Michigan Changed the Rules. One Change Costs a Full Year.
Program and regulatory figures verified October 9, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Most of what is written about Michigan loan repayment online describes the old process. Here is what actually changed, and which change is expensive.
★★ The change that costs a year
MDHHS rewrote the review process and explained why: "The review process has been streamlined to accommodate increasing application volume." (Michigan State Medical Society carries the application-period announcement.) Then the consequence:
"In the past, those submitting incomplete applications were provided an opportunity to complete their applications by submitting supplemental documentation. Now, those submitting incomplete application packages will be notified they have been screened out of the current application process and encouraged to reapply the following year."
Read that as a deadline rather than a rule. The application window is 2 March to 30 April 2026. If a form is missing on 30 April, the next opportunity is 2027, and the agreement that would have started 1 October 2026 starts a year later.
★ MDHHS does say the screening email "will outline deficiencies in their current applications to assist them in submitting complete future applications". You find out what was missing, next year.
The new portal
For 2026, "all MSLRP applications must be submitted through the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program Online Portal", reached through the State of Michigan MiLogin system. Two details in that sentence matter:
- ★ Providers, not their employers, must submit. MDHHS states it explicitly. If your practice manager handled this before, that is no longer how it works.
- You must create an account first, then use "Find Services" and search for Primary Care Loan Repayment Program. MDHHS advises creating the account "as soon as possible", before the window opens.
What goes in the package
| Form | Who completes it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Provider Application, Part A | you, in the portal | ★ "There is no separate physical Provider Application, Part A form for completion." |
| Provider Application, Part B | ★ your loan servicer | ★ start here. MDHHS says it takes the longest |
| Practice Site Application and Declaration of Intent | your employer | with all required attachments |
★ The sequencing advice is MDHHS's own, and it is the practical defence against being screened out: Part B depends on a third party you do not control. Request it first.
Two more changes worth knowing
Employer contribution waived in two new cases. State of Michigan employees working at state psychiatric hospitals only, and Indian tribal-affiliated primary care clinics. The contribution rules.
The Workdays Away form is now a payment condition. Employers must complete, sign and mail each participant's Workdays Away from Practice Sites form with the final Work Verification Form. MDHHS: "Participants will only receive their final payments if their WDA forms are submitted." That one bites at the end of a two-year obligation, not the start.
The dates, in one place
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Application window opens | 2 March 2026 |
| Application window closes | 30 April 2026 |
| Agreements begin | 1 October 2026 |
| Agreements end | 30 September 2028 |
★ The source for everything on this page is the MDHHS MSLRP 2026 Application Period Update, dated 12/1/2025. Anything written before that date describes the old process.
★ Our lane
We are a mortgage lender. We read the programme's published terms because they change the debt behind a physician's file. We do not administer MSLRP, submit applications, or advise on them. For the application itself, MDHHS is the only authority, and MDHHS asks applicants not to call about funding status.
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555. (480) 296-6513.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my MSLRP application is incomplete in 2026?
It is screened out of that cycle. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services states that those submitting incomplete application packages will be notified they have been screened out of the current application process and encouraged to reapply the following year. In prior cycles an applicant could submit supplemental documentation to complete the file; that option no longer exists.How do I apply for MSLRP in 2026?
Through the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program Online Portal on the State of Michigan MiLogin system. The provider must submit the application, not the employer. You create a MiLogin account, select Find Services, and search for Primary Care Loan Repayment Program. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services advises creating the account before the window opens.Which MSLRP form should I start with?
Part B. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services advises starting with the Provider Application Part B form because it is completed by your loan servicer and takes the longest. Part A exists only inside the online portal and has no separate physical form, and your employer completes the Practice Site Application and Declaration of Intent.Is there still a paper Provider Application Part A form?
No. For the 2026 cycle the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services states that the Provider Application Part A form is completed only through the online portal and that there is no separate physical form.What is the Workdays Away form and why does it matter?
It records workdays away from practice sites, and employers must complete, sign and mail it with each participant's final Work Verification Form. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services states that participants will only receive their final payments if the Workdays Away forms are submitted, so it affects the end of a two-year obligation rather than the application.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about physician mortgage financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax or financial advice. The Michigan State Loan Repayment Program is administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, not by Cornerstone; its terms, award amounts, priorities and application windows are set by MDHHS and change. Figures here carry the date we verified them against the programme's own published materials. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees and overlays are set by the lender and change. All loans are subject to borrower, property and program qualification.