NESP Program Requirements

Agreement

Prior to receiving scholarship assistance, recipients of the Nurse Educator Scholarship Program (NESP), must sign a Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note that shall include the following stipulations:

• Agree to teach as a nursing educator for five years at an approved program of professional education in Illinois or an approved program of practical nursing education in Illinois;
• Begin teaching as a nurse educator within the one-year following termination from the program of study funded by the scholarship, and continue until the obligation is fulfilled.
• If the student is unable or unwilling to fulfill the teaching commitment, the proceeds received convert to a loan, payable in full prorated according to the fraction of the teaching obligation not completed, plus interest at 5% and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees.

All scholarship and stipend proceeds must be used for educational expenses. Program recipients agree to provide ISAC with evidence of compliance with program requirements (e.g., respond to annual follow-up questionnaires, etc.).

Extensions

The five-year period to fulfill the teaching requirement may be extended if the recipient is:

• Serving, for not more than three years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces
• Temporarily totally disabled, for not more than three years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician
• Actively seeking, but unable to find, employment as a nurse educator at an Illinois institution of higher learning for one continuous period of time—which shall not exceed two years in duration
• Taking additional courses, on at least a half-time basis, needed to obtain certification in a nursing educator program in Illinois

To qualify for any of these extensions, the recipient must provide written evidence of eligibility and request ISAC to approve the extension.

Repayment

If the teaching obligation is not fulfilled, the scholarship (and accompanying stipend) converts to a loan, and the entire amount of the award prorated to the fraction of the teaching obligation not completed, plus interest must be repaid. If applicable, reasonable collection costs will be added. The interest rate is 5 percent.

The repayment period starts and interest begins to accrue on the earliest of the following dates:

• Six months after the first day of the calendar month after the recipient ceases to pursue, on a half-time basis, a course of study leading to certification as a nursing educator;
• The date ISAC is informed that that the recipient does not plan to fulfill the teaching obligation; or
• The day after the latest date upon which the recipient must have begun teaching after completing the nurse educator program for which the assistance was awarded.

The recipient will not be required to repay the scholarship if s/he becomes permanently totally disabled as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.

Recipients will not be required to repay the scholarship if their representative provides ISAC with a death certificate or other evidence that the recipient has died.

Deferments

If a recipient is required to repay any portion of the scholarship, the repayment period must be completed within 10 years after the scholarship converts to a loan. The repayment obligation may be temporarily postponed if the recipient is:

• Serving, for not more than three years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces
• Temporarily totally disabled, for no more than three years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician
• Actively seeking and unable to find full-time employment for one continuous period, not to exceed two years
• Withdrawn from a course of study leading to certification as a nursing educator, but are enrolled full-time in another academic discipline for one continuous period of time, not to exceed three years
• Pursuing a graduate course of study and are enrolled on a full-time basis for one continuous period of time, not to exceed three years

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