Will joining the military help pay for nursing school?

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Hey allnurses,

So I am currently enrolled in a community college and am taking prerequisites for bigger four-year institutions' nursing programs. I grew up as something of a military brat, but there's still a lot I don't know about the military, and what I'd especially like to know is what will joining do for me.

To be specific, I would like to go to an out-of-state school for my remaining two years of nursing school to get my bachelor's. And I was wondering, will joining a branch of the military help to pay for some of that out-of-state tuition? Do I have to be part of an ROTC program? Does it depend on the school I apply to or the branch I join? Do I have to serve on active duty for a minimum amount of time before the military will pay me back for service, or is there a way to complete my bachelor's first and then have the military help pay off some or all of the loans?

Currently, it sounds perfect to be an army nurse and be part of the reserve, but I'm wondering how I'd get there and how finances will work.

I know it's a brave, bold, and admirable thing to serve my country, but before I decide I want to swear in, I want to make sure that financially, this is the best thing to do.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but all tips, stories and links will be appreciated! :)

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Specializes in Critical Care Transport.

There are a few different paths to take in joining the military. Yes, the military will help pay for your education, or loan repayment after you graduate, whether you participate in ROTC or not. I would suggest contacting your local recruiter to discuss what options you have available. Also, if you plan on going to school out of your home state, I personally recommend waiting to join until you are done with school and are licensed. This will make your life exponentially easier while in school. Remember that money for education is a benefit and carries a cost.

On another note, the military is currently downsizing over the next couple of years due to budget cuts and other political issues. And always remember, the military exists for one reason...to fight wars. If you have no desire whatsoever to end up thousands of miles from nowhere for extended periods of time, you should reconsider joining. I have served with many people who joined because they "wanted money for school" and then did stupid crap to avoid deployments at all costs. Don't be that guy!! You will look like a fool and it can ruin your life.

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Specializes in hospice.
And always remember, the military exists for one reason...to fight wars. If you have no desire whatsoever to end up thousands of miles from nowhere for extended periods of time, you should reconsider joining. I have served with many people who joined because they "wanted money for school" and then did stupid crap to avoid deployments at all costs. Don't be that guy!! You will look like a fool and it can ruin your life.

As the wife of a veteran, I can't thank you enough for saying this. The military is not a jobs program!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Link: https://allnurses.com/government-military-nursing/military-nursing-885815.html

The military is overflowing with nurses as present. No branch is throwing money at nurses or nursing students. The mindset one needs to have right now, in my opinion, is not "what can the military do for me" in terms of dollars/loan repayment, but rather the idea that you want to serve no matter what. Anything else sets people up for a lot of misery.

Don't talk to a local recruiter - they are for enlisted, not officers. Contact a healthcare recruiter as they know about current numbers and needs. There are contact links in the article I posted above.

ROTC is a good way to go, if your school has it. Active duty is not guaranteed, though.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

There are many different programs available, but they are competitive and vary significantly from branch to branch. For example, the Air Force takes a limited number of new grads for med-surg and OB roles; the AF also still pays 40K in loan repayment in exchange for 4 year of service (per the AF nurse corp knowledge exchange website...civilians won't be able to see it). The Army won't take any new grads right now.

You really have to ask healthcare recruiters from each branch for the most up-to-date info. It changes constantly.

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Thanks so much, guys! This is helping a lot. I was literally clueless this morning about where to start or where to go, and what I find the most insightful is that nursing is not actually in demand with the military right now.

My potential school does have an ROTC! So perhaps for now, the plan seems to be to talk to a healthcare recruiter, apply to the school's ROTC program when the time comes, and also join (hopefully) the military as soon as I get my bachelor's? Understanding from the getgo that financial coverage or a ticket into active duty isn't guaranteed, of course.

I am actually extremely attracted to the idea of travel, actually. Just the thought of helping someone who really needs it - on the battlefield, in a third-world country, etc. - is extremely exciting to me. My ultimate dream is to volunteer with the Peace Corps overseas, whether I'm part of the military or not.

Speaking of volunteering, I'd like to know, if I really did want to join the army as a nurse, what kinds of people will I be competing against? High GPA's, must hold MSN's (from prestigious schools at that?), endless volunteer hours? Do older applicants take priority? How do I make myself stand out?

Also, is it possible after graduation to join the military specifically as part of the reserve? How does that work? Even if nursing isn't a demand, is this reserve route still fairly possible?

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Specializes in Critical Care Transport.

You can enter at anytime you like to which ever component you choose which was why I recommended a generic recruiter. A health professions recruiter will pass you off unless you have a BSN and are licensed. And yes, experience is essential as the Army is currently over strength with nurses.

Enlisting prior to becoming a nurse will give you the option to use tuition assistance to help pay for school as well as gain experience as an enlisted soldier. They also have loan repayment options for people who have accrued student debt. Monthly drills can be a pain to manage while in school though. As I stated before, these are benefits of choosing a career in the military. Your primary motivation should be to serve your country.

You also mentioned you would like to travel and help others. There is a vast difference between travel nursing and serving in a combat zone for a year. That's all I will say about that.

The Army isn't for everybody. I find that people love it or they hate it. There isn't much middle ground. Good luck!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
You can enter at anytime you like to which ever component you choose which was why I recommended a generic recruiter. A health professions recruiter will pass you off unless you have a BSN and are licensed.

Good point, and I thought about that after I posted. If funds for college are an issue, those who enlist now and serve a certain amount of time are eligible for the Post-911 GI Bill, which pays tuition and other monthly funds. This is in addition to the general Tuition Assistance (TA), which is $4,500 per year. Access to TA for active duty has changed - service members cannot use it until a year in, I believe.

If you enlist and go active duty and take college classes at the same time, just be aware that your first priority is to the Army, and they call the shots. It wouldn't matter if you were in a final month of a critical semester, if it was time to deploy, you're going.

I don't know much about education benefits available outside of active duty, but they do exist.

There is a vast difference between travel nursing and serving in a combat zone for a year. That's all I will say about that.

Haha! Amen, brother. It was sort of like travel nursing in a combination of Hell (if Hell were located in the dustcatcher of a Dyson vacuum cleaner) and Groundhog Day... lather, rinse, repeat!

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Specializes in hospice.

If your goal is the Peace Corps, the military may not be for you.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I have served with many people who joined because they "wanted money for school" and then did stupid crap to avoid deployments at all costs. Don't be that guy!! You will look like a fool and it can ruin your life.

I know exactly the kind you are talking about. However to be fair all the services except the marines use money for college as a primary recruiting tool.

At least the mariens are more honest about what they want you to do.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

The ideal candidate would have an MSN and 3-5 years of experience in an ICU, ED, or OR setting. Their GPA in school would have been 3.7+ in school. They would be board certified in the specialty they had the high demand experience in (ICU/ED/OR). They would have ACLS, PALS, ENPC, TNCC, and ATCN certifications. They would be an active member of a nursing organization (like the ANA, sigma theta tau, etc). If you had all of those things, then I would say you were a shoo-in.

As far as the air force is concerned, new grads do compete in a separate pool. You can get some of those certifications I mentioned as a new grad. You can volunteer. You can get a really high GPA.

I would highly recommend that you research all 3 branches. You can even apply to all three at the same time, but you'll have to do 3 separate apps. Some may have better opportunities for you than others.

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"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for you country." - JFK

My favorite quote of all time and part of the reason why I am joining the Navy.

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