Scholarships and Resources for MSN Students | EduMed.org

Between tuition costs and living expenses, however, earning an MSN degree can be and expensive proposition.

That’s where scholarships can make a real difference. Landing one or more scholarship awards can go a long way to help you minimize the need for other, less attractive financial aid forms (like student loans.)

But you can’t win the scholarships you want until you first find them, which is why we’ve put together the following list some of the top scholarships for MSN students available today. Check out the award amounts and eligibility requirements below to see which ones suit you best.

Scholarships and Grants for MSN Students

Scholarships are likely the most popular type of financial aid out there because, as we said, they’re not paid back.

The same is true for grants. And while the terms are often used interchangeably, there are some differences between the two, the main one being that scholarships are most often awarded based on merit while grants are typically need-based.

Also, each scholarship opportunity comes with it’s own eligibility restrictions and application requirements. Keep that in mind as you review our list of scholarships for MSN students below.

School-Based Scholarships

Aird-LeMone Scholarship

• Amount: Up to $1,000
• Open to non-traditional nursing students (both undergraduate and graduate) with demonstrated financial need who are attending the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: June

Conway Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Students admitted to the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (including the MSN program) are automatically considered for the Conway Scholarship. In the case of MSN students, the award covers half of the program’s total tuition.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: Varies

Duke University School of Nursing Health Equity Reimagined Scholarship

• $30,000 (over six semesters)
• For newly-admitted Duke University MSN students with financial need a demonstrated commitment to addressing health disparities.
• Deadline: Automatic consideration with application for admission

RPCV Scholarships

• Up to $8,000
• University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing offers scholarships to returning Peace Corps volunteers (RPCV). Applicants must be enrolled in one of the five eligible MSN program specializations.
• Deadline: Apply to the degree program itself.

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Merit and Need-Based Scholarships

• Amount: $5,000-$30,000
• Students accepted to the MSN program at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Nursing are automatically considered for these merit- and need-based awards. Must demonstrate strong academic achievement, leadership potential, and community service.
• Deadline: Automatic with application for admission

Valentine School of Nursing Scholarships

• Amounts: Varies by specific scholarship
• For students who are accepted into the MSN program at St. Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing. Filling out your FAFSA is recommended as it provides the information needed for eligibility for need-based scholarships.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: Applications typically accepted in the spring semester

Vanderbilt MSN Scholarship

• Amount: $3,000-$15,000
• Every full-time MSN student at Vanderbilt University’s School of Nursing receives a partial scholarship from the University. Applicants must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA to continue to receive scholarship funds.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: Awarded upon admission

National/Regional Organizational Scholarships

A.T. Anderson Scholarship

• Amount: $2,000
• American Indian students pursuing graduate degrees in a STEM field, including nursing, are eligible to apply for the A.T. Anderson Memorial Scholarship. Applicant must be a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and a tribal citizen or descendant of a tribal citizen.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: April

AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability

• Amount: Typically around $1,000
• This scholarship is for disabled undergraduate and graduate students in accredited programs, including nursing programs. Applicants must have a disability recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act and preference is given to applicants in health-related fields.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: March

American Indian College Fund (AICF) Scholarships

• Amounts Varies
• For 75 years, the American Indian College Fund has provided undergraduate and graduate scholarships to Native American students. Applicants must have recognized tribal affiliation and be enrolled in an accredited U.S. institution with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: May (priority)

Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Foundation Scholarships

• Amounts: $1,000-$10,000 (varies by scholarship)
• The ENA offers scholarships for nurses at all levels of their education — from associate degrees to doctoral studies. Open to both members and nonmembers.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: April

ExceptionalNurse.com Scholarships

• Amount: $250-$500
• ExceptionalNurse.com offers scholarships for nursing students at all levels of education through a single scholarship application. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited nursing program and have a documented disability.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: June

ANA Minority Fellowship Program

• Amounts: Up to $15,000 (master’s); Up to $22,000 (doctorate)
• The American Nurses Association provides funding to minority students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing. To be eligible for master’s fellowships, applicants must specialize in psychiatric nursing.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: Varies (typically early spring)

NBNA Scholarships

• Amount: $1,000 to $15,000
• The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) offers scholarships to African American nursing students at all levels of education, from LPN to PhD. Applicants must be NBNA members and fill out a single application to be eligible for multiple scholarship opportunities.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: March

NEF Scholarships

• Amount: Varies
• The Nurses Educational Funds (NEF) was established to make graduate-level nursing education more accessible. NEF offers a wide range of scholarships for graduate-level nursing education, with more being added.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: February

Oncology Nursing Foundation Master’s Scholarships

• Amount: $5,000
• The ONF provides financial support to master’s students in accredited nursing programs who have a demonstrated commitment to oncology and oncology nursing. Applicants must provide references and pay a $5 application fee.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: February

Local/State Organizational Scholarships

Alice Newell Joslyn Medical Scholarship

• Amount: $500-$2,000
• Latino students living and/or studying in San Diego County, California, are eligible to apply for the Alice Newell Joslyn Medical Scholarship. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program in the medical field at any level of education, including graduate-level nursing programs.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: Typically March

Cohen Scholars Program

• Amount: Varies (full tuition and mandatory fees)
• Nursing students in Maryland with a 3.25 or higher GPA are eligible for the Cohen Scholars Program. This scholarship program provides funding, mentorship, and support to nursing students at all levels of education.
• Apply directly through your school
• Deadline: May

Florida Nurses Association Scholarships

• Amount: Varies (typically around $1,000)
• The Florida Nurses Association (FNA) offers a variety of scholarships to Florida-based nursing students at all levels of their education, including graduate school. Applicants submit a single application to be considered for multiple scholarship opportunities.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: June

Martha Douglas Memorial Scholarship

• Amount: $1,000
• The Mississippi Nurses Foundation awards the Martha Douglas Memorial Scholarship to a Mississippi nursing student with exceptional leadership skills who is studying at the BSN level or higher (including MSN). Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and submit an essay.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: February

Mary Lewis Wyche Fellowship

• Amount: $5,000
• The North Carolina Nurses Association, through funds from the “First in Nursing” license plate program, offers this fellowship to qualified registered nurses pursuing a master’s or doctorate in nursing. Applicants must be enrolled as full-time students in an accredited program.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: May

Mississippi Nurses Foundation Master’s Scholarship

• Amount: $5,000
• The Mississippi Nurses Foundation offers scholarships through their Car Tag program to Mississippi resident students at all levels of their nursing education. The master’s scholarship is awarded to multiple students each year.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: July

Southern Illinois Healthcare MSN Scholarship

• Amount: Varies by tuition/program cost
• Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) provides tuition assistance to MSN students in their final two years of study. Must be a current SIH employee.
• Apply Here
• Deadline: June

Suburban Hospital and Casey Scholarships

• Amount: Varies (typically around $5,000)
• Suburban Hospital, a part of the Johns Hopkins Health System in the greater Washington, DC, area, offers scholarships to both employees and nonemployees in the final two years of their nursing graduate education.
• Apply Here
• Deadlines: April and November

10 Tips to Maximize Your Chances of Winning

Most scholarships are competitive, meaning you’ll have to beat out other applicants to win them. And doing that means submitting the very best application possible. Below are ten valuable tips you can use to help ensure your applications and submittal materials make a great impression on scholarship selection committees:

Tip #1 – Apply for Everything You Can

Applying for a scholarship can feel like buying a lottery ticket – what are the odds you’ll win? Applying for as many scholarships as you’re eligible for (and as your schedule and energies allow) increases your odds of earning funding from one (or more) of them.

Just be sure you’re eligible and feel you have a chance of winning.

Tip #2 – Look for New Opportunities

There are so many scholarship and grant opportunities out there, it’s easy to miss a few. So, be sure to keep your eyes open.

Explore online, ask peers and other members of your academic and professional networks, and always contact the financial aid offices of the MSN programs you’re considering.

Tip #3 – Apply for Scholarships with More Intensive Application Processes

Don’t shy away from scholarships with lots of application requirements (like essays, interviews, writing samples, letters of recommendation, etc.). The more stuff required likely means fewer applicants resulting in less competition and increasing your odds of winning.

Tip #4 – Apply for Smaller Scholarships

Big scholarships with big awards are great, but they’re also highly competitive.

So, don’t ignore smaller scholarships with smaller rewards. They’re likely less competitive (meaning you have a better chance of winning them) and those smaller awards can really add up.

Tip #5 – Pay Attention to Detail

Be sure to carefully read all application instructions and follow them to the letter. And also be sure to review and edit your application all submittal materials to ensure there are no typos or careless errors.

Remember: When it comes to scholarship contests, the littlest mistake can be fatal.

Tip #6 – Demonstrate Your Enthusiasm and Commitment to Nursing

Be sure to highlight (in your essay and elsewhere) why nursing is important to you and what made you choose if for your career. Scholarship committees want to reward applicants with a passion for nursing — here’s where to show it.

Tip #7 – Highlight Your Achievements, Skills, and Experience

From academic and professional awards to community activities and volunteer work, your scholarship application is the place to “toot your own horn” a bit. Doing so gives the scholarship selection committee a reason to be excited about giving you the award.

Tip #8 – Use Your Best References

Whenever possible, get references and letters of recommendation from providers who are both highly-respected professionals and know you well enough to speak firsthand about skills and passion for nursing.

Tip #9 – Submit Your Application Early

While it’s obviously critical to get your application in before the deadline, the earlier you can submit, it the better. Not only does applying early show a high level of interest and commitment, but it also gives you a “cushion” of time to correct any mistakes.

Tip #10 – Express Your Gratitude

The scholarship committee is taking the time to carefully review your application and all submitted materials. So, be sure that you take the time to thank them, in writing, for their consideration — whether you win or lose.

Academic and Professional Resources for MSN Students

Getting the funding to pay for your education is important. But even under the best of circumstances, you’ll likely need additional support – be it academic, financial, or professional – throughout your MSN studies and beyond.

Here are 20 of the very best academic and career resources you can tap into now and in the future:

Resources for MSN Students

• American Journal of Nursing: One of the top peer-reviewed professional nursing publications in the United States. The AJN’s website offers access to a wealth of quality information and data to MSN students interested in research.
• Barkley & Associates: Board certification review courses for nurses and nursing students. Available both online and in-person for a variety of nursing certification exams.
• Cochrane Library: Collection of evidence-based health databases geared toward healthcare providers to help them make better, more informed patient care decisions.
• Medscape: The self-described “one-stop resource” for medical news, clinical references, point-of-care information, and more on all aspects of medicine and healthcare sciences.
• PubMed: The National Institutes of Health’s free-to-use database of peer-reviewed medical information and articles that can be used for academic nursing research.

Student Organizations and Professional Associations

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): The AACN describes itself as the “voice of academic nursing” and its annual conference focuses on nursing student voices at all levels.
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP): National professional organization for nurse practitioners. Student memberships are available with benefits that include scholarships and grants, networking and mentoring opportunities, an annual conference, and more.
• Johnson & Johnson Nursing: This website from health and beauty giant Johnson & Johnson offers an abundance of nursing information and articles, as well as a searchable database of nursing scholarships.
• National Black Nurses Association (NBNA): Professional organization providing support and resources for African American nurses and nursing students at all stages of their education and careers.
• Nurses Educational Funds, Inc.: The NEF is dedicated to making advanced nursing degrees and careers in nursing more accessible. The organization offers a wide range of scholarships and other opportunities.
• National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA): The NSNA fosters and supports nursing students throughout the United Stataes. Resources include mentorship and networking opportunities.

Online Communities and Networking Sites

• allnurses.com: Online publication and community dedicated to all things nursing with a separate section specifically for current and prospective nursing students.
• r/nursing: Popular Reddit community where users can discuss anything and everything related to nursing and nursing education.
• r/StudentNurse: Reddit community for student nurses at all levels of education where they can share advice and support anonymously.
• The Student Doctor Network: Website with information, networking, and chat forums for students on their way to becoming healthcare professionals, including both doctors and nurses in training.

Other Resources

• Good Nurse Bad Nurse: Popular podcast by and for nurses that combines healthcare with history and true crime.
• Life in Scrubs: Another podcast by and for nurses, this one specifically for nursing students.
• Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not: Florence Nightingale’s original publication on nursing. While dated, it remains one of the foundational documents of the nursing profession.
• Nursing School Thrive Guide: Book specifically geared toward nursing students, with advice and anecdotes from those who’ve been there to help you through your nursing education.
• The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives: This book offers an in-depth look at the nursing profession through the lens of a single 12-hour shift in a hospital oncology ward.