Online Resources & Scholarships for CNA Students

Scholarships and Grants for CNA Students

Scholarships and grants are the most desired types of student financial aid because they’re not paid back, making the funds from them essentially free money for your education. As a result, however, they’re also likely the most competitive forms of financial aid.

CNA students are like all others when it comes to seeking help in paying for their training. Fortunately, there are lots of scholarship and grant opportunities out there to take advantage of — that is, if you know where to find them and how to win them.

To get you started in your financial aid search, here are 10 scholarship programs currently available that CNA students can apply to. They only represent a few of the many available, so be sure to contact your school’s financial aid office to learn about additional scholarships and grants, as well as other potential funding options.

AAMN Scholarships

To encourage more men to join the profession, the American Association for Men in Nursing offers four scholarships annually to current AAMN student members pursuing an undergraduate nursing program. Application materials include a reference letter, personal statement, financial need breakdown, current academic and work hours, and list honors and awards received.

Amount: $1,000

American Indian Medical Scholarship

Open to American Indian students (at least one-quarter) who are are part of a tribe (or able to prove tribal ancestry) and enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in the healthcare field. Demonstrated financial need is required.

Amount: $1,500 per academic term

Dashanna K. McNeil Memorial Scholarship

Available to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing an education in nursing or a related healthcare field (CNA included). Application submittals include a 400-600 word essay explaining why the applicant wants to become a CNA.

Amount: Varies each scholarship cycle. $655 for the last cycle.

Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarship

To encourage more nurses in the workplace, the Daughters of the American Revolution offers this annual scholarship to students currently enrolled in an accredited nursing program. Applicants must submit a completed application and provide evidence of both program enrollment status and financial need.

Amount: $2,500

Lamber & Goodnow Nursing Scholarship

This annual award is made to a “driven and compassionate future nurse to help offset educational costs.” Applicant must be currently enrolled in or applying to a nursing program, have a 3.5 or higher GPA, and submit a 500- to 750-word essay on why they want to pursue a nursing degree and enter the profession.

Amount: $1,000

Midwest Medical Center CNA Scholarship

For students interested in or currently working for the Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois. Following completion of their CNA training, scholarship recipients go through the hiring process and agree to work at MMC for a minimum of one year.

Amount: Up to $2,000

Nebraska Health Care Foundation Quarterly Scholarships

The Nebraska Health Care Foundation (NHCF) offers four $500 scholarships each quarter to help qualified students fund their nursing aide education at any of several Nebraska Health Care Learning Center locations throughout the state. Recipients must agree to work in a Nebraska nursing facility and/or assisted living community upon completion of their training.

Amount: $500

Nursing Scholarship for Single Parents

The FVI School of Nursing and Technology awards three scholarships annually to Florida nursing students who are single parents to encourage them to pursue their educational and career goals. Applying requires submitting an essay or video on meeting challenges and outlining why the applicant is a good scholarship candidate.

Amount: $1,000

Senior Justice Law Firm CNA Scholarship

CNA students in any state qualify for this award sponsored by the Senior Justice Law Firm whose goal is to encourage more nurses to help seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Submitted materials include a current resume and essay answering several given questions about becoming a CNA.

Amount: $1,000

Veterans Health Professional Scholarship Program

The Veterans Administration offers these scholarships to students receiving education and/or training in a health care services discipline in exchange for a minimum of two years of service in a VA healthcare facility. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Funds pay 100% of the recipient’s tuition plus most fees and a monthly stipend. Veteran status is not required.

Amount: Varies by specific nursing program

The Keys to Succeed on CNA Scholarship Applications

Locating scholarship opportunities is one thing, winning them is another. But you have to do both to benefit from their funding. Here are five valuable tips to help you find and land the CNA scholarships you want:

Key #1: Cast as wide a net as possible

Search out and apply to as many potential scholarship opportunities as possible to increase your chances of winning awards. And remember that, in most cases, you’re not limited in the number of awards you can win.

Key #2: Do some research on potential employers

Start as soon as possible on your employer search. And be sure to reach out to all of these potential employers, as they may offer funding opportunities or other incentives of their own to help support your studies.

Key #3: Start making connections through nursing groups

Joining CNA-specific and nurse-oriented local and national professional organizations are great ways to make valuable connections — not only for finding financial aid opportunities, but for your future career as well.

Key #4: Write about interests or personal experiences in essays

One of the best ways to make an impression on scholarship selection committees is through a great application essay or personal statement. So, be sure to put some real time and effort into them, detailing the personal interests and experiences that have inspired you to pursue a CNA career.

Key #5: Follow instructions carefully when you apply

You absolutely must review all application instructions carefully and carry them out in detail. Simply put, nothing will get you rejected for a scholarship award more quickly than a mistake on your application or submittal materials.

Essential Funding Resources for CNA Students

When searching for the money to fund your CNA education, you might need to go beyond scholarships to find it. Here are just a few other places to look for nurse education funding sources.

CNA Programs and Classes with Funding Assistance

EduMed guide to current CNA programs that feature financial aid opportunities for their students. Included is information and advice on various types of financial aid and how funding help works in paying for your CNA education.

Federal Grants for CNA Education

As with most others, federal grants that you can use to help fund your CNA education are not paid back, so be sure to fill out and submit your FAFSA to see if you qualify.

Individual States with Financial Aid Programs

There are state-run financial aid programs available in all 50 states, many of which offer funding options for CNA students. This map from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) shows what’s currently available.

Nursing School Budgeting Tips and Resources

Get tons of great information and advice on developing and carrying out strong budgets for nursing school with this EduMed resource. We’ve included an interview with a nursing school budgeting expert.

The College Student’s Guide to Financial Aid

This EduMed guide offers tons of valuable information on all of the most popular types of financial aid available for college. We’ve included advice on how to create a financial aid plan, maximizing your financial aid potential, filling out the FAFSA, and much more.

Student Loans

While scholarships and grants are the most popular forms of financial aid, student loans are the most common. This article from the NASFAA outlines how to apply for and obtain a student loan online.

Employer Reimbursement for NATCEP CNA Training

The Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) is a state-approved educational and assessment framework designed to train individuals to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to work in Medicaid-certified nursing facilities. This page from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services offers answers to several questions regarding employer reimbursement for the costs of NATCEP-related CNA training.

Work-Study Options

This Federal Student Aid website provides answers to several important questions about federal work study opportunities and requirements.