Nursing Scholarships
Undergraduate Student Options
The nursing profession is typically regarded as one of the more difficult professions in which to keep qualified and enthusiastic professionals.
In the recent past the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded large sums of grant money to nearly 100 colleges and universities in the United States that offer nursing programs.
The goal of the grants have been multi-faceted:
- Provide funding for scholarships through the institutions
- Money for new or expanded facilities
- Funds for increasing experienced and well-trained nursing administration and faculty
- Funds to regenerate flagging recruitment of new nurses
Recent reports from both public and private sources emphasize the bleak outlook for nurses. In response new and improved sources for scholarships have been deployed for all levels of nursing students. However, undergraduate nursing students - LPN, RN and even Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) - have many more scholarship and funding sources available. Also students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as minorities will discover abundant sources for nursing scholarships.
Federal Nursing Scholarships
The Nursing Scholarship Program through the Health and Human Services department serves to address the ongoing shortage of current and future nurses. These federal scholarships are awarded to eligible undergraduate and graduate nursing students who are participating at least half time in an accredited nursing program. In exchange for full tuition reimbursement, plus a tidy $1500 per month stipend, candidates must agree to serve at least two years in a "medically underserved" health institution.
The Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students is a federally funded program available to all levels of students within the health professions field, including nursing students.
The National Health Services Corps was founded in 1972 for the express purpose of providing a synthesis between medically disadvantaged communities and access to well-trained health professionals, including nurses. The NHSC Scholars program provides full repayment of student loans in return for service in "medically underserved" areas.
Students who may foresee themselves serving in the military and who have an interest in nursing, may find much needed scholarships through the Army ROTC and the Army Nurse Corps.
Nursing Organizations and Associations
Professional nursing organizations can provide another level of educational support for aspiring students. Organizations include scholarships and grants as a significant part of their mission to improve and support their profession, both now and in the future. Undergraduate nursing students will find a variety of options, including organizations that support nursing specialties, those for disabled nurses, as well as minority nursing students.
- The National Student Nurses' Association is a not for profit entity that is tirelessly devoted to the education of both undergraduate and graduate level nurses. With support from Johnson & Johnson, the organization offers valuable scholarships, specially designed to give undergraduate nursing students a boost. The scholarship is not available everywhere, but is dispersed in areas where there is a recognized shortage of nursing professionals.
- A specialized nursing organization such as the Oncology Nursing Society provides many scholarships to graduate nurses since it is at this level that most may choose to specialize. However, for undergraduates with an interest and experience within a specialty, there are undergraduate scholarships from the ONS.
- Disabled, undergraduate nursing students might explore such scholarships as the Johnson & Johnson Jill Laura Credin Scholarship.
- Minority nursing students will find scholarships through the National Black Nurses Association, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and the Indian Health Service.
State-funded Nursing Scholarships
Over the last couple of years, nearly three-quarters of all states have vigorously boosted state-funded scholarships for nursing students. The push came as a result of increasing numbers of alarming reports that revealed the state of nursing as it relates to current and future health care demands in the United States. These are just a couple of state programs that have been instituted to offer financial support to undergraduate nursing students:
- Maryland's Higher Education Commission offers a State Nursing Scholarship. Both undergraduate and graduate nursing students may apply. Requirements for the award are: proof of state residency, a consistent 3.0 GPA and an agreement to serve professionally within an approved Maryland health facility upon graduation.
- Indiana's Student Assistance Commission is open to all nursing students. Candidates must be state residents, prove economic need for the scholarship and in exchange for full tuition agree to serve professionally within a state health facility after graduation.
Colleges and Universities
Part of the Health and Human Services initiative was to disperse large amounts of grant money to many nursing programs throughout the United States. Because of this students now may be eligible for even more nursing scholarships directly through the school of their choice:
- Milwaukee Area Technical College is a prime example of a vocational college that offers scholarships, however nominal, to students seeking a Nursing Assistant certificate.
- University of North Carolina-Greensboro offers the Margaret Grim Klemer Scholarship designed solely for undergraduate nursing students.
- Purse University's Freshman Nursing Scholarship is designed to offer first year nursing students not only a high-quality program, but a weekly seminar that guides them in creating and planning their future career track within the industry.
- Many online nursing degree programs from schools like the University of Phoenix also offer scholarship benefits.
