2012-2013 HRSA Nursing Scholarship Application

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The application process hasn't even started yet but I didn't even find out about last year's scholarship until a couple days before the deadline. I did get my application in on time but was not fortunate enough to be a recipient. I intend to apply again for the upcoming scholarship. Any tips from those that were accepted? My EFC is 0, I'm in an undergraduate program, and my GPA is 3.4.

Yes I have actually done that (looking at the actual site of the facility) to get more accurate information about which places are really hiring. I do all sorts of things, sometimes I use this HRSA - Find a Health Center - Search Page put in my county to see what health care centers there are and who's hiring. If you go here Nursing Scholarship Program It tells you the kinds of eligible sites where you can work. I just don't think you should give up such an amazing opportunity over the fear that you can't find a place. You never know what will happen, or what may open up for you once you actually graduate and are truly looking.

Side note- I just went there and it says prisons are not eligible, which is interesting because just a few months ago they were, and even came up in the HRSA search engine when they showed you sites in your area to work. ( I have been looking at facilities for quite a while, going back to around October) So nitch the prison thing, I guess starting this year for the graduates you can't work there. But I spoke with someone who graduated this past year with the scholarship, and they said the facility just has to be approved by HRSA, so other clinics, or facilities in your area may still qualify.

Thanks! I missed this comment til after I posted about prisons, too.

I agree... I don't think I can pass this up bc of fear of the unknown! Thanks for the info.

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Fingers crossed keeping hope alive!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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If it helps: I got an e-mail on Friday 8/3 that informed me of receiving the scholarship, and it asked that I accept or decline by 8/10.

I spoke with a lovely woman in HRSA customer service and she said they can't say you have the award 100% until they have all the documentation in and it's correct. That's why the e-mail said "congratulations", but then the website says "your award isn't guaranteed".

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Hey people! So I was so very fortunate and grateful to get awarded the HRSA scholarship. I am from CA but attending school in Puerto Rico! Anyhow, this whole process seems quite difficult. We already started school on August 1st and I found out that I got the scholarship on Friday, Aug. 3, 2012. I guess my main concern is how all the funding gets processed. My student loans already paid for this trimester, and I understand we're supposed to get some form of invoice and then send it to NSP. But, what about future trimesters? I feel like right now, everything is so vague and I am just completely lost with this whole process. Today was exceptionally frustrating because I filled out the HRSA form and when I went to get it stamped with the school seal, my school told me they could not stamp it until NEXT week! I told them that its due by this Friday and they literally told me "sorry, there's nothing we can do right now. come back next week." She was so rude and was NOT helpful at all. Keep in mind that this was the SUPERVISOR since I already went through everyone else in that department. I told her "if I don't get this, I will lose my scholarship." She had the audacity to tell me "sorry then." You can only imagine how frustrated I was that I started crying because I was so upset and could not believe that this scholarship that I worked so hard at getting, was being taking away from me by the registration office. Afterwards, I went to the Dean's office and lets just say that I QUICKLY got the seal stamped when she personally walked and spoke with them at the registration office. :) OH and by the way, this who fiascal took 6 hours to get situated because since classes just started, everything was so crowded I had to wait in long lines. It was so horrible. And now I am just whole confused how the payment system works and I am worried because the same people that I had to deal with today, are the same people that I have to trust and rely to complete all the necessary paperwork for me to get the HRSA. I just want some clear answers of how the whole process works so that when I go into the registration office, I can have everything already put together and all they have to do is put it in the envelope and send it. I hope they give this to us in the packet that we are supposed to receive. :/

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Thanks vtfnp for posting that. I called them Friday to get clarification and they were kinda vauge about if I had received it or was a finalist. I am hoping that you're right and I fretted all weekend for nothing. Congratulations to those others who got good news. I did not think I had any chance at all, so when I received the email I was shocked. I feel so blessed, but am trying to not expect anything until the papers are in and we get an 'official' notice. I went up to school today and got the form taken care of. Did anyone else's seal look kind of weak? I had to shade mine in with a pencil and it is a little hard to make out. Eeek.

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If anyone gets it in Indiana can you please proudly say so I am going crazy over here playing the waiting game LOL... :banghead: ...:)

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Specializes in Psych.

pearlgirl,

I am fortunate enough to have a VERY helpful administrative offices at my university.

I had the same questions you do and this is what they told me. I think it will apply to other universities but I can't guarantee.

Sometime in November the initial payments from HRSA will be dispersed to the students. They will include the monthly stipend for all months you attended school since July 1. I believe it will also include your yearly book/uniform/supply allotment.

The school's billing/student accounts department will need to send an invoice of all the loans they have processed for you and tuition/fees for the summer and fall semesters. This will start the reimbursement process. It is very slow and I was told that I won't receive that money until sometime in the spring. (I was told this by my billing office and another student at my university who received the scholarship). Since your school tends to be lax about helping students, you may need to monitor this closely and involve the Dean's office again if they are not submitting paperwork to HRSA in a timely manner.

Once things are sorted out you can expect a direct deposit of your stipend into your bank account and your upcoming tuition will be paid directly to the school.

Another thing I learned was that we are NOT allowed to take any additional loans after this fall semester. They give us this grace period as HRSA doesn't go into effect until November. If we take educational loans out after this fall semester, the amount will be deducted from the tuition benefit sent to the school. We will not receive any of it, instead it will just reduce our award by the amount of the loan.

This was very upsetting as I don't know how I can live on the stipend without additional financial support. I am a single mother of a 2 year old and I don't receive any child support and I don't have family to live with. So, I frantically searched for alternatives. I do receive some food assistance and medical insurance through my state and I would lose half of it from receiving the stipend. What I found was that Federal work studies do not count as income against my public benefits nor will it effect the benefit amount from HRSA (meaning they will pay the full tuition and I still get to collect the small work-study paycheck). I know it will be very difficult to live and raise my daughter on this but the HRSA scholarship is such an amazing opportunity that I can't just give it up. I am in my first year of a direct entry MSN (psych NP) program so I can use this scholarship for 3 years!

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I also live in Indy and am curious to know as well if and when they start selecting recipients in our state.

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Has anyone from Missouri received any notification at all? Credit check or otherwise?

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Hi Finallymine,

Thanks for posting! That's a tough break with the loans. Is it possible to take out personal student loans? I know most credit cards, including mine (Chase), offers personal loans.

I just sent in my forms. Do you have any idea when we'll hear from them next? I'm not sure where I should go from here. I'm wondering if I should talk to my financial aid office about the award, or wait until I know that it is definite.

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Specializes in Psych.

roxMH

Personal student loans most often go through the University for dispersment and the few that may be given directly to the student will report them to the University. The university will in turn need to report this to HRSA with the same result. The University has to 'certify' them in order to make them educational loans.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to get a personal loan with no employment or income to be able to make payments as personal loans are not eligible for academic deferment. I don't have any credit cards, nor would that help the situation as I would not be able to make any type of monthly payment.

I'm not sure how long it takes to hear back once we submit our W-4 and enrollment verification. I haven't submitted mine as I'm too much of a scaredy cat right now! I know when I spoke to my student accounts rep she was happy to know that I was offered the scholarship so she could keep an eye out for the HRSA paperwork as it comes in.

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Finallymine,Ugh shows how much I know! Maybe someone on this forum who is more financially loophole savvy than I am will have a better idea/advice. I see why you'd be nervous about accepting but wow 3 years of it would be awesome! I hope that something works out.

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