How Do You Seek Out Scholarship Opportunities for Nursing Degrees?

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Scholarships help students cover some or all of the costs associated with obtaining higher education, but differ from student loans in that the money the student receives from a scholarship does not need to be repaid after graduation. Scholarship, though, are often times competitive and not everyone who applies will succeed in getting every scholarship for which they apply. Nursing scholarships is one area where it can pay to apply to as many places as you are qualified to increase the chance of actually obtaining one. But, where do you find scholarship opportunities if you want to pursue a nursing degree? This article should help you uncover a few ways to seek out these opportunities.

The United States Army

This may not be everyone’s first idea for a scholarship, but the United States Army can be a great place to look as a way to fund your nursing studies. The Army has what they call their Reserve Officer Training Program or ROTC. In this program, you participate as an ROTC cadet during the same time you pursue your nursing degree. When you complete your degree, you will become a nurse and an officer in the United States Army.

Of course, there is a minimum enlistment requirement that comes along with the ROTC scholarship. The Army offers scholarships of two, three, or four years – each one requiring a different minimum enlistment period following completion of your degree.

ROTC cadets who are enrolled in a nursing program can also take advantage of the Army’s Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP). This is a paid program that last three weeks in the summer. Cadets will be assigned to a hospital in either the United States or Germany.

General Scholarships

There are many general scholarships offered by colleges and universities that are not dependent on the field of study. It’s always a good idea to talk to a high school guidance counselor or the financial aid office at your college or university of choice to see if they have any general scholarships available that you are qualified to apply for. In addition to traditional scholarships, there are well respected nursing programs at colleges that offer scholarships in exchange for working on campus.

Nursing Specific Scholarships

There are literally dozens of nursing specific scholarships available throughout the country. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing offers several nursing scholarships including a $5,000 CertifiedBackground.org scholarship, the Minority Nurse Faculty Scholarship, the Hurst Reviews/AACN Nursing Scholarship, and the AfterCollege/AACN Nursing Scholarship.

Additional sources for finding nursing scholarships include the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Gates Millennium Scholarship, as well as scholarships offered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Nursing is a great and rewarding career, and money should not stand in the way of you pursuing your dreams. With a bit of persistence and hard work, it’s possible to locate, apply for, and even get a nursing scholarship. Now it’s time for you to get to work, grab some of the resources mentioned above, and get the process started.