Need Nursing Grants Or Scholarships Desperately!

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Please, this nursing student needs help! You would think that anyone who wants to be a nurse should get financial aid easily, right? Sadly, this is not the case. Many nursing students out there are struggling to get any scholarships or federal funding- because it simply isn't there.

I am looking for any scholarships, grants, or funding for nursing school. I am currently a full-time nursing student at Texas Christian University and will be graduating in one year from the accelerated 15-month program. I have already completed the 1st semester of classes, paying all out-of-pocket hoping that I would get enough loans and scholarships to cover the rest of the program. I have a previous degree, and so there are not many financial aid awards given to 2nd degree students. I got my first degree by getting scholarships and federal Pell grants, but those options are not available to me now.

If anyone knows of any scholarships, grants, or any other funding that might be available please let me know! I am willing to write essays, work for a year in return as an RN, or do anything in return, within reason. All grants or scholarships can be sent to TCU in my name and will be put directly towards my tuition and fees on my account. I am certainly willing to have my enrollment status verified for anyone that might, in the slightest chance, be wanting to donate private funding. Classes start in 2 weeks and I am currently not enrolled yet because I haven't figured out a way to pay for it yet.

I have already inquired to the Dept. of Health & Human Services program which is a full-scholarship, but they only award 200 people in the entire nation.

I have also written essays, entered scholarship contests online, and applied to almost 20 different scholarships, none of which have come through.

If anyone has any information regarding scholarships or grants.

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Nightmare .....Moderator.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

You should be able to get loans- is there a reason you were turned down for at least those?

Have you filled out a FAFSA for this year?

Have you considered asking your employer for tuition reimbursement, or a scholarship? If they don't offer these things for nursing students, I'd start checking other employers in your area that do.

Good luck to you.

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I wasn't able to get any nursing loans (like Perkins) they don't offer them at TCU for 2nd degree students. I tried to get a private MedCap loan, but they told me I needed a co-signer because I don't have enough credit (since I've been a student for the past 4 years).

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I was required to sign a contract with the school, agreeing to not work while in this accelerated program, so I am not currently employed by any hospital.

Not to mention, I've already looked into hospitals in the area, and the maximum amount of money they reimburse you for is about $2,000 a year.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Sorry Addy- I saw 'TCU,' and was thinking Transitional Care Unit...lol.

I'm wondering why you didn't get offered any Stafford loans, though? Are you considered a non-degree-seeking student at your school for the first part of your program?

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Good question,

I actually did get $12,500 in Stafford loans for this year. Unfortunately, the tuition is $26,000. Although this does not sound cheap, it's the only school in this area that offers the 15 month BSN program for 2nd degree students. I've also looked into other schools not in this area, but they all require more and more classes and I would end up spending more money than what the TCU tuition is.

TWU offers a similar program, but I'd have to wait another 3 years since is offered in Houston and rotates every year. I'd also have to take 6 political science courses, and hope and pray I get into that very competitive program.

I'm in a pretty sticky situation, but I've been praying that something comes through soon.

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hi addyrn2b,

did you try looking here? it may be of some assistance to you in regards to financial aid, grants, loans, etc.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/how-pay-nursing-school-student-nursing-scholarship-financial-aid-links-114842.html

best of luck in nursing school!!

jadu1106

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Get thee to your financial aid office ASAP, and inform them of your situation. You may have a good chance of getting some institutional assistance there.

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What about a private loan???

Anyone done this say with Sallie Mae? I will be looking into it. I will let you know what I find out.

Hang in there!

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

I dunno...Sallie Mae may be about to hit the tank. They've tightened up their requirements a lot.

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Specializes in none yet, but I'm VERY excited!.

Try scholarships.com, fastweb.com, and anything else that shows up when you google nursing scholarships. fastweb has a ton of them. You fill out a questionairre and they compile a list of those you qualify for. You can sort by deadline.

Also, you can go to prosper.com. It is an ebay-type site for people who want to invest by loaning money to other people.

Good luck to you!

Rgds,

Ken

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Our program director gave us this website for scholarships.

http://noedb.org/library/features/101-little-known-scholarships-for-nurses

Many of them you might not be eligible for as they are state/nationality/graduate student specific. This one I thought was particularly fitting for you.

http://www.gsftx.org/scholarships/

I wish you the best of luck with getting scholarships and figuring out a way to pay. However, honestly don't think you will be able to apply for a scholarship and hear back from them before the semester start. You might have to gather together letters of reference, write essays, etc. and that takes time. Scholarships may have rolling deadlines and evaluate the applications as they come through or they might have deadlines months away so it could be almost a year until you hear back. It takes time and many applications to secure that much scholarship money. In two weeks, you will be hard pressed to come up with that type of money in scholarship/grant form alone.

Keep on trying and pursuing your goals though... Good luck

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