Financial Aid / Scholarships - Funding Nursing School!

elkpark · Apr 15, 2014

I don't know anything about resources specifically targeted for ABSN students, but I diligently looked for scholarships to attend graduate school (many years ago, before widespread use of the internet, so it was a lot harder to do then -- lots of telephone calls and letters :)). I found lots of small scholarships ($300, $500), some of which had special requirements (you had to be a member of a particular religion, or a particular ethnic group), offered by lots of different philanthropic/charitable groups. (They were small, but every little bit would help, and, if you could get several of them, it would add up.) I found the financial aid office of the university at which I was doing a BSN completion program to be a good source of info, and also the financial aid office of my graduate school. I found that, at that time, my state offered not one but three different state-funded scholarship/grant programs designed to help people go into nursing, or further their nursing education, some of which didn't need to be paid back; you could work them off by working in the state (not for the state, but anywhere in the state) after graduation. I got a pretty big chunk of cash for my graduate program, and was able to work it off by returning to the state and working there, which is what I had planned to do anyway, so that was nice. Lots of states used to have programs like that, but I'm guessing a lot of them may have been eliminated since the economy tanked and the nursing "shortage" evaporated -- still, it couldn't hurt to check in your state.

Best wishes!

petunia03 · Apr 16, 2014

@elkpark.. thank you for all of this!! I do plan on searching for a ton, even if they are a little here and there as you said they do add up!

I haven't yet met with a financial aid advisor at the school I plan on attending yet though - I am hoping they have resources.

thanks again

jan286 · Apr 18, 2014

Look at any community foundations where you live such as rotary clubs, fire departments etc etc. Also-go to the local high schools and ask them if they can tell you names of scholarship foundations. Most will be geared to graduating seniors, but some will take any applicant. They are usually major specific (like someone going into a healthcare field, or arts majors etc etc). My college has a private grant (it's only about $150/yr-but like the previous poster said-any little bit helps). My nursing department also has 3 different private scholarships (established by families of previous students who have passed away). Each of those were $500/piece. People don't realize how much FREE money is out there! You just have to find it!! Try the library, or Selectman's Office...read the local news paper (usually foundations will post an add saying they are now accepting applications). Some hospital foundations have scholarships available as well.