Frequently Asked Questions

• Educational Assistance
• Loan Forgiveness
• RN Educational Assistance
• Career Coaching
• Rise to Success
• Education that Works
• GED/ESL

Educational Assistance

Visit the Career Development Center Educational Assistance page for program details.

Tuition and Professional Development frequently asked questions can be found on the EdAssist Portal.

Loan Forgiveness

• Carolinas College of Health Sciences and Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
• RN to BSN Loan Forgiveness

Carolinas College of Health Sciences and Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Can I use the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program at any college or university?
No, the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program for select programs can only be used at Atrium Health’s Cabarrus College of Health Sciences or Carolinas College of Health Sciences.

What happens to my loan if I can’t start to work within six (6) months of graduation (i.e. I do not get licensed as anticipated)? 

• If six (6) months after graduation you have not started to work in a full-time position at a participating Atrium Health facility (in the field for which you used the loan forgiveness funds), your loan will be due in full and turned over to Atrium Health’s billing agency. Payments are divided over 36 months and interest is added. This one action does not go against your credit rating.
• If within twelve (12) months after graduation you begin work in a full-time position at a participating Atrium Health facility (in the field for which you used the loan forgiveness funds), Atrium Health will recall the loan amount due from the billing agency and forgiveness will begin. These situations must be reviewed and approved by the Atrium Health Human Resources staff.
• It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Atrium Health Benefits Coordinator of employment.

If I start to work for Atrium Health within six (6) months of graduation, but then go out on a leave of absence, what happens to my loan?

• As long as you remain an Atrium Health employee, the loan forgiveness will continue for up to a twelve (12)-week leave of absence.
• At the end of the twelve (12) weeks, the forgiveness stops, and the loan becomes due. The loan will be turned over to Atrium Health’s billing agency for payments to be set up until which time you return to work from the leave of absence (must be continuous employment).
• At the time of your return from the leave of absence, the loan will be recalled, and the forgiveness will restart.

If I start to work for Atrium Health within six (6) months of graduation, but family matters require me to leave town and terminate my employment, what happens to my loan?

• The student loan agreement explains that the borrower must maintain full-time employment status in the type of position for which they were educated in order to receive loan forgiveness, at an Atrium Health participating facility.
• If employment status changes for any reason, the remaining balance is due effective the date the employment status changes. The loan will be turned over to Atrium Health’s billing agency (UAS) for payment. This one action does not go against your credit rating. Payment is divided over thirty-six (36) months.

If I decide that I want to change to a weekender status. Can loan forgiveness continue?
No, you must be in a regular full-time (at least 32 scheduled hours per week) position classification at a participating Atrium Health facility in the field for which you used loan forgiveness funds.

How is forgiveness calculated?

• For Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Agreements signed before the Fall (August) 2019 term, the length of service required for forgiveness is calculated by taking the number of semesters that you received the loan and multiply it by four (4) months (i.e., four (4) semesters X four (4) months equals a total of sixteen (16) months of full-time work to “forgive the loan”).
• Effective with Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Agreements signed for the Fall (August) 2019 term and beyond, the length of service required for forgiveness is one (1) year/twelve (12) months for every $5,000 increment of the loan. Calculations for determination of length of service required for partial increments of less than $5,000.00 will be pro-rated.
• The total amount borrowed will be divided by the total number of repayment months to determine the amount per month that is forgiven.
• There are twenty-six (26) paychecks per year. Therefore, the forgiveness amount is divided equally between the paychecks and this counts as “income” and you are taxed on it. The actual amount of forgiveness is not “taken out of your check” – only the amount that you are taxed on that income.

How does loan forgiveness show up on my check?
Your pay stub will reflect “loan forgiveness” and the amount you are forgiven for the period will show up in the “paid section” but then it is backed out. The amount that is actually deducted from your check is the tax and will be noted in the taxable area of our pay stub.

Can the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program be used to pay for books and other expenses?
No, it is applied only to actual tuition, and cannot result in any loan proceeds going directly to the student. See the Promissory Note and Atrium Health Loan Program Agreement for full details.

Am I guaranteed a position with Atrium Health?
No, participation in the loan forgiveness program does not guarantee an eligible position within Atrium Health.

I just graduated from CCHS or Cabarrus and want to know when my loan forgiveness will be set up?
The loan forgiveness process is set up once it is confirmed you are a teammate or your new hire paperwork has been fully processed with Atrium Health.

I am planning on leaving Atrium Health, how much longer do I have to pay on my loan?
This depends on your separation date. Calculations with the interest percent can be done.

RN-BSN

Who is eligible for the Atrium Health RN-BSN Loan Forgiveness Program?
Only Atrium Health nursing teammates or nursing alumni of Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, Carolinas Colleges of Health Sciences or Mercy School of Nursing.

What is the amount available through the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program for the RN-BSN?
Up to $10,000.00

I started the RN-BSN program prior to its inclusion in the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program. Am I eligible?
Yes, it can be used to cover the tuition for the courses remaining in your program of study.

I used the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program for my nursing associate’s degree. Am I eligible to participate for my RN-BSN?
Yes

I am an Atrium Health teammate. I used the Loan Forgiveness Program for my nursing associate’s degree and still have time remaining in my work commitment for that program. Am I eligible to participate for my RN-BSN?
Yes, your work commitment for the RN-BSN loan forgiveness will begin after you graduate with your BSN and will be added to any remaining work commitment from the nursing associate’s degree loan forgiveness program.

I am a Cabarrus College, Carolinas College or Mercy School of Nursing alumnus, but I am not an Atrium Health teammate. Am I eligible for the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program?
Yes, but you will have to repay the loan with monthly payments. There is a six (6) month grace period. The repayment term is thirty-six (36) months at 5% interest. If you secure employment with Atrium Health within six (6) months of your BSN graduation, you can convert your repayment to the work commitment terms.

Will participation in the Atrium Health Loan Forgiveness Program affect my salary when I am fulfilling the work commitment?
No, you will receive your full salary. Your work commitment is what repays the loan, so there is no payroll deduction. However, the Atrium Health Loan is a taxable benefit at the time you go into repayment.

Can my associate’s degree work commitment repayment be deferred while enrolled in the RN-BSN program?
No.

RN Educational Assistance 

When will the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) to Registered Nurse (RN) Scholarship Application be offered again?

The CNA to RN Scholarship is renamed the Inside Up, RN Educational Assistance Program.

Applications will be available each year in early spring.

Who can apply?
See eligibility criteria within the “Who is Eligible to Apply” section

For more information, visit the RN Educational Assistance page.

Career Coaching

What is Career Coaching?
Career coaching prepares teammates for professional growth and success at Atrium Health. Resources are available to teammates who are new to the system, teammates seeking internal transfers or teammates who are looking for upward mobility throughout Atrium Health.

Individual career coaching begins by completing the online, self-guided, Teammate Professional Online Development Program found in CORE Connect > Learning.  

Individual career coaching with a live career coach is available only to participants in select Career Development programs (see next question).

Virtual Group Career coaching sessions are open to all teammates. For the Group Career Coaching schedule and more information, visit CORE Connect > Learning and search Virtual Group Career Coaching.

Who is eligible for Career Coaching?
Individual career coaching is available to support select program participants in the RN Educational Assistance Program, Rise to Success and Education that Works programs.

Teammates who are not participants in Workforce Development program are encouraged to participate in Virtual Group Career Coaching or schedule a Bright Horizons Education Coaching session. 

For more information, visit the Career Coaching page. 

Rise To Success

Are you accepting Rise to Success high school graduates from non-CMS school districts?
At this time, we are accepting high school graduates from CMS schools only.

What type of positions are available to Rise to Success participants?
Participants will be eligible for positions in Outreach Services, Physician Connection Line, if certified - CNA positions; and other entry level positions.

When will applications be accepted for Rise to Success?
Applications will be accepted in the late winter. For more information visit the Rise to Success page. 

Education That Works

Who is eligible to apply for the Education That Works Program?

• Teammates who do not have a college degree 
• Do not currently hold an associate or bachelor’s college degree
• Employed with Atrium Health for at least one year prior to completion of the ETW application
• An overall score of meets expectations or above on the most recent annual Performance Review
• Annual income of $45,000 or less
• Enroll in at least six credit hours each semester, until completion of degree (some exceptions will be considered)

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee. Twenty teammates will be selected.

Visit the Education that Works page for more information. 

GED/ESL Classes

Who is eligible to participate in GED Classes?
Atrium Health teammates.

Who is eligible to participate in the English as a Second Language Classes?
Atrium Health teammates and contract staff.