10 Awesome Scholarships for Nursing Students

Nursing isn’t just an important career, it’s a highly in-demand one. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the field will grow by an average of 175,900 new nursing jobs per year for the next decade. 

In fact, as access to health care increases and the population gets older, many believe the U.S. is headed toward a shortage of nurses. Nursing scholarships are one way that is being used to attract people to the profession.

Consequently, there are numerous awards available for students from all types of backgrounds, interests, and needs—below are 10 nursing scholarships worth exploring. 

10 Scholarships for Nursing Students

1. Jane Delano Student Nurse Scholarship 

Amount: $3,000 

Deadline: May 15

Eligibility: Must have served in Red Cross Volunteers 

Application Requirements:

• Completed at least a year of college 
• Enrolled in an accredited U.S. nursing program 
• Demonstrated good academic standing 

This scholarship is named after Jane Delano, the principal organizer of the Red Cross Nursing Service whose efforts are credited to the more than 20,000 Red Cross nurses who served in World War I. Today, the Red Cross honors her memory with a scholarship for nursing students that promotes nursing as a career and involvement with the Red Cross. Preference is given to students with significant financial need. 

2. The Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA) General Scholarship 

Amount: Up to $7,500

Deadline: January 15, 2021 

Eligibility: 

• Enrolled in a state-approved nursing program leading to an associate degree, baccalaureate, diploma, direct-entry master’s degree, RN to BSN/MSN completion, LPN/LVN to RN, or accelerated programs
• Pre-nursing students taking courses in preparation to enroll in a nursing program
• Taking no fewer than six (6) credits per semester
• Involved in student nursing organizations and/or community health activities
• Record of academic achievement
• Established financial need

Application Requirements:

• Clinical Instructor/Faculty Advisor certification form
• Financial aid certification form
• Transcript
• Acceptance letter (only for applicants transferring to another school within the academic year)
• Nursing license (for applicants in an RN-BSN or RN-MSN program)

For over 50 years, the FNSNA has supported and promoted the profession of nursing through various means, including offering scholarships for nursing students. The FNSNA General Scholarship typically provides funds to students studying in specific fields—such as critical care and emergency nursing—or to students from underrepresented groups in nursing. 

3. Hurst Review Services Nursing AACN Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: January 15 and July 15  

Eligibility: Pre-licensure students enrolled at member AACN schools and a 3.2 GPA

Application Requirements: 250-word (maximum) essay on your goals and aspirations as they relate to your education, career, future plans, and why you should be considered for the scholarship

Hurst Review Services offers this excellent scholarship opportunity to entry-level nursing students. Winners are chosen twice annually and they must be enrolled in an AACN member institution to qualify.

4. TYLENOL Future Care Scholarship

Amount: $10,000 

Deadline: May 1   

Eligibility:

• Resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico
• Graduate students and college seniors enrolling in graduate school
• Proof of enrollment in a graduate program in medical school, nursing, or pharmacy
• Have one or more years of school remaining

Application Requirements:

• High school and college transcripts
• SAT/ACT scores
• Recommendation letter
• Essay 
• Academic records in medical school, nursing, or pharmacy
• Community involvement/volunteer service

For more than 25 years, TYLENOL has supported promising individuals, helping them to pursue their dreams in medicine by removing financial stress and allowing them to focus on their studies. Each year, ten $10,000 scholarships are awarded along with 25 $5,000 scholarships to students enrolled in a wide variety of health care programs, including nursing. 

5. Nurses Make a Difference Scholarship

Amount: $1,000 

Deadline: August 1   

Eligibility: 

• Undergraduates enrolled in a nursing degree program at an accredited college or university or high school students who have been accepted into a college and plan to study nursing
• Cumulative 3.0 GPA 
• Legal U.S. resident or in possession of a valid student visa

Application Requirements: 200-300 word essay

Sponsored by Cascade Healthcare Solutions, an online healthcare supply retailer, the Nurses Who Make a Difference Scholarship is awarded to an aspiring future nurse committed to making a difference in the lives of their patients. Applicants are required to submit a 200- to 300-word essay on a topic that changes annually. The past year’s prompt was: Who has been the greatest influence in your decision to pursue nursing and why? 

6. Nurse Corps Scholarship Program

Amount: Covers tuition, fees, other educational costs, and provides a monthly stipend 

Deadline: N/A

Eligibility: 

• Open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
• Enrolled—or accepted for enrollment—in a professional nursing degree program at an accredited school in the U.S.
• Have no federal judgment liens
• Have no existing service commitment
• Not be overdue on a federal debt

Application Requirements:

• Transcript 
• Essay about the applicant’s commitment to a career in nursing and how their values align with those of the Nurse Corps 
• Resume summarizing education, work experience, and volunteer/community service 
• Recommendation letters 

Winners of this generous nursing scholarship won’t need to worry about costs like tuition, fees, and other educational expenses, like clinical supplies and uniforms. In addition, they receive a stipend to help cover other expenses. In return, those in the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program are expected to fulfill a service requirement upon graduation, by working a minimum of two years in an eligible facility with a critical shortage of nurses. 

7. Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: February 15

Eligibility: U.S. citizenship, accepted or enrolled in an accredited school of nursing, and demonstrated financial need 

Application Requirements:

• High school or college transcript 
• One-page resume or a listing of extracurricular activities, honors received, and scholastic achievements
• Contact information for two people to act as references 

Sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, there are three  Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarships awarded annually. These scholarships go to deserving applicants with demonstrated financial need who have been accepted or are enrolled at an accredited nursing school. 

8. Janel Parker Mobility Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Deadline: November 15, 2020

Eligibility: 

• A full member of the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) for a minimum of two years
• Involved in nephrology nursing-related health care services
• Accepted or enrolled in a baccalaureate or higher degree program in nursing

Application Requirements: transcript, three recommendation letters, essay

This award is named after Janel Parker, a long-time leader of both ANNA and the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC). The goal of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance for nurses interested in pursuing a career in nephrology nursing.

9. American Indian Nurse Scholarship

Amount: $1,500

Deadline: N/A

Eligibility: 

• Enrolled in a tribe or village (may consider unenrolled applicants who can provide tribal ancestry)
• High school graduates, in their last semester of high school, or have equivalent education
• Enrolled in an accredited school in a health professional program 

Application Requirements:

• Expected to graduate in two years if enrolled in an Associate Degree program 
• Expected to graduate in four years if enrolled in a Bachelor’s Degree program 
• Maintain school’s required scholastic average   
• Letter of recommendation from an advisor, teacher, or other school official 
• Demonstrated financial need 
• Focused on a career related to the healthcare needs of the American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Hawaiian Native community

The American Indian Nurse Scholarship covers professions in health education and a variety of healthcare fields, including nursing. American Indian Nurse Scholarship winners are expected to return to work among their community and to help improve their healthcare. 

10. Barbara Rhomberg Excellence in Nursing Scholarship

Amount: $1,000 

Deadline: April 30, 2021   

Eligibility: 

• Enrolled in a full-time undergraduate nursing program working toward an associate or bachelor’s degree
• A student who did not immediately continue their education after high school (at least a 3-year gap between high school and enrollment in a college or university is required)

Application Requirements:

• Two letters of recommendation 
• 500-word (or less) essay describing the applicant’s passion for becoming a nurse, their non-traditional path, future plans and goals, and the ways do they embody Barbara Rhomberg’s spirit of service to others and commitment to excellence

This scholarship is in honor of Barbara Rhomberg, an Iowa woman who found a career in nursing after raising eight children and spending 25 years at home. Keeping her spirit alive, this opportunity helps provide a path to a career in nursing for those who, for any number of reasons, postponed their pursuit after high school. 

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream nursing school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!