Top Nursing Scholarships for 2023

It is a great time to pursue a career in nursing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS). Employment in the field is projected to grow 9 percent (compared to the national average of 4 percent) through the year 2030. JUMP TO NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS Large numbers of current licensed practical, vocational nurses, and nurse practitioners continually retire on an annual basis, making room for new job prospects for those graduating in the field. On top of this, there is an extreme need for travelling nurses due to a current shortage of nurses, and nursing exhaustion. According to Fierce Healthcare, more than one-third of U.S. nurses plan to leave their jobs in 2022. What's more is that as baby boomers age, the need for nurses and healthcare professionals is expected to continually increase, especially in residential health care facilities and in specialties such as geriatric care and in-home health care environments. Just as there are many types of nurses, there are different paths you can take to make your nursing career dream a reality. You can pursue a bachelor's degree in the Science of Nursing, an accredited nursing program at a hospital, or an associate degree program. There are also online nursing degree programs, too. Whatever path you decide upon, Fastweb has the scholarships for nursing students and financial aid resources you need to get your nursing school scholarships and make your nursing career happen.

2023 Nursing Scholarships

The Touchmark Foundation Nursing Scholarship

Deadline: 3/30/23
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: Varies The Touchmark Foundation Nursing Scholarship is available to students who are pursuing studies in geriatric nursing. You must live or pursue your nursing education in any of the following states or province: Arizona, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Alberta, Canada to be eligible for this award.

James G. Hewlett Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: 4/1/23
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: Varies The James G. Hewlett Memorial Scholarship is available to students from Franklin County studying nursing or other medical support occupations, such as radiological technology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, laboratory technology, nurse practitioners, inhalation therapy, etc. You must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, participate in extracurricular activities, and demonstrate service to the community and financial need to be eligible for this award.

National Veteran Achievement Program

Deadline: 6/1/23
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000 The National Veteran Achievement Program is open to current service members and veterans who are enrolled in an accredited Associates, Bachelor's, or nursing degree program. To be considered, you must submit a 400 - to 500 - word essay on the following topic: "How will your military experience help you pursue your career goal?"

NurseThink/AACN Scholarship

Deadline: 7/15/23
Available to: Graduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000 The NurseThink/AACN Scholarship is available to graduate students who are enrolled at an AACN member school. Selection is based on an essay submission and academic achievement.

Hurst Reviews/AACN Nursing Scholarship

Deadline: 9/1/23
Available to: College Freshmen—Graduate Students, Years 1-5
Award Amount: $2,500 The Hurst Reviews/AACN Nursing Scholarship is available to prelicensure nursing students enrolled in an AACN member institutions. You must have outstanding academic performance to be eligible for this award.

AfterCollege/AACN $10,000 Scholarship Fund

Deadline: 12/31/23
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $10,000 The AfterCollege/AACN $10,000 Scholarship Fund is available to students seeking a baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree in nursing. You must have the goal of becoming a nurse educator; students completing an RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN program to be eligible for this award.

Lighting the Way for Nursing Scholarship

Deadline: Varies
Available to: College Juniors - Graduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000 The Lighting the Way for Nursing Scholarship is available to an RN currently working in post-acute care and endeavoring to obtain a BSN or higher degree from an accredited nursing school.

Good Samaritan Scholars Program

Deadline: Varies
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: Varies The Good Samaritan Scholars Program is open to undergraduate and graduate students residing in Texas. You must be accepted into or have an application pending to a nursing program, and be currently working or planning to work in the Texas healthcare system to be eligible for this award.

HRSA Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students

Deadline: Varies
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: Varies The HRSA Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students is available to students who are from a disadvantaged background as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You must be attending a participating school of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing or a related allied health field to be considered for this award.

How to Win a Nursing Scholarship

Winning a nursing scholarship is not too different from winning other types of scholarships. Students that are majoring in nursing should strive to get involved in community service. Volunteering in your community is a great way to showcase your compassion, care, and dedication to the greater good. Some nursing volunteer ideas within your community could include: • Homeless Shelters • Nursing Homes • Hospitals • Animal Shelters There are many national-level healthcare related causes looking for volunteers, too. Below are just a few organizations that could benefit from student nurse help: • American Heart Association • American Red Cross • The Medical Reserve Corps • Action for Healthy Kids • Project HOPE Your volunteer service can be highlighted on any essays required for nursing scholarship applications. It is important for you to keep a list of each community service and/or volunteer event you participate in. Gaining hands-on experience is another way you can boost your odds of winning a nursing scholarship; consider finding and applying for a healthcare internship. Be sure to reference all your nursing internships and volunteer experiences on your scholarship applications. Having served is a great way to make your scholarship application stand out. Remember the more scholarships you apply for the more chances you have to win. Do not fall for the idea that you can submit one scholarship application and win a full-tuition scholarship—while this can happen, the odds are slim. Winning scholarships takes creating a consistent habit of applying for scholarships.

How to Pay for your nursing degree

There are many organizations that have created scholarship funds, just for nurses. Many state hospitals offer college tuition reimbursement to their employees. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resource and Services Administration is a federal-level example of a program that awards nursing scholarships and grants. Joining the military is another smart way to pay for your nursing degree. Three military branches, the U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force offer active duty and reserve duty nursing roles, according to Nursing 2022. • Navy Nurse Corps • Army Nurse Corps • Air Force Nursing It is possible to have your nursing degree paid for in full while serving active duty. Military.com adds, “... the military pays up to 100% of college tuition while you serve on active duty, the military also offers the GI Bill (about $36,000) to use for college up to 10 years after leaving the service.” It is important to note that if you choose to work as a nurse for any government organization at the local, state, or federal levels, you may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, according to StudentAid.gov. This should not be your first plan of action to pay for your nursing degree. Consider scholarships and grants as the primary way to pay for your nursing degree. To qualify for financial aid, you will need to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

What You Should Know About Pursing a Degree in Nursing

Nursing is part of the STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) career fields—meaning your college course load will be heavy. But the rewards of being a nurse will pay off in your career, as you will touch many lives. Expect to take courses in chemistry, microbiology, physiology, psychology, and human anatomy, just to name a few. Ask any student majoring in nursing and you will likely hear it takes a lot of studying and a determined spirit to earn that nursing degree.