Loan Repayment Program for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

The purpose of the Loan Repayment Program for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists is to alleviate the acute shortage of licensed speech-language pathologists employed by Texas public schools by providing student loan repayment assistance to qualified professionals. Priority is given to applicants who have entered into a contract to begin an initial year of employment with a school district or an institution of higher education for the upcoming school year.

Funding for Fiscal Year Ending August 31, 2015

The 83^rd Texas Legislature did not appropriate state funds for this program. However, the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) donated $300,000 for loan repayment awards on behalf of qualifying applicants completing service for the 2014-2015 academic year. Of this amount, $18,000 was allocated to support loan repayment awards on behalf of doctoral faculty at communicative disorders programs.

Future Funding

The Texas Legislature did not appropriate state funds for this program for the two-year period beginning Sept. 1, 2015 and ending Aug. 31, 2017. Therefore, no applications will be accepted during this period unless funding becomes available from other sources. Please refer to this web page for any program updates.

Requirements for Enrollment in the Program (if funding becomes available)

To be considered for enrollment in the program, an applicant must

• be a graduate of a communicative disorders program and must be employed as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist by a Texas public school district; or
• be employed as a doctoral faculty member of a communicative disorders program at an institution of higher education and must
  • be licensed by the Texas Board of Examiners for Speech-language Pathology and Audiology;
  • hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association;
  • demonstrate past collaboration with U.S. public schools; and
  • have participated in the supervision of students completing communicative disorders programs.

View priorities for conditional approval of applications and requirements for end-of-service period loan repayment awards.

Loan Repayment Awards

Applicants selected for enrollment in the program must complete a service period (at least 9 months of a 12-month academic year) to qualify for the following maximum annual loan repayment award amounts:

• Employees of school districts: $6,000, for up to five years
• Faculty: $9,000, for up to five years

Participants must complete and send end-of-service period forms to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Awards are disbursed directly to lenders and will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

For more information on the Loan Repayment Program for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, please contact us.