How to Get Scholarships for Nursing Schools

There is an acute shortage of nurses in the United States. As more boomers reach retirement age, the number of vacant positions in hospitals, long-term care and other health care facilities will increase. The number and variety of scholarships for people who want to go to nursing school has increased. Find a scholarship and you can have your tuition, books and expenses paid while you learn.

Instructions

• 1

  Contact the financial aid office at each school that you applied to for admission. In addition to forms for their own scholarships, the staff often has information about scholarships that you may not find on the Internet or in a library search.

• 2

  Visit reputable websites like Petersons to identify nursing schools and scholarship opportunities. In addition to entrance requirements and funding, Petersons can help you find schools that offer accelerated learning, advanced placement and specialized nursing career training. Free registration allows you to save your data.

• 3

  Search for nursing scholarships at the Discover Nursing website. They list more than 300 awards for nursing students. You can choose from a list of potential scholarships sorted by name or by award amount. Most of these scholarships on the site come from associations, health care companies or nonprofit organizations.

• 4

  Browse through Fed Money for science and nursing scholarships from the federal government. Remember to search for special scholarships for veterans, women, minorities and volunteers. Sign up for newsletters or RSS feeds from government health sites to find out about new funding and new programs.

• 5

  Be sure to note the minimum application requirements, like age range, grade point average or previous work history. Make a list in a notebook or on the computer.

• 6

  Keep track of the deadlines. Students miss thousands of scholarships every year because they did not get all the application materials in by the due date.

• 7

  Apply early. Scholarship applications usually require documentation like transcripts, recommendation letters and essays. Give yourself enough time to collect everything and proofread every word.

• 8

  Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to get an estimate of the amount of money you can qualify for under federal financial aid programs. Many schools use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility and need for scholarships and loans. Even if you secure a private scholarship, the additional federal funds may come in handy for books and supplies.