National Student Nursing Association Scholarship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Nursing students often face significant financial hurdles in pursuing their education. Fortunately, numerous scholarship and grant opportunities exist to alleviate these burdens. This article explores various nursing school scholarships available at different academic levels, from associate to doctoral, along with their eligibility criteria and application requirements. By maximizing these funding options, aspiring nurses can minimize their reliance on student loans and focus on their studies.

Understanding the Landscape of Nursing Scholarships and Grants

Nursing students can find dedicated nursing scholarships and grants at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels. Awards include merit scholarships and industry grants of up to $10,000, and students can also apply for federal programs like the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment. Many nurses take out student loans to pay for a nursing degree. In fact, undergraduate nursing students graduate with an average of $23,000-$29,000 in student debt, while those with a master of science in nursing owe $49,000 on average, according to a report from NerdWallet. Nursing students can limit their borrowing by maximizing their scholarships and grants. Professional associations, nursing schools, and private organizations offer scholarships for nurses.

Submitting the FAFSA form as early as possible will help you determine your eligibility for school aid and need-based scholarships.

Featured Nursing Scholarships and Grants

Below is an overview of various nursing scholarships and grants, detailing their eligibility requirements, award amounts, and application processes.

A Nurse I Am Scholarship

Sponsor: Cherokee Uniforms
Award: $3,000 plus a bag of Careismatic Brands nursing items and Careismatic Brands Student Nurse Advisory Council membership
Eligibility: Open to any nursing student enrolled in an accredited program. Applicants must submit an essay.

AISES A.T. Anderson Scholarship

Sponsor: American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
Award: Up to $2,000
Eligibility: Candidates must possess tribal citizenship and pursue STEM-related or nursing degrees to qualify. Each applicant must submit a resume, transcripts, verification of tribal citizenship, letters of recommendation, and three essays of up to 500 words each for this scholarship. Finalists need to submit additional documents for verification.

Alice Newell Joslyn Medical Scholarship

Sponsor: Alice Newell Joslyn
Award: $500-$2,000
Eligibility: Applicants entering healthcare professions or pursuing healthcare degrees can apply. Along with an online application, each student must provide two letters of recommendation, transcripts, a personal statement, and their estimated family financial contribution. This award supports students living in or attending college in San Diego County. Eligibility is based on financial need, scholastics, and community awareness.

American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing Scholarships (AAPACN)

Sponsor: AAPACN
Award: $3,000-$5,000
Eligibility: Those earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree can apply for a scholarship. Applicants must hold an RN, LVN/LPN, or CNA credential. A supervisor must submit a recommendation form. Those earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree can apply for a scholarship.

American Indian Medical Scholarship Program

Sponsor: Not specified
Award: $1,500 per semester to recipients in good academic standing
Eligibility: This scholarship is open to Indigenous Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian students pursuing nursing degrees. Applicants submit proof of tribal heritage, a recommendation from a school official, official transcripts, a photograph, and a biographical statement to qualify for this program.

American Legion Auxiliary Non-Traditional Nurses Scholarship

Sponsor: American Legion Auxiliary
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Residents of Idaho and members in good standing of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, or Sons of the American Legion can apply if their higher education was interrupted or they started college later in life. Candidates submit a personal statement, letters of recommendation, high school or college transcripts with ACT or SAT scores, a resume, and proof of honorable discharge to qualify for this nursing scholarship.

American Nephrology Nurses Association Scholarships (ANNA)

Sponsor: ANNA
Award: $1,000-$4,375
Eligibility: Students must be ANNA members, pursuing BSNs or master’s degrees in nursing, and actively involved in nephrology nursing to qualify. Most require an application, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, an essay, and documentation of eligibility. The organization offers multiple nursing scholarships and grants, including funding for clinical research.

Arizona Foundation for the Future of Nursing Scholarships (AzFFN)

Sponsor: AzFFN, part of the Arizona Nurses Association
Award: Varies
Eligibility: Applicants must live in Arizona. Specific guidelines vary by award. AzFFN offers multiple scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students attending nursing school in Arizona.

Army Nurse Corps Association Scholarship Program

Sponsor: Army Nurse Corps Association
Award: Varies
Eligibility: Army nurses qualify for this scholarship. Candidates submit an application, letters of recommendation, and official college transcripts. Army, including those who have received honorable discharge. Accredited nursing or nurse anesthesia programs qualify. Current or former military spouses, children, and parents may also apply.

Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Scholarship (ARN)

Sponsor: ARN
Award: $1,500
Eligibility: An ARN member enrolled in a BSN or a graduate program who demonstrates at least two years of rehabilitation nursing experience may apply. Applicants should submit official transcripts documenting enrollment in a BSN or graduate nursing program, a resume, and a 1-3 page summary of their professional and educational goals and achievements. They also need to upload a headshot.

Barbara Rhomberg Excellence in Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: B4 Brands
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Full-time students pursuing associate or bachelor’s degrees in nursing may apply. Eligible candidates must have a gap of at least three years between high school and college. Candidates must provide two recommendation letters, enrollment verification, and an essay. This scholarship supports non-traditional, full-time undergraduate nursing students.

California BSN Scholarship

Sponsor: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Award: Up to $10,000
Eligibility: Students with minimum 2.0 GPAs pursuing BSNs may apply. Each recipient must be willing to work in a medically underserved area in California for 12 months. California also offers an ADN scholarship. This award is funded by the state’s RN licensing fee and aims to distribute awards across the state to increase RN employment in high-need areas.

California Advanced Practice Healthcare Scholarship

Sponsor: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Award: Up to $25,000
Eligibility: This scholarship is open to prospective nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse midwives attending California Board- or committee-approved programs. Candidates must demonstrate minimum GPAs of 2.0 and be free of other service obligations. Each recipient must spend 12 months of full-time practice in a medically underserved area. The scholarship supports nursing students pursuing advanced practice roles.

Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: Daughters of the American Revolution
Award: $2,500
Eligibility: This award supports three undergraduate students who are accepted into or enrolled in accredited nursing schools. Each candidate must demonstrate financial need and submit their official college transcripts or letter of acceptance into a nursing program to qualify. The Daughters of the American Revolution sponsors this need-based scholarship.

Charlotte McGuire Scholarship

Sponsor: American Holistic Nurses Association
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate-level nursing students who are active AHNA members qualify. Graduate nursing students need a current RN license. Qualifying members must demonstrate their commitment to holistic nursing practice. The American Holistic Nurses Association supports nurses specializing in holistic nursing with its undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

Coursey Enterprises

Sponsor: Coursey Enterprises
Award: $250
Eligibility: Candidates must be first-year nursing students enrolled in registered nursing or licensed practical nurse programs. Applicants must submit a 200-word personal essay and photo to qualify. Coursey Enterprises sponsors two scholarships every spring and fall.

District of Columbia Lena Ferguson Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: Daughters of the American Revolution
Award: $5,000
Eligibility: Nursing students at the University of the District of Columbia who maintain GPAs of 3.0 or higher may apply. Two one-time awards go to graduates of public schools or public charter schools in Washington, D.C., attending nursing programs at the University of the District of Columbia or the University of the District of Columbia-Community College. This award is sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution and administered by the University of the District of Columbia.

Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Scholarships (ENA)

Sponsor: ENA
Award: Varies
Eligibility: All scholarships are open to student ENA members. Previous recipients cannot apply under the same category. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.0 and must attend an accredited university. The scholarship requires two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an ENA member. ENA offers multiple scholarships for undergraduates, master’s students, and doctoral candidates.

Exceptional Nurse Scholarships

Sponsor: Nonprofit organization
Award: $250-$500
Eligibility: A candidate must have a disability and attend or plan to attend a nursing program full time. Applicants must have a documented disability and submit three letters of recommendation, a 1-2 page essay, and official high school and/or college transcripts. This nonprofit organization supports nurses with disabilities and offers multiple scholarships.

Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association Undergraduate Scholarship (FNSNA)

Sponsor: National Student Nurses’ Association
Award: Up to $10,000 per academic year
Eligibility: Awards support nursing students in different specializations based on the scholarship sponsor. who intend to focus on specialty nursing areas. The National Student Nurses’ Association offers multiple scholarships through its foundation, which awards over $500,000 in scholarship funding annually.

Foundation for Seacoast Health Scholarship

Sponsor: Foundation for Seacoast Health
Award: Varies
Eligibility: Candidates studying health-related fields who reside in Portsmouth, Rye, New Castle, Greenland, Newington, or North Hampton, New Hampshire; or Kittery, Elliot, or York, Maine, can apply. Applicants submit statements of support, personal essays, and proof of financial need. The Foundation for Seacoast Health sponsors the Steven Cutter Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student and the Edwina Foye Award for Outstanding Graduate Student.

George B. Boland Nurses Training Scholarship

Sponsor: Forty and Eight Voiture Locale
Award: Up to $1,500
Eligibility: Not specified, but likely requires U.S. citizenship. This scholarship is administered through a Forty and Eight Voiture Locale. citizen.

GoodRx Students for Healthcare Equity Scholarship

Sponsor: GoodRx
Award: $5,000
Eligibility: Current or recently graduated nursing students with minimum 3.0 GPAs from under-represented populations in healthcare are eligible to apply. Applicants must register with GoodRx to apply. This scholarship aims to increase diversity in healthcare. Students can use the scholarship for two-year or four-year nursing programs.

Health Resources and Services Administration Nurse Corps Scholarship Program (HRSA)

Sponsor: HRSA
Award: Tuition, fees, and educational expenses
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited nursing degree program at the undergraduate level and not have federal judgment liens, existing service commitments, or overdue federal loan payments. The Health Resources and Services Administration prefers students with financial need. Eligible programs include nursing, nurse-midwifery, and nurse practitioner degrees. Applicants submit recommendation letters, supporting documentation, and an essay to qualify. This award covers tuition, fees, and educational costs for nurses working in critical shortage facilities after graduation.

Hurst Review Services/AACN Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: Hurst Review and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Award: $2,500
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students enrolled at AACN schools with a minimum 3.2 GPA. Applicants must register with Hurst Review Services before completing an online application. Hurst is a review service for nurses preparing for the National Council Licensure Examination.

Jane Delano Nursing Student Scholarship

Sponsor: American Red Cross
Award: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate who volunteer or work for an American Red Cross Unit. The award supports nurses and encourages new nurses to become involved with the Red Cross. Offered by the American Red Cross.

Johnson & Johnson Andrea E. Higham Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: Johnson & Johnson, in partnership with the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association
Award: Up to $10,000 per academic year
Eligibility: Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a state-approved program qualify. Graduate students cannot apply unless they are in their first year of nursing studies. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and strong academic achievement. Johnson & Johnson, in partnership with the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association, sponsors this scholarship to support nursing students.

Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship

Sponsor: Kansas Board of Regents
Award: Varies
Eligibility: This service-based award funds LPN or RN students who commit to practice in Kansas sponsor facilities such as psychiatric hospitals, home health agencies, and adult care homes. This award suits Kansas residents looking to work in Kansas healthcare roles. Undergraduates enrolled full time in Kansas nursing programs qualify for this Board of Regents scholarship. Applicants submit a FAFSA, commit to an eligible sponsor, and complete the State of Kansas Student Aid application. Kansas also offers a scholarship to support graduate students in nurse educator programs.

Lambda Pi Alpha Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship

Sponsor: Lambda Pi Alpha
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Candidates must be Lambda Pi Alpha members, Illinois residents, and undergraduate students enrolled in BSN or ADN programs to qualify. Students submit official transcripts demonstrating a minimum 3.0 GPA, a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and evidence of at least 20 hours of community service in the past year. Candidates must also have completed at least one semester of nursing coursework and demonstrate financial need. Lambda Pi Alpha members in the Chicago chapter can apply for this nursing scholarship.

Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing Scholarships

Sponsor: Loyola University Chicago
Award: Varies
Eligibility: Limited to Loyola University Chicago students. Loyola University Chicago students may apply for several nursing scholarships through the school’s online portal. Recipient…

Nurse Corps Scholarship Program: A Deeper Dive

The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program is a significant initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of nurses in critical shortage facilities.

Benefits: Recipients receive a monthly stipend, and the program covers tuition, eligible fees, and reasonable costs, including books, clinical supplies/instruments, and uniforms.
Tax Implications: The entire scholarship award is taxable and reported to the IRS.
Critical Shortage Facility Definition: A critical shortage facility is a public or private healthcare facility located in, designated as, or serving a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), which lacks enough primary care or mental health professionals.
Importance: The program helps ensure that more Americans have access to necessary healthcare by increasing the number of nurses in underserved communities.

Navigating the Application Process

Nursing students qualify for many forms of nursing school financial aid. Submitting the FAFSA form is a critical part of the financial aid process for students across higher education. In addition to qualifying for federal student aid, the FAFSA can help you determine your eligibility for institutional aid and need-based scholarships. Keep reading to find nursing scholarship opportunities. Eligibility and application requirements vary depending on the award.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

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