We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but finding, applying for, and winning nursing scholarships and grants can be a real pain in the neck. But it’s one of those activities that proves to be invaluable when it’s all said and done. There are probably hundreds of thousands of nursing scholarship and grant opportunities available, and with the cost of nursing education increasing every year, they’re not anything to sneeze at! See if these tips don’t make the process a little easier on you.
1: Apply for financial aid with a free application first. Complete an FAFSA form so that the US Department of Education can estimate how much you can afford to pay and how much financial aid you can qualify for. You’ll need to complete this form each time you want to apply for some relief since your financial status may change between the times that you’re (1) awarded funds and (2) apply for them.
2: Don’t stop looking for assistance. Your job isn’t done after scoring your first financial aid package. You’ve got to think about next semester… next year. As the end of your semester nears, start looking for additional aid. Look for both scholarships and grants right where you began at the start: your current nursing school. Then try the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). If you’ll attend a new nursing school, head on over to its financial aid department (again, before the current semester ends) and ask what’s available. Inquire about alumnae or professional groups that might provide relief just for joining.
3: Make Yourself Eligible. Since scholarship programs award funds to the nursing student that goes the extra mile, participate in some extracurricular activities and get involved with your own health community. Consider volunteering or working in an unpaid internship. Just make sure your activities are related to nursing or health in general so that the scholarship committees handling your application can see you’re focused on your goals. If you can, get a letter of recommendation from these resources as well. Their input may sway a grant decision in your direction.
4: Write an Effective Essay. The purpose of the scholarship essay is to convince the judging committee that you’re a valuable investment. It has to be interesting, yet focused on the assigned topic. It additionally has to incorporate how your experiences and aspirations make you the perfect student. That is, a student worth attending the nursing school of your choice and a student worth a scholarship investment! You don’t want to write an outright sales letter. You instead, want to write an intriguing piece of short literature with serious “scholarship-worthy” undertones.
Applying for both nursing scholarships and grants are critical. Don’t limit yourself with just one. One of the most impressive things about nursing scholarships and grants is their capability to expand your career no matter where you’re currently standing. Apply now and start growing tomorrow.
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