50+ Nursing Scholarships & Resources for Online MSN Students

NurseThink AACN Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The NurseThink – AACN scholarship support master’s and doctoral students in nursing programs at AACN member institutions who want to become nurse faculty.

TYLENOL Future Care Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The TYLENOL Future Care Scholarship is awarded each year to deserving students who are pursuing healthcare careers. For over 30 years, this scholarship has supported those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.

APIC Graduate Student Award

• Amount: $5,000
• Eligibility: This award supports master’s or doctoral research that advances infection prevention and evidence-based implementation science. Awards go to applicants who demonstrate the value of implementation science and its implications for infection prevention across clinical settings.

Army Nurse Corps Association (ANCA) Scholarships

• Amount: $3,000
• Eligibility: The Army Nurse Corps Association Scholarship program provides $3,000 to nursing students enrolled in nursing anesthesia programs. This includes master’s (MSN) students. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a nursing program and have a parent, spouse, or child who is or has served in the Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserve.

ExceptionalNurse.com Scholarships

Amount: Varies

• Eligibility: This site features seven different scholarships that benefit nursing students with disabilities. The Peter Gili Scholarship Award, for example, grants $500, while the Caroline Simpson Maheady Scholarship Award grants $250.

March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarship

Amount: $10,000

• Eligibility: Founded in 1998, the March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarship awards $10,000 in scholarship funds to graduate nursing students who ensure that mothers and babies receive the best medical care while improving health equity.

NHSC Scholarship Program

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: These scholarships are open to U.S. citizens, whether born or naturalized, who have been accepted or are enrolled in a nursing degree program at an accredited United States school of nursing — including graduate programs.

Nurse Practitioner Health Foundation (NPHF) Scholarships

Amount: Varies

• Eligibility: NPHF scholarships support nurse practitioner graduate students and clinicians by providing funds for research that advances clinical practice and patient education. In 2023, the program offered awards for gastroenterology and community service, with the aim to encourage research and innovation and to help graduate students earn their degrees.

Nursing Educational Funds, Inc., Scholarships

• Amount: $50,000
• Eligibility: Nurses Educational Funds, Inc., presents a variety of scholarship awards for nursing graduate students, including the Edwidge Thomas Health Equity Scholarship (funded by Johnson and Johnson), the Allison Adams Wieczorek Scholarship, the AJN/Thelma Schoor Scholarship, the Barbara L. Tate Scholarship, and the Charles Hamlin Scholarship.

The Touchmark Foundation Nursing Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The Touchmark Foundation aims to increase the number of nursing teachers, thereby increasing the number of nurses at a faster rate. The scholarship particularly favors applicants pursuing geriatric nursing studies and is available to students living in one of 11 qualifying states and provinces, including Minnesota, Oregon, and Alberta, Canada.

Washington State Opportunity Graduate Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The Washington State Graduate Scholarship is open to Opportunity Scholars who plan to earn an advanced nurse practitioner degree. The scholarship program was designed to increase the amount of nurse practitioners who provide healthcare in medically underserved areas and offers pathways to high-demand careers in Washington State for Washingtonians. Most scholarship recipients are first-generation students, students of color, and women.

WOCN Society Accredited Educational Scholarship

• Amount: $2,000
• Eligibility: This program awards $2,000 to nurses who want to attend one of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society Accredited Educational Programs. Applicants must be seeking education in wound, ostomy, and continence nursing care and hold membership with the WOCN Society. In addition to completing an application, applicants must submit three letters of recommendation.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Scholarships

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: These scholarships are designed for students enrolled in accredited graduate schools who are pursuing advanced degrees to become nurse practitioners. Applicants must hold their RN licenses and have at least one semester of classes left to complete in an eligible nurse practitioner program. Scholarship winners receive between $2,500 and $5,000 in funding.

ANNA Career Mobility Scholarships

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: These scholarships are awarded to qualified American Nephrology Nurse Association members pursing advanced degrees in nursing. Also open to undergraduate nursing students, this scholarship program includes seven mobility career scholarships to a variety of nursing specializations, including nephrology. Applicants must have been accepted or enrolled in a higher degree program in nursing.

AORN Foundation Academic Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: Awarded by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Foundation, recipients are nursing students who are pursuing careers in perioperative/surgical nursing. The scholarship is also available to registered nurses, including master’s students, who are continuing their education in perioperative nursing. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and must have an interest in surgical nursing.

Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) Graduate School Scholarship

• Amount: $1,500
• Eligibility: The ARN Graduate School Scholarship grants financial assistance to nursing students pursuing a master’s degree (MSN) or doctoral degree (PhD, DNP, DNS/DNSc) in rehabilitation nursing. The scholarship is designed for applicants who are enrolled in graduate nursing programs in good standing. Applicants must have completed at least one course in their program and have a minimum of two years of experience in rehabilitation nursing.

Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP)

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The HPSP program awards financial assistance to students training as nurse practitioners who specialize in mental health. The award pays tuition and approved fees as well as a monthly stipend of $1,302 each month and an additional book stipend that covers the costs of learning materials.

NAPNAP Empowering Diversity Scholarship

Amount: $3,000

• Eligibility: The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Foundation offers $3,000 diversity scholarships for educational expenses in a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) program. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, be a member of a historically marginalized community, and have earned acceptance into a part-time or full-time accredited PNP program.

Oncology Nursing Foundation Master’s Scholarships

• Amount: $5,000
• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in, accepted to, or have applied to master’s programs at an accredited intuition while maintaining good academic standing. A commitment to oncology is also required, and applicants must be registered nurses to earn a scholarship.

Nursing Economics Foundation Scholarships

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The University of Chicago’s College of Nursing awards scholarships to nursing students in master’s or doctoral programs who specialize in administration or management for the upcoming school year. Applicants must submit transcripts, test scores, a resume, and an application, and must be matriculated into an accredited, degree granting program within the U.S.

AAPINA Scholarship

• Amount: $500
• Eligibility: The Asian American/Pacific Islander Nursing Association (AAPINA) awards this scholarship to an undergraduate or graduate student who is pursuing a nursing degree. The scholarship aims to support nursing education for AAPINA members, enhancing the organization’s core mission.

Black Nurses Rock Scholarship

• Amount: $18,000
• Eligibility: The Black Nurses Rock Scholarship aims to empower innovative nursing leaders who will serve and educate vulnerable communities. Applicants must be Black Nurses Rock members and be enrolled in a nursing program with a GPA of at least 3.0 and at least a year of school remaining.

HRSA Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The Health Resources and Services Administration gives scholarships to Native Hawaiians pursuing health disciplines, including nursing. The scholarship pays for tuition, provides a monthly stipend and covers school-related costs. Applicants must serve at least two years in a medically underserved area in Hawaii directly after graduation.

NSCDA American Indian Nurse Scholarship Program

Amount: $1,500

• Eligibility: Established in 1928 by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, the American Indian Nurse Scholarship Program aims to give students of American Indian descent the opportunity to pursue nursing careers. Award winners agree to work to improve healthcare in their communities, including reservations and hospitals in areas largely populated by American Indians.

Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: Established in 2004 by the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF), the National Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Program awards multiple scholarships of $5,000 annually for up to four years and individual scholarships, each worth $2,000. Nursing students are one of the five eligible healthcare groups. Applicants must demonstrate outstanding academic records, leadership, and a commitment to serving Hispanics.

Indian Health Service Scholarships

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The Indian Health Service, a federal health program for American Indians and Alaska Natives, offers three scholarships, including the health professions scholarship for eligible graduate students. Scholarship recipients agree to work in a service commitment in a full-time clinical practice in exchange for financial support.

M. Elizabeth Carnegie African American Memorial Award

• Amount: $2,000
• Eligibility: The M. Elizabeth Carnegie African American Memorial Award gives a $2,000 scholarship for black nurses enrolled in doctoral programs. Academic excellence is given first priority during the selection process. To qualify, applicants must be registered nurses, a member of a professional nursing association, enrolled in a doctoral program in nursing with a GPA of at least 3.6, and hold U.S. citizenship (or have declared intention of becoming a citizen).

NAHN United Health Foundation Scholarship

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: This scholarship is awarded to nursing students who demonstrate promise of professional contributions to the field of nursing. Applicants must also have the potential to act as role models for aspiring nurses. The award amount varies each year because this award amount depends on the amount of money in the scholarship fund.

NBNA Scholarship Database

• Amount: Varies
• Eligibility: The National Black Nurses Association offers over two dozen annual scholarships to Black nurses. These awards include the NBNA Social Justic Scholarship, the United Health Foundation for Diversity in Health Care Scholarship, and the Aya Healthcare Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship. Applicants must be NBNA members to apply.

William K. Schubert Minority Nursing Scholarship

• Amount: $2,750
• Eligibility: The William K. Schubert Minority Nursing Scholarship awards $2,750 each year to students who are members of underrepresented groups in the nursing profession. Students must be enrolled or accepted into a prelicensure registered nurse program, whether pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

While there may not be many scholarships specifically designed for online and hybrid nursing students, most of the scholarships and grants listed above also apply to online and hybrid programs. Most of these awards are open to all students, regardless of whether they learn on campus or online.

So while you should carefully read the eligibility requirements of each scholarship that interests you before you apply, rest assured that if you’re an online or hybrid student, you are eligible for many — if not all — of the same grants, scholarships, and fellowships as in-person students.

Beyond the standard alternatives such as the FAFSA, financial aid is available to nursing students in various ways. Scholarships designed for nursing students are widely available, as are government grant and loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, many companies provide tuition reimbursement or other forms of academic financial assistance, especially in healthcare-related fields.

Online programs reduce costs for students by eliminating the need for transportation, making higher education more accessible to a wider group of future nurses. This format also caters to students who work while they study, another way to further reduce dependence on financial aid.

Scholarships are competitive. This is especially true of nursing, where there are not enough spots to fill the demand of nursing students. However, one of the benefits of pursuing nursing is the sheer number of scholarships available for the profession. This increases your odds of qualifying for more aid — if, that is, you apply to multiple scholarship programs. Provide evidence of academic excellence or financial need, writing an admissions essay that meets all the qualifying requirements.

The cost of nursing school varies widely between schools across the country. However, according to the latest graduate student debt report from American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 69% of all graduate nursing students took out student loans to fund their education, and the median amount of debt anticipated by graduate nursing students upon completion of their program ranged from $40,000 to $54,999.

The good news is that the average registered nurse (RN) earns a media pay of $81,220 annually — that’s $39.05 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Graduate certificates programs in nursing offer the specialized knowledge of the profession without the time/financial commitment inherent to a master’s degree. These certificates cover various topics that include nurse practitioner roles, healthcare administration, and nursing education.

For example, a nurse practitioner certificate provides a cost-effective path to career advancement, covering advanced clinical practice. A graduate certificate in nursing education prepares nursing professionals to teach and train fellow nurses.