Navigating Nursing Scholarships in Wisconsin: A Comprehensive Guide
For aspiring and current nurses in Wisconsin, numerous scholarship and loan repayment programs exist to help finance their education and incentivize service in underserved areas. This article provides a detailed overview of these opportunities, covering eligibility requirements, application processes, and service commitments.
Scholarships Promoting Excellence in Long-Term Care Nursing
The Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council (WDONC) offers scholarships to promote excellence in long-term care nursing.
WDONC Nursing Scholarship
This scholarship requires nomination for individuals pursuing an RN degree or higher. Key requirements include:
- Nomination by a Director of Nursing, Administrator, or nursing supervisor.
- Acceptance into nursing school, completion of the waiting period, and enrollment in nursing classes on or before January 2026.
- Submission of a transcript verifying enrollment if the nomination is accepted for review.
Debby Schuna Advanced Nursing Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship requires nomination for individuals pursuing a BSN or higher. Key requirements include:
- Nomination by a Director of Nursing, Administrator, or nursing supervisor. Multiple nominations for an individual are accepted and encouraged.
- Enrollment in an accredited BSN, MSN, or Ph.D. program. Nominees must provide the name of their accredited educational institution to confirm enrollment if selected.
- Submission of financial aid department information for verification purposes.
Both the nominee and nominator grant WDONC permission to use their names, images, and likenesses for promotional purposes by submitting a nomination and accepting the scholarship. Nominees and nominators also agree to participate in a Zoom interview if requested. The video recordings may be shared with third-party organizations when applicable and approved by the WDONC Scholarship Committee. It is important to note that once started, nominations cannot be saved, and confirmation requires clicking the “Submit” button at the end of the form.
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Nursing Foundation of Wisconsin (NFW) Scholarships
The NFW Board of Directors provides educational scholarship awards for nurses pursuing a BSN Completion Degree or a Master’s Degree in Nursing (excluding APRN programs). A separate scholarship is available for nurses currently enrolled in or about to begin graduate school in one of the four APRN practice roles: Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or Nurse Practitioner (NP). Current APRNs pursuing an advanced degree are also welcome to apply.
Federal and State Loan Repayment Programs
Several loan repayment programs are available to nurses who commit to working in underserved areas.
National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
The NHSC is a federal program that seeks to improve access to care in underserved areas by offering scholarship assistance and loan repayment to eligible primary care, dental, and mental health clinicians. In order to receive the scholarship or loan repayment, providers must agree to provide a minimum of two years of service in a high-need Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). The scholarship will cover tuition, required fees, and reasonable education costs and provides a monthly stipend. Upon completion of their nursing training scholarship, recipients will be expected to serve a minimum two-year service commitment at a Critical Shortage Facility in a high-need HPSA.
Wisconsin Health Professions Loan Assistance Program (HPLAP)
The HPLAP is Wisconsin's state loan repayment program. It seeks to increase the number of primary care, dental, and psychiatrist providers working in underserved rural and urban areas of the state.
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is a federal program targeted to bachelor's or master's degree trained nurses employed as registered nurses. In order to receive an award, nurses must work in a Critical Shortage Facility for nursing that's located in a HPSA.
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Indian Health Service (IHS)
The IHS offers scholarship and loan repayment opportunities to qualified American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) citizens. The scholarship program covers tuition, required fees, and appropriate living expenses for eligible students in health professions programs. Students receiving the scholarship have to complete a service obligation at an Indian tribal health facility. The IHS loan repayment program offers loan repayment assistance to eligible applicants in qualified health professional disciplines. Eligibility for the loan repayment program is not restricted to AI/AN. Loan repayment recipients receive an award in exchange for at least a two-year service obligation.
Wisconsin Medical Society (WMS) Foundation
The foundation of the WMS offers a number of scholarship, student loan, and fellowship opportunities for students in medical school in Wisconsin.
Student Learning Experiences and Internship Opportunities
Wisconsin offers a variety of student learning experiences and internship programs to support aspiring health professionals.
Wisconsin Area Health Education Center (AHEC) System
The Wisconsin AHEC system provides programs to strengthen community-based health professional education and community health education.
- Wisconsin Express: Opportunity for health professions students to explore health care delivery in medically underserved areas and work with students across disciplines
- Community Health Internship Program (CHIP): Summer internship program with placements in local health departments
AHEC also maintains a Health Careers Information Center, which provides information about health career occupations, Wisconsin educational institutions and health care programs, health profession organizations, and other health care programs and resources.
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State of Wisconsin Student Diversity Internship Program
An internship program specifically targeting students across culturally diverse groups with various lived experiences, representing the global spectrum ethnicity, gender, and ability. The goal of the program is to provide those students with an opportunity to experience the professional work environment of Wisconsin State Government.
University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Medical College of Wisconsin
These institutions may offer learning experiences and research opportunities for students interested in family medicine and related fields.
Working with Underserved Populations
Several organizations in Wisconsin are dedicated to improving the health of underserved populations.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services Minority Health Program
The Minority Health Program provides statewide leadership on policy measures that aim to improve the health of vulnerable populations in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)
WPHCA provides support to Wisconsin's Community Health Centers and serves as a resource on access to care.
Wisconsin Office of Rural Health (ORH)
The ORH works to improve access to and the quality of health care provided in rural areas of the state.
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC)
The RWHC is a collaborative network of rural hospitals that advocates for policies that will improve health care delivery in rural areas; assists members to offer high-quality, cost effective health care; and helps them to partner with others to make their communities healthier.
Center for Urban Population Health (CUPH)
CUPH conducts and facilitates population health research and educational initiatives that seek to improve the health of urban communities.
Community Health Information and Resources
Wisconsin offers various resources for community health improvement.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Community Health Improvement Assessment and Plans
The process in which Wisconsin communities develop and implement local health plans to address health conditions that affect their residents.
University of Wisconsin County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
The Rankings and Roadmaps Project helps communities create solutions that will make it easier for people to make healthy choices. The health rankings portion of the project illustrates which issues are making people sick in a particular county. The roadmaps portion of the project shows what communities can do to create healthier places to live, work, and play.
Job Searching Resources
Several online platforms can assist nurses in finding employment opportunities in Wisconsin.
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Health Workforce Connector
An online job search engine that will display job vacancies nationwide at health care sites that are eligible placements to receive NHSC loan repayment. Some sites will be eligible placements to fulfill NHSC scholarship obligations. These vacancies may be filled by anyone who is qualified; individuals are not required to have interest in the loan repayment program.
National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNet)
3RNet is a national network of members affiliated with nonprofit organizations that help to recruit health professionals to rural areas.
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) Career Center
Search for health care vacancies in rural areas of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants (WAPA) Career Center
Search for physician assistant vacancies in Wisconsin.
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