How are you paying for your MSN?

Nursing Students Post Graduate

Published

Nurses Month 2024 | Discounts & Freebies AORN Celebrates Nurses Month

I'm accepted! Now how do I pay for this? Do most of you use financial aid?

I work part time and husband works but all our $ goes to the bills. I get a very small amount of tuition reimbursement ... realized it covers less than one course per YEAR.

I was also hoping for some financial aid but it looks like most loans only reimburse if you go two or more classes per semester? I was only planning on going one course at a time. So if I go one at a time I have to pay?:eek: Either that, or I get a loan but have to take two at a time, making it twice as hard for me each semester than I planned? Please let me know what all of you are doing!

i am seeking a graduate degree in something other than nursing ( will eventually get my masters in nursing. will be rn in spring). i have some questions...i am concerned about trying to take on a full load of graduate courses because i know they are more complex and require more dedication. do people take 12 hours of graduate studies like they would if they were working on a undergrad degree. i was going to just take one course at a time until i got the level of complexity down and felt more comfortable. i see that 6 hours is typically required for fa and was wondering if taking 6 hours or so would be like the equivalent to 12 as a undergrad. i will graduate with my undergrad in december i have been overwhelmed with school work since i started working on my bachelors. i promised myself that i would take my masters slow and just enjoy the experience. any advise....

you must be a half time student to recieve student loans. three credit hous is considered half time at the masters level, so yes, 6 hours would be the equivalent of 12 hours in undergread.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU.

I think my Stafford subsidized loan actually said 4 hrs was PT.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm accepted! Now how do I pay for this? Do most of you use financial aid?

I work part time and husband works but all our $ goes to the bills. I get a very small amount of tuition reimbursement ... realized it covers less than one course per YEAR.

I was also hoping for some financial aid but it looks like most loans only reimburse if you go two or more classes per semester? I was only planning on going one course at a time. So if I go one at a time I have to pay?:eek: Either that, or I get a loan but have to take two at a time, making it twice as hard for me each semester than I planned? Please let me know what all of you are doing!

Paying for it out of pocket. The tuition reimbursement at my employer is not for nurses trying to go for an MSN in education. Only for people who are going for LPN, RN-ADN, RN-BSN, or RN-FNP. Stinks!I'm going to feel rich when everything is said and done!!

Otessa

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Otessa:

If you intend to be a nurse faculty member, look to see if your school has Nurse Faculty Loan Program funds. This allow you to borrow the money for tuition from the School (as long as you are taking at least 6 credits per term). Up to 85% of the loan is cancelled if you become a fulltime nursing faculty member at an accredited program after you graduate.

I've distributed over $500K in these faculty loans over the past four years. There are 70+ nursing schools in the country with these NFLP loans.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
i am seeking a graduate degree in something other than nursing ( will eventually get my masters in nursing. will be rn in spring). i have some questions...i am concerned about trying to take on a full load of graduate courses because i know they are more complex and require more dedication. do people take 12 hours of graduate studies like they would if they were working on a undergrad degree. i was going to just take one course at a time until i got the level of complexity down and felt more comfortable. i see that 6 hours is typically required for fa and was wondering if taking 6 hours or so would be like the equivalent to 12 as a undergrad. i will graduate with my undergrad in december i have been overwhelmed with school work since i started working on my bachelors. i promised myself that i would take my masters slow and just enjoy the experience. any advise....

tx- i know you're really good at multi-tasking, but i have been taking 9 credit hours at a time, and that's enough to keep you plenty busy. dh took 12 grad credit hours last semester, and sorely regretted it. as someone else previously mentioned, 9 credit hours of grad school would be equivalent to 12 in undergrad. know too, that most grad programs require you to maintain a certain gpa to remain in the program (usually 3.0). taking too many credit hours in a given semester can affect your gpa enough to put you in jeopardy in that area. i would suggest just sticking with the 9 credit hours, and taking classes in the summer, if you want to shorten your overall time to degree attainment. ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Cash and the very palty $1200 a year reimbursement from work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm going the full loan route too. I'll be FT and at $895/unit (first 2 semesters will be 30 units). I had to apply for GradPlus Loans to cover the amount above the Stafford Loans. Yes, I will be debt, but hopefully not for too long afterwards if I watch my income/expense ratio.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I took 9 hours last semester working full time, and was VERY busy. Grad credit work is definitely not the same as undergrad credits, where you can manage 16-17 per semester...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In Arkansas they have a program that will transfer your student loans to scholarships if you will agree to teach for each year you were in school. Tennessee has a similar loan forgiveness program.

I've found a program that will get you out the door with a FNP for $15,000. That seems like a good deal to me, but I still don't see how I can do it without taking out a stinking loan. Everytime I've looked into scholarships they've always dried up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

GoLytely:

Ask those MSN programs you are considering if they have their own scholarships to give out. Our School of Nursing distributes about $1.6 million each year in nursing scholarships (400K for undergrad, and $1.2 million this year for grad students). This year, all of our MSN students who requested aid are getting some scholarships support (ranging from 10-100%). I received over 500K this year in grants that I wrote or co-wrote, and received another 400K+ in gifts from nursing alumni. Most of this aid is not needs-based (the grad aid depends on nursing experience, non-nursing experience, geographic origin, what specialty program people are pursuing, gender, ethnicity, languages spoken, etc). More aid is available for full-time students, of course (between UVA scholarship aid and what people are getting from their employers, all of our fulltime MSN students have at least 50% of their tuition covered this year). I am keeping my fingers crossed that our federal, private and state grants (as well as our endowed scholarships) will not decrease for 2009-10.

It does not hurt to ask. You might be presently surprised. This also might make the 'brick and mortar' schools actually less expensive for you than the online, for-profit schools.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Paying each class as I go...hate to make loans...so it will take me awhile to finish...but at least I'll be debt free.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment