UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 25, 2013 (July 24, 2013)

American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth under Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

On July 24, 2013, American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust, Inc. (the “Company”), through American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust Operating Partnership, L.P., the Company’s operating partnership, entered into an unsecured amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Facility”) relating to its previously announced credit facility with KeyBank National Association, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Bank of Montreal and other lenders. The Amended Facility allows for total borrowings of up to $755.0 million with a $500.0 million term loan component and a $255.0 million revolving loan component, and with a subfacility for letters of credit of up to $25.0 million. The Amended Facility contains an “accordion feature” to allow the Company, under certain circumstances, to increase the aggregate term loan borrowings under the Amended Facility to up to $750.0 million and the aggregate revolving loan borrowings to up to $450.0 million, or up to $1.2 billion of total borrowings. Availability of borrowings is based on a pool of eligible unencumbered real estate assets.

The term loan component of the Amended Facility will mature on July 24, 2018 and the revolving loan component will mature on July 24, 2016. The revolving loan component of the Amended Facility also contains two one-year extension options. The Company will have the option, based upon its corporate leverage, to have the Amended Facility priced at either: (a) LIBOR, plus an applicable margin that ranges from 1.60% to 2.20%; or (b) the Base Rate, plus an applicable margin that ranges from 0.35% to 0.95%. Base Rate is defined in the Amended Facility as the greatest of (i) the fluctuating annual rate of interest announced from time to time by KeyBank National Association as its “prime rate,” (ii) 0.5% above the federal funds effective rate or (iii) 1.0% above the applicable one-month LIBOR. Upon such time as the Company receives an investment grade credit rating as determined by major credit rating agencies, the Company will have the option, based upon its credit rating, to have the Amended Facility priced at either: (a) LIBOR, plus an applicable margin that ranges from 0.95% to 1.70%; or (b) the Base Rate, plus an applicable margin that ranges from 0.00% to 0.70%.

The Amended Facility provides for monthly interest payments for each Base Rate loan and periodic payments for each LIBOR loan, based upon the applicable LIBOR loan period, with all principal outstanding being due on the maturity date. The Amended Facility may be prepaid at any time, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty. In the event of a default, the lenders have the right to terminate their obligations under the Amended Facility and to accelerate the payment on any unpaid principal amount of all outstanding loans. As defined in the Amended Facility, events of default include, but are not limited to: failure by the Company to pay any amount due under the Amended Facility when due; failure by the Company to satisfy any financial covenent required under the Amended Facility; and any representation or warranty made in connection with the Amended Facility being shown to be materially false.

The Company, certain of its subsidiaries and certain subsidiaries of its operating partnership have guaranteed or may guarantee the obligations under the Amended Facility on an unsecured basis.

The description of the Amended Facility in this Current Report on Form 8-K is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the amended and restated credit agreement. The Company will file the amended  and restated credit agreement relating to the Amended Facility with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to its next Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On July 25, 2013, the Company issued a press release announcing its entry into the $755.0 million Amended Facility which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.