Attending nursing school can be a potentially costly choice. Students may have to be willing to buy expensive medical literature, scrubs, and travel to hospitals. All of these expenses come out of the student’s pocket. Fortunately nursing scholarships are available from a variety of different sources. If students are willing to take the time to apply, financial assistance can help them with their educational bills.
Because nursing is one of the largest occupational fields, a variety of sources provide nursing scholarships of some kind. Popular sources for these scholarships include:
- Churches
- Hospitals
- Medical facilities
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Religious organizations
- Unions
As with other financial aid, the competition for most scholarships is intense. Students should apply for them as soon as possible. Each scholarship has its own deadline, which can make it somewhat difficult for students to keep track of all of them. A calendar that students only put scholarship dates on can be helpful.
The application process for most scholarships generally consists of only a form to fill out. Some scholarship committees, particularly the more prestigious ones, interview a final round of applicants before awarding the actual scholarship.
A few simple tips for nursing students can increase their chances of performing well during a scholarship interview. These include:
- Deciding what the scholarship will be used for
- Knowing who is giving the scholarship
- Understanding the history of the scholarship (who it was named for, what some other recipients have used it for)
Before heading into the interview, students should have a plan for the scholarship money. Scholarship committees want to see that applicants have a need for the money and are going to spend it on something related to their nursing education. Simply saying vaguely that the money will go towards tuition or books indicates that students aren’t prepared to receive it.
As with any other interview, being able to speak concisely and clearly is always helpful. Don’t go off on tangents and stick to the topics that are brought up by the interviewer. Make eye contact and try to smile, even if it’s out of character. Students should be polite, even if they are informed that they will not be awarded the scholarship. Most scholarships can be reapplied for on a yearly basis, so it’s important to stay on good terms with the scholarship committee.
Students may be asked to attend an awards ceremony in order to receive their scholarship. Although most are not mandatory, students should strongly think about attending in order to stay in good graces with the scholarship committee. The awards ceremonies are typically short and won’t take much time to attend.
With rising educational costs, nursing scholarships are one way for prospective nurses to pay for their training. Although most scholarships will not pay for everything, they can help students attend their program of choice instead of having to attend a less-expensive college. For nursing students who need help paying their educational bills, scholarships are a simple and quick way to try to find additional financial help.