How did/do you pay for nursing school?

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  1. How did you pay for nursing school?

    • 145
      Student loans
    • 73
      Scholarships
    • 83
      Grants
    • 9
      VA loans
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      Work through school
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225 members have participated

Specializes in Palliative.
I worked full-time nights 11-7 and went to school during the day - sometimes till 4pm if necessary. Slept on nights off or weekends. Guess I'm old school but I don't owe anybody anything which I love.

I did the same except I fast tracked to finish my degree in three years (which meant more months of school)--I also quickly realized I had to drop to 2/3 time during the school year (60-70 hour weeks were doable for me but 80 not so much) and worked all weekends. I would not recommend this if there is any other way to do it. I hurt myself a number of times and had a resident fall out of bed on me from working tired. Would have been happy to get student loans, which here are forgivable if you're willing to do a return for service and go to a rural area. Guaranteed job plus no loans plus getting more than 20 hours of sleep a week? Man.

dhoff

32 Posts

I'm a traditional student going to a university (and living in the dorms) and it is pretty expensive. I pay about $7,000 (not including books, uniforms, or other supplies) for tuition, meal plan, and living expense on campus. Before college I saved up a little over $10,000 from working my high school job so I wouldn't have to work as much during college. I do take out loans (about $15,000 so far and another $3,500 that I owe my parents -- I'm in my junior year). I haven't been working during the semester just because I want to focus on school and I'm involved in a lot of on-campus activities. I've been working during summer break and during winter break (which is a month long!) to try pay for everything. Money is tight, but I'm incredibly thankful to my parents who have been helping me out when they can. They pay my meal plan (which is roughly $1,400 a semester -- kinda ridiculous) and they gave me a $3,500 loan this semester because my loans got cut in half (my dad's business did slightly better last year so they had more income and the FASFA assumes they are paying my tuition). My biggest wish is that the FASFA would not take the parent's income so much into account because most parents don't pay for their kid's tuition.

periwinks00

3 Posts

When did you find time to study!? I was approved for the HRSA grant $5K, but I don't plan on staying with my employer - which is a requirement of the grant, although I could still utilize it if I stay within the same field and work 24hrs per week. The wild card, amongst other things, is that I have a 2 year old son who will be 3 by the time I start school (I am praying things will work out and my mother will step in while I'm attending a postbac BSN program). Any advice?

rmolander

12 Posts

I work part time as a CNA, receive a Pell Grant, a subsidized loan, as well as a yearly honor's scholarship. Money is still tight, as a single mom, but I get by. In a couple of years I'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief as it will all have been completely worth it.

rmolander

12 Posts

To periwinks00:

You just have to go for it. I work 18-24 hours a week, am a single mom of a three year old, and still attend school full time. There are two days a week I don't see my son at all... it's incredibly hard. But if you want it, wake up at 4am and push hard until you pass out at 10. You CAN do it!

soontobetexan

45 Posts

Loans the first 2 years then the wonderful nursing scholarship program with Hrsa.gov they paid everything in full plus a mthly stipend and money for books

I am borrowing money from my parent's savings for an Accelerated BSN program, but am also investigating the Navy Reserve. Any opinions from experienced military?

kvinnaRN

7 Posts

I opted to get my ADN first and went to a community college. I received some grants and scholarships but paid for the majority of tuition out-of-pocket. I now work for a hospital that provides tuition assistance so I may get my BSN virtually for free. Trying to convince other nursing students (who went to 4 year universities) that I was still a well-qualified RN even though I only had a 2 year degree was (and still is) quite the challenge. I chose the cheaper route because I did not want student loans, but then I got ridiculed by others.

Gotiffany

3 Posts

My education is paid for by scholarships,grants, and a part-time job... thankgoodness.

-Full-Tuition Scholarship

-Florida bright futures Academic Scholarship

-Foundation Scholarships

-First Generation Scholarship

-Pell-Grant

All of this pays for my nursing school and all the money (from the grants and scholarships listed above) I get back after school expenses goes to help pay bills for my living expenses.

I go to a state-college (which was a community college)! It's cheaper and people are silly to think that you can't get a proper education at a community college! It also now offers a BSN program.

Blessings81

35 Posts

Sounds dangerous.

mantidqueen1

16 Posts

I paid pre-Reqs out of pocket at CC while working. Once in my ADN program, I got a low interest 12,000 dollar loan through PEO, they are a philanthropic women's education group. (Interest was like 1.5%). I also got a scholarship and worked until my third semester. My grandmother passed away and I was able to use that an inheritance to pay off most of my loans on graduation, I paid the rest within two months of graduation.

My hospital will pay for my BSN. Now a debt free RN! It helped that my husband's salary covered living expenses.

Mrs.D., BSN

132 Posts

Specializes in Medical cardiology.

I didn't find it that outlandishly expensive. I went to community college for prerequisites, then a local university for the BSN. I believe it was $10k/year at SSU in Salem Mass. I worked during school and graduated with no debt.

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