Nursing has long been regarded as a noble profession, and with a rising demand for trained and certified nurses, the number of grant and scholarship opportunities available for nursing students has increased dramatically.  Below you will find some tips on the types of nursing scholarships and grants available and how to successfully apply for them.

Applying for Nursing Scholarships

Nursing scholarships can make all the difference when a student is pursuing a career in nursing.  But there are few things to keep in mind when applying for a nursing scholarship.  Firstly, scholarships come in two basic varieties; merit based and need based and obligatory service.

Merit Based Scholarships

Merit based scholarships are usually awarded either by a college a university or a private foundation.  These sorts of scholarships normally require that the student write an essay and have an interview with the department head or scholarship committee to determine if they should be awarded the monies.  These sorts of scholarships are usually based on academic performance as well as community service and the future plans/study areas of the student.

Need Based Scholarship

Need based scholarships are targeted to individuals who are looking to study nursing who fall into specific categories such as low income or under-represented minority groups in a particular field.  Financial need must be demonstrated on these applications and can require the disclosure of personal financial information.

Obligatory Service Scholarships

Obligatory service scholarships are normally scholarships sponsored by the US Government.  These scholarships can be seen in ROTC military scholarships which are available in all four branches of the United States Military where students are required to serve two-eight years in the military (while receiving pay) in order to pay for their college degree having been paid for by the Government.

Applying for Nursing Grants

Regardless of what sort of nursing grant you will be applying for, you are going to need to fill out the FAFSA for most of these grantors require the FAFS information before awarding the monies. Applications for the FAFSA can be found at:  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Once you have filled out the application, you can apply for any of the nursing grants available from federally funded programs.  These include:

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).  Information on scholarships and grants available for nursing students is posted here on a regular basis. For more information see:  AACN Website
• Specialty Groups – If your education is in a specific area, you may find grants by narrowing your search from simply nursing education grants to grants that cater to specific specialty areas.
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  The HRSA a government agency that is dedicated to improving access to health care.  HRSA offers grants for nearly every field of medical care and for every level of education including Masters, Post-Masters, and Doctoral studies.  More information can be found at: HRSA Website
• State Specific Grants.  Each state in the US offers programs and grants designed to help increase the number of nurses in that particular state.  More information on state specific programs can be found on your local state government website.