PRESS RELEASE: Applications for Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program�now open�

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Auriella Ortiz

Auriella.Ortiz@hed.nm.gov

(505) 467-9605

June 11, 2026

Applications for Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program now open

SANTA FE – New Mexico veterinarians who commit to serving rural, frontier and tribal communities can now apply for up to $80,000 in student loan repayment assistance through the state's Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.

Administered by the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the program targets a persistent shortage in food animal veterinary care across the state’s rural and agricultural communities.

Recipients must commit to providing care for food-producing livestock, including cattle, sheep, goats and poultry, in New Mexico’s rural communities for a minimum of four years. The application deadline is July 1.

Since the program’s launch, eight veterinarians have received awards through the program, helping strengthen access to veterinary services in areas that have historically faced provider shortages and helping safeguard New Mexico’s agricultural economy.

“Veterinarians are essential to the agricultural sector of communities throughout New Mexico,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez . “By supporting these professionals, we are helping strengthen critical services that families, producers and communities rely on every day.”

The program is part of a broader statewide effort to strengthen New Mexico’s workforce in high-demand fields while improving access to critical veterinary services for communities, producers and animal owners.

Interested applicants must apply through the New Mexico Higher Education Department website by July 1, 2026, to be considered for the program.

Learn more at hed.nm.gov or call the Financial Aid Helpline at 1-800-279-9777.

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The New Mexico Higher Education Department was established in 2005 and oversees the state’s public and tribal colleges, universities and special schools. It also oversees adult education and literacy programs statewide, manages state-funded financial aid programs and capital projects for higher education institutions, provides college readiness services via the GEAR UP program, and grants state authorization to private colleges operating within New Mexico. For more information, visit hed.nm.gov or follow us on Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn at @NMHigherEd. To learn more about tuition-free college via New Mexico’s Opportunity and Lottery scholarships, visit reachhighernm.com .