Deadline Approaching Soon for Loan Repayment Assistance

Applications are due Sept. 1 for the Tufts Loan Repayment Assistance Program, which aids students who are pursuing public service careers by helping them pay for educational loans incurred at the university. Better known as LRAP, the program is open to all Tufts graduates who are employed full time by a public sector or nonprofit organization.

Awards are decided by a committee from each of the Tufts schools. Factors taken into consideration include income, level of indebtedness and overall need. The number and size of awards depend on the total number of applications received and the funding that is available.

Applicants can receive awards for more than one year, but must reapply each year. LRAP is not a loan forgiveness program, but instead helps graduates meet a portion of annual loan payments. Past recipients have included community organizers, teachers working with disadvantaged students and a dentist providing care for veterans.

The program began in 2008 and is largely funded by income from the Omidyar-Tufts Microfinance Fund, which was established with a gift from Pierre Omidyar, A88, and Pamela Omidyar, J89. Additional support comes from the Hargens Loan Repayment Assistance Fund.

The application and further information are available on the LRAP website.