Financial Question for Direct Entry MSN Programs

[vleary77]

I wanted to ask if anyone knows what kind of financial aid is available to students pursuing a direct entry nursing program after completing their first bachelor's degree. I have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, and I have limited federal aid left for a second bachelor's degree. I have limited resources to fund my education, but a strong academic background. While I know some direct entry programs start with a BSN component, I'm not sure how financial aid works for these programs. I have not used any federal aid for graduate study, and I can apply this type of aid to my tuition/fees, if possible. Does anyone know if there are any programs that rely solely on graduate aid, or if there are other ways to fund these types of programs? I appreciate your input.

[Shorty11, BSN, RN]

There are direct-entry MSN programs which do not require a BSN, just a Bachelor's degree in general. These programs are very competitive (from what I understand), but they do exist. If you have a solid GPA, good interview skills, and a strong academic background, then you should be a good candidate. Your school determines the actual federal student loan amount you are eligible to receive each academic year. However, there are limits on the maximum amount in subsidized and unsubsidized loans that you are eligible to receive each academic year (annual loan limit) and over your academic career (total loan limits). The limits depend on what year you are in school and whether you are a dependent or independent student. According to studentaid.ed.gov, a maximum of $57,500 for undergraduate (no more than $23,000 of which may be subsidized loans) for independent students. Dependent students are eligible for a total of $31,000 (no more than $23,000 of which may be subsidized loans). A total of $138,500 for graduate or professional independent students (of which no more than $65,000 may be subsidized). The graduate debt limit INCLUDES all federal loans received for undergraduate study as well. If you are a dependent student, the maximum is much lower for total federal loans (combined undergraduate and graduate). I obtained this information from the federal student aid U.S. department of education website. (studentaid.ed.gov)

Really depends on if you are a dependent or independent student, how much you have already borrowed for undergraduate (if any) as to how much you have left that you can borrow for graduate program(s), the school, and the program itself. You need to fill out a FAFSA. Information on your FAFSA will determine how much you are eligible for. I am sure there are direct-entry graduate programs in which people attend using solely financial aid. You really need to talk to an academic adviser and/or the financial aid department at the potential schools you are looking at.

Other potential ways to pay for tuition include (obviously) scholarships and private student loans.

Sorry if this did not help. I do not have the name of an exact school (there are so many programs out there, including many direct-entry MSN programs). Best of luck!