As with all college and university programs, nursing school tuition and fees, not to mention room, board, and book costs, can become prohibitively expensive.
Every college student should apply for financial aid using the government's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, which is the standard tool each college uses to determine your eligibility for financial assistance in the form of loans, grants, or scholarships.
However, as a nursing student, you have a plethora of scholarships available to you. In addition to federal and state aid, the number of private or organizational scholarships for nurses is pretty astounding.
You can search for scholarships in many online directories by discipline (such as nursing), by the state you live in, and using other factors.
In this article, we share a dozen outstanding opportunities for nursing school scholarship funds.
12 Notable Scholarships That Nursing Students Can Apply For
Here are some of our top picks among nursing scholarships. While you may not qualify for all of them, be sure to apply for all that you are eligible for.
We've limited the list to national scholarships that do not restrict applicants by state.
A Nurse I Am Scholarship
Sponsored by Cherokee Uniforms (a Careismatic brand), the "A Nurse I Am" scholarship program awards 10 students $3000 each toward their nursing education.
Recipients also receive a gift package of the brand's scrubs, shoes, accessories, and medical instruments, as well as membership on the company's student nurse advisory council and a student membership in the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) Scholarship
The American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) offers two scholarships of $1,000 to male nursing students each year to encourage men to pursue nursing careers. Applicants need at least a 2.75 GPA in their pre-nursing program.
DiversityNursing.com's Annual Nurse Education Scholarship
Each year during Nurse's Week in May, DiversityNursing.com chooses a recipient for its $5000 Nurse Education scholarship. Applicants must either:
- be enrolled full-time or part-time in a professional registered nurse program (baccalaureate, graduate, associate degree or diploma) at an accredited School of Nursing
- work as a Registered Nurse, LPN, Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Leader/Administrator at a U.S.-based organization
Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships
The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Foundation is a source of multiple undergraduate scholarships. Eligible applicants include registered nurses who are members of ENA who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing (RN to BSN) and maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA.
Scholarships include:
- ENA Foundation Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship
- ENA Foundation State Challenge Scholarship
- BCEN Undergraduate Scholarship
- Charles Kunz Memorial Scholarship
- Elizabeth B. Moore Memorial Scholarship
- Ingrid Steinbach Emerging Professional Scholarship
- Justin Jewell Collegiate Scholarship
- NY Empire State Undergraduate State Challenge Scholarship
- Richard Wynkoop Memorial Endowed Scholarship (for active military or veterans)
Foundation for the National Student Nurses Association (FNSNA) Scholarships
FNSNA's undergraduate scholarships of up to $10,000 per year are available to students currently enrolled in a nursing diploma program or degree program (diploma, associate, baccalaureate, RN to BSN/MSN completion, LPN/LVN to RN, or accelerated programs).
Applicants should choose a specific specialization within nursing or a certain underrepresented population. They should document their academic achievement as well as establish their financial need.
The committee will give strong consideration to the applicant's involvement in student nursing organizations and any healthcare-related community activities.
Healthline Stronger Scholarship Program
Not a typical nursing school scholarship, the Healthline Stronger Scholarship Program has a distinctive mission to recognize students who rise above and beyond.
Healthline Stronger Scholars are those who are working to make an impact on the health and wellness landscape through their academic performance, their extracurricular leadership, their career goals, and community outreach. Awards average $5000.
Hurst Review/AACN Nursing Scholarship
Hurst Review partners with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in a scholarship program that recognizes entry-level nursing students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance (3.2 GPA). The award is $2500.
Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship for Native Health Care
Native American or Alaska Native college students currently in their second or third year of college are eligible to apply for the Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, which awards up to $7000 per year for educational expenses.
Applicants for the Native health care scholar program should be committed to improving health care in Indian country and pursuing a career that will impact health care for a tribe or for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Scholarships
The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) awards about 25 scholarships each year that range from $1,000 to $15,000 to students who are NBNA members or local chapter members. Two of the undergraduate scholarships include:
- The BAND-AID® Brand Black Healthcare Heroes in Nursing Scholarship, which bestows five $10,000 scholarships (grants) to nursing students working to earn a BSN degree or higher
- The Abbott Scholarship Fund, which awards five $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate nursing students working toward a degree. The committee will consider the applicant's commitment to primary care and working with vulnerable populations as well as their community background, financial need, and academic performance.
Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
American nursing students accepted to or enrolled student in an accredited nursing degree program can apply to the U.S. government's Nurse Corps Scholarship Program to receive free tuition, fees, and other costs of your education.
In return for this privilege, you must commit to working at a designated critical shortage healthcare facility after you graduate. You will be providing services to individuals and families in an area of the United States that lacks primary care professionals.
Funding priorities are based on student financial need. Be aware that the entire scholarship award is taxable.
Oncology Nursing Foundation Bachelor Level Scholarships
Bachelor's scholarships of $3000 for undergrad nursing students committed to oncology nursing are available through a collaboration of the Oncology Nursing Foundation, Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, and Oncology Practice Alliance, Inc.
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) Scholarships
The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) offers two diversity-focused scholarships each year for pediatric nursing.
One, a $1500 award, goes to an RN nursing student, while the other — partnered with the National Association of Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) — is a $3000 award to a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) student.
All of These Scholarships and Hundreds More Are Out There to Help Make Nursing School More Accessible
Whether you are planning to attend nursing school or currently enrolled in an accredited nursing degree program, it's never too late to apply for scholarships for the coming year. Be sure to consult with your college or university's financial aid officer to learn more about how to apply.
