000
•
9 credits or more - Master's degree program: $10,000
• 9 credits or more - Doctoral degree program: $14,000
• 6 - 11 credits - Certificate, Diploma or Associate degree programs: $1,500
• 6 - 11 credits - Bachelor's degree program: Freshman and Soph: $1,500
• 6 - 11 credits - Bachelor's degree program: Junior and Senior: $3,500
• 6 - 8 credits - Master's degree program: $5,000
• 6 - 8 credits - Doctoral degree program: $7,000
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FELS – How Much?
Some exceptions:
1. RIBN program (Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses):
First three years at CC, last year at a four year school
• 12 credits or more - Bachelor's degree program: Fresh, Soph and JR: $3,000
• 6 - 11 credits - Bachelor's degree program: Fresh, Soph and JR: $1,500
• 12 credits or more - Bachelor's degree program: Senior: $7,000
• 6 - 11 credits - Bachelor's degree program: Senior: $3,500
2. Undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing:
First two years must be at an Approved Institution offering the BSN degree
3. Undergraduate Teaching
First two years can be at a community college
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FELS - Advisory Group
• General Assembly provided that an advisory group would periodically make recommendations to SEAA regarding identifying critical shortage professions
– For 2013-14, this group included representation from:
• NC Community Colleges
• UNC General Administration
• Council for Allied Health in NC
• Department of Commerce
• Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
• NC Independent College and Universities
• Department of Public Instruction
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FELS – Approved Programs
Education Programs (Undergraduate or Master’s)
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Comprehensive Science
• English as a Second Language
• Math
• Middle Grades
• Physics
• Special Education
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FELS – Approved Programs
Nursing Programs
• Nurse Educator (Masters, Doctorate)
• Nurse Practitioner (Masters, Doctorate)
• Nursing (ADN, BSN, RN2BN, RIBN)
Medical Programs
• Dentistry (DDS)
• Medical Doctor (MD)
• Osteopathy (OD)
• Podiatry (PD)
• Psychology (PhD or PsyD)
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FELS – Approved Programs
Allied Health Programs
Chiropractic Care (Doctorate)
Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Cytotechnology
Dental Hygiene
Emergency Medical Science
Emergency Medical Technology
Imaging
Medical Technology
Occupational Therapy & Assistant
Optometry (Doctorate)
Pharmacy (PharmD) & Technician
Physical Therapy (Doctorate) & Assistant
Physician Assistant
Radiography
Radiology & Radiology Technician
Social Work (BSW, MSW, DSW)
Sonography
Speech-Language Pathology
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FELS – the Commitment to Work
• Loan recipients must sign a promissory note that will require them to seek loan forgiveness through employment in an approved position or repay in cash with interest
• Loan recipients must be continuously enrolled in an approved education program
• Generally, a loan for one academic year will be forgiven for:
– one year of full-time employment; or
– two years of part-time employment in an approved qualified position
• Interest will accrue at rate of 8% per year from the date of disbursement
• The repayment period generally will not exceed ten years and varies depending on the borrower’s degree program and loan amount
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NCDPI
• Teach in a qualified position
– Includes employment in a NC public school or charter school, school operated by the State of NC or operated by the federal government in NC
Employment as an administrator or as a substitute teacher or employment in a nonpublic school, community college or institution of higher learning is not eligible for forgiveness
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NC Board of Nursing
• Practice nursing at the Approved Education Program funding level
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that provide medical services to North Carolina residents
• Teach at a public or nonprofit institution approved by the
NC Board of Nursing
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain certification or licensure from applicable licensing agency
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that provide medical services to North Carolina residents
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FELS – Forgiveness Requirements
• Complete the Approved Education Program
• Obtain licensure from NC Medical Board
• Work in a qualified position in North Carolina
– Includes employment in health care delivery positions that provide medical services to North Carolina residents
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FELS – Approved Institution’s Responsibilities
• Execute a Participation Agreement
• Certify that borrowers meet the eligibility criteria
(NC Resident for Tuition Purposes, Approved Education program, SAP, etc.)
• Disburse FELS funds to borrower accounts
• Refund money within prescribed timeframes
• Maintain records
• Reassure current recipients that renewals will be honored based upon the terms of renewal
• Renewals require successful academic progress (SAP)
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FELS – Priority Consideration
• Priority consideration is given to upperclassmen in bachelors degree programs.
• If more applicants qualify than funding will allow, firstcome, first-serve may be a consideration, so it is advisable to apply early
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FELS – Additional thoughts
• Please update your publications and websites to remove references to the discontinued programs and to share the
FELS information with interested parties
• Renewals require successful academic progression
(SAP), so no renewal decisions before the end of each
Spring semester
• Students will be offered FELS for one Approved Education program (or degree) at a time and will need to re-apply for
FELS for any subsequent degree plan
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FELS – Resources and Contacts
• The program rules can be found at http://www.ncseaa.edu/documents/SEAASchoolPortalRe sourcePage.pdf
• Edna Williams, Program Manager, SEAA
– eew@ncseaa.edu
NCSEAA Student Portal (for students): www.cfnc.org/seaastudent
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The FELS Application Process
• Submit the online application as soon as possible, but no later than April 1, 2014 for the 14-15 academic year.
• The application can be found at www.cfnc.org/fels
• The applicant may also be required to request that an official grade transcript be sent to SEAA.
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The FELS Application Process
• For current high school students or high school students who have not attended college:
If your public high school participates in the electronic transcript program with CFNC, you may request your transcript to be sent to
NCSEAA using the Transcript Manager . If you decide to use the
Transcript Manager, make sure you select "NCSEAA" in the
"college/university" list.
If your high school does not participate in the CFNC Transcript
Manager, please request that your transcript be emailed (preferred) directly from the counseling center to SEAA at information@ncseaa.edu
or sent via fax to 919.248.4687. The transcript must include your Fall 2012 grades (for current high school students).
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The FELS Application Process
• For current college students (undergraduate, graduate and professional): Please request an official academic transcript from any colleges you have attended.
Transcripts may be submitted via email (preferred) to information@ncseaa.edu
, via fax to 919.248.4687 or via mail to the address listed below (NCSEAA’s address).
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Let’s Apply!
• www.cfnc.org/fels
Preference for Internet Explorer as the browser.
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Service or Repayment
• Student receives email with instructions on completing the
Notice of Intent to Repay close to the time of graduation
• NOTR is received by SEAA Repayment Services and the appropriate action is taken.
• SEAA follows up with schools (academic status reports) to verify graduation dates.
• Student services off the loan and becomes a valued citizen of North Carolina!
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