The need for nurses has increased a great deal over the last several years. However, not many young people are studying to be nurses. Why is this? The American Nursing Association’s recent surveys indicate that there are two fold reasons for this phenomenon. The first reason is that young people show a lack of interest in the nursing profession. The second and probably more important reason is the need for financial backing that potential nursing students need. The United States government has set up a number of funding options and scholarships for nursing students. Use the following tips to find a suitable nursing scholarship for you.
1. Check For Local Options
- Call or write to local institutions to find out if they offer nursing scholarships. Find out who’s backing the scholarship, whether you qualify and what are the dos and don’ts of the application process.
- Check with your local organizations first; you can greatly increase your odds of actually winning a scholarship by approaching local organizations, as you’ll be competing only with local students and not the entire State.
2. Check With Your High School
- Speak to your high school career guidance counselor about your nursing ambitions. Many high schools offer scholarships specifically for their own students, in different fields.
- If your high school does not offer scholarships, ask your guidance counselor about local nursing scholarships and modalities. Schools have a responsibility to find out about scholarships in different vocational and career fields, so you just might hit pay hit by checking with your school career guidance counselor.
3. Check With Employers
- Talk to your previous employers in the health care sector, local businesses and organizations about a possible nursing scholarship. Sometimes it’s possible to find a good financial backer in the most obscure manner possible.
- If you are employed, check with your company’s administration for employee scholarships.
- Some employers offer educational financial aid to employees and their children. Check with your parents if their employers can help you financial aid, tuition reimbursement, or scholarships.
4. Search Online
The internet is your very best bet of getting the information you need. Search for scholarships, tuition aid, tuition reimbursements and financial aid for nursing courses in your State. Many organizations, government agencies, community groups and health care groups advertise their scholarship endeavors online as part of their community service.
5. Search For Scholarships Based On Your Heritage
Search online for nursing scholarships and grants based on your heritage, nationality, and ethnicity and so on. Every State offers specific scholarships for people belonging to minority groups, specific ethnic groups. The best place to find information on these scholarships would be from your local guidance counselors, community centers and the internet. There are special scholarships for people belonging to specific communities as well, so be sure to contact local community centers.
6. Contact Your Nursing School
Contact the financial aid office of the nursing school that you want to join. If specific scholarships are offered by the school board, or school sponsors, you should be able to find out about them directly from the school administration.
7. Check For Government Scholarships
Local and state government agencies always keep a list of educational opportunities within the State, including scholarships, financial backings and aided courses. Make a list of all government agencies in your State and write, call or email them for information in this area.
8. Check With Organizations In The Health care Industry
Check with health care and health care related product and service organizations if they offer nursing scholarships. Some of these organizations offer scholarships as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavors. They get a total tax write off on the funds they offer as student scholarships. Offering student scholarships also gives them mileage with their consumers as conscientious companies. Check with companies that manufacture nursing uniforms, pharmaceutical products, health care equipment, and others if they offer scholarships.
9. Do Volunteer Work
Do some volunteer work at a local hospital, the local food bank and child care centers. It helps if you are involved with Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. You’ll find excellent sources of information on financial aid and scholarships from these places.
10. Check With Professional And Social Organizations
Check if your parents are involved with any professional or social organizations such as the JayCees, 4H, and Lions Club. Many of these organizations use a part of their funds to provide financial aid, tuition reimbursements and scholarships for students in different fields. If neither you nor your parents belong to any such organization, check organizations that represent what you plan to study. Many such organizations offer scholarships to students who study the courses that they support, even if these students are not members within their organization.
For example, if you want a career in a career in Medical Record Administration, you can approach the American Medical Record Association for scholarships. You don’t need to be a member in order to qualify. You may be expected to join the organization after you obtain the scholarship though.
11. Check With Labor Unions
All major labor unions offer financial aids, scholarships and reimbursement programs for their members and their dependent children. Notable examples are Teamsters, (AFLCIO, and so on. etc. If you are a member of a similar labor union, or if either of your parents is, check with the Union for nursing scholarships.
12. Check With Your Church
Don’t forget to contact local churches as well. This includes the top churches of your State; churches offer nursing scholarships backed by private sponsors. Even if your local parish does not have any scholarships for its members, the church’s Diocese or headquarters may have some. If you are active in your church, it’s possible you will get direct financial aid from your church as well, apart from other assistance.
13. Check With Your Local Chamber Of Commerce
Check with your local Chamber of Commerce if they offer grants to students within the community. Many of them do, even if the grants are small, to students who plan to work in Business or Public Service. Your local Chamber of Commerce can help you with a list of members who can offer small scholarships to local students. So if even if they are not able to offer you financial aid directly, a visit to your local Chamber of Commerce is definitely in order.
14. Sit For Your PSAT Exams
You’ll be offered the opportunity to take the PSAT test in your Junior year at high school. Your PSATs help you in two ways. 1) They help you prepare yourself for the SAT exams later on. 2) National Merit Scholarship Programs are determined by your PSAT scores. In fact, some private scholarship programs require that the student take the PSAT exams.
15. Submit A FAFSA
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The US Department of Education comes up with an assessment report based on the information you provide, estimating the funds you’ll require for your college expenses. You’ll also get to know the amount of financial aid you can expect through the program, based on the financial situation of your family. The department can change this amount from year to year depending on your circumstances, so be sure to submit an updated FAFSA form each year while in college.
