Western States That May Help Pay for Your BSN, MSN
Higher Education Articles November 22, 2013One way nurses can get ahead is by letting states pay BSN, MSN and other continuing education degree tuition fees for them. State funded grants, scholarship, loans and other educational support relieve financial stress while you juggle family, career and education all at once. An advanced degree is the momentum nurses need to move ahead in the healthcare industry. Look to programs at these western states for support.
One Way to Start Your Search
The Office of the U.S. Department of Education provides a portal to highlight financial aid opportunities available to students in certain regions. This is a launching point for nurses looking for ways to finance their advanced degree education. You can go online to fill out an application or download a printable document for mail delivery. They are currently serving the 2013-2014 school years.
Ways to Pay for your BSN, MSN
Promise of Nursing (PON) Regional Faculty Fellowship Program:
Scholarship or forgivable loan
The Promise of Nursing Regional Faculty Fellowship Program is an offering from The Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association. This award is for Baccalaureate level registered nurses looking to move on with a career in nursing education. The awards range from $1,000 to $7,500 and pay tuition and fees during the Fall of 2013 and the Spring and Summer of 2014 academic sessions only. Criteria for application include:
•Proof of academic excellence
•Proof of financial need
RNs applying for this program must be willing to pursue employment as a nurse educator. Applications are due Friday, March 8, 2013. Winner notifications will be sent in May of 2013. You can find out more about the Promise of Nursing (PON) Regional Faculty Fellowship Program on the program’s website.
Utah Nurses Foundation Grant-in-Aid Nursing Scholarship:
Scholarship or forgivable loan
The Utah Nurses Association sponsors a scholarship program to give tuition assistance to student members seeking to advance their careers through continuing education. This award program is available for:
•RNs seeking a BSN
•Graduates and postgraduates nursing studies
•Formal nursing programs – advanced practice nurses
•Undergraduate nursing programs
In exchange for this assistance, you must work full-time at the Utah Health Care Facility or Utah Educational Institution for at least a year or part-time for two years. There is more information available about this scholarship program on the association’s website.
North Dakota Medical Personnel Loan Repayment Program:
Loan repayment
This program assists Baccalaureate level registered nurses who wish to obtain advanced degrees such as:
•Nurse Practitioners
•Physician Assistants
•Certified Nurse Midwives
Recipients work in a selected state region for at least two years. Every year, five nurses receive this award; however, the selection committee gives preference to professionals working in rural underserved areas. Application acceptance is year round, and awards are given quarterly. The North Dakota Department of Health website offers more information on this loan repayment program.
South Dakota Midlevel Tuition Reimbursement Program:
Loan repayment
The South Dakota Department of Health provides a loan repayment program for advanced level healthcare professionals, who complete three years of continuous service in an eligible community. The award is available only to:
•Nurse Practitioners
•Physician Assistants
•Nurse Midwives
Eligible communities must have a population of 10,000 or less, and be assessed by the Department of Health as in need of healthcare support. The committee accepts applications year round. More information is available on the South Dakota Department of Health website.
