If you’re interested in a nursing career, one of the most important considerations is the cost of a degree.
Nurses are in high demand, and it shows when you see how many funding options there are for this field.
To utilize your options and get started, you need to fill out a FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
What is FAFSA?
FAFSA is a program run by the Department of Education that calculates your eligibility for federal student aid using your finances. Your school will use this information to package your financial aid or find you other loan options.
Their website offers plenty of help to prospective and current students, such as how to apply for student aid, grant information, repayment options, tax breaks, and more.
There are scholarship and loan forgiveness programs available specifically for nursing students. To find out what you’re eligible for and your expected family contribution, you need to fill out a FAFSA form.
What Do I Need To Get Started?
First, you should decide whether to mail in the FAFSA form or fill it out online. A PIN will be issued to you if you choose the online form. Your PIN is the only way to access your information so keep it in a safe place.
Next, you’ll need to confirm your dependency status.
Once you’re ready, gather all of your financial information from the past year, such as income tax returns and bank statements. If you are a dependent student, you will need your parents’ or guardians’ information as well. A driver’s license number or other form of identification is required. The FAFSA form will ask about your education and financial history.
Remember to check the federal deadlines for the form, as the deadlines may differ from your school or state.
What Happens Next?
After you submit the form, you will receive a Student Aid Report which includes all of your supplied information. This report will inform you and your school of your EFC, or Expected Family Contribution. Your school’s financial aid office uses this information to prepare your financial aid package.
Depending on your income level, you may be eligible for federal student loans, grants, scholarships, or a work/study program available by your state or school. If your EFC is 0, your education may be completely funded by loans, grants, or scholarships and you may not need to pay any out-of-pocket expenses.
Am I Eligible For a Scholarship?
Depending on the information included on your FAFSA, you may be eligible for the Nursing Scholarship Program provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration. If accepted, you must agree to perform services for two years at a critically understaffed location; the program will cover your tuition, fees, books, supplies, and stipends.
The nursing scholarship program requires you to be a U.S. citizen enrolled or accepted in an accredited professional nursing program. You may not be delinquent on any federal debts or subject to a federal judgment lien. The number of available scholarships is limited, so priority is given to full-time students who have an EFC of 0.
If you don’t get accepted, there are still other scholarships to consider. Check with your school or learning facility, many hospitals have arranged their own programs to cover the costs of education and training in exchange for services.
How Can I Improve My Chances of Receiving a Scholarship?
To improve your chances of receiving a scholarship, keep up with your finances and stay out of debt. If you have a federal loan or tax matter, make sure you pay everything on time or make arrangements for a new payment plan. Keep your GPA high and do your best in every class. If possible, work or volunteer at a hospital or clinic. Doing these things will show that you’re a great candidate for the scholarship.
What About Loan Forgiveness?
The Department of Education offers a Public Loan Forgiveness program to borrowers who work full-time in a public service position, such as nursing at a clinical health facility. The government agrees to forgive the balance for people who have made a certain number of payments on their loans.
Obtaining the funds for a nursing degree will be much simpler if you follow these steps. Anyone accepted to nursing school will have options available to help pay for it. It all starts with your FAFSA, so make sure not to miss that deadline!
How FAFSA Can Help You Achieve a Nursing Degree,
9 Comments
I am a nurse who is seeking for help to study a degree program net academic year 2012 September my physical address are P.O.BOX 44 KUMI DISTRICT KAMPALA UGANDA.
I am a general registered Nurse in Uganda/psychiatric clinician seeking for sponsorship to up grade my career abroad.please help me to find one Good Samaritan ,organizations to rescue me
Best regards,
JUSTUS CHEROP KIPLANGAT.
REGISTERED NURSE.
Hi am sinah i will like to be fainancialy assit for nursing school as am unemployed and like to be a nurse pleas help me
I will be most greatful if my application is given immediate consideration.
I have grade 12 and i dnt know any instutition where i can study via FAFSA around Gauteng johannesburg but in colleges.
My name is kitui Esther. I am 20 years old and l am a kenyan. I am the fast born in a family of ten.my dad is jobless but my mum died. I found hard times to pay my school fees in high school. I had to go work in other peoples farms everyday in the morning with no breakfast and lauch. At the end of it the money i received was to cater for the family and to pay my school fee. With the help of free seconday education by the kenyan goverment i finished my high school having missed some few points to join public university. The mark l got was enough for me to join a nursing schoolg, something i have been looking found to. I had no money to take me to school. I prayed hard every now and then hoping that God will open the way for me which He actually did. It was one of the afternoon when i was thinking where to get the money for my fee when a student from my former high school appeared to me and told me that the principal wanted to see me. I was abit worried since i dint know what i was called for. I just went up to school the following morning. I found the principal and she told me that as a school, they have contributed some money to help me pay fee for my first year in school of nursing. I was very happy like no other woman in the world. I joined ortum school of nursing the year 2011. I was in class for the first 4 months we sat for an examination and i was the top in our class. I was given books as apresent and this made me more happy and there was hope for me to be a big person in future. I am now in the clinical area dealing with patients. I love spending much of my time with patients. nursing them and ensuring they are doing fine day after day. I enjoy being in nursing school and each that unfolds and find me in nursing school is just but a better day. 2012 has come and the school demands money for school fee. I am afraid that i would be send home any time from now. I googled for nursing sponsorship and fortunatey i found you.please l beg you. Help me get to my dream. I will appreciate the little i will get from. I have high hopes that you will help me. God be with you
I am a gal.i am 20 years i need scholarship to finish mystudies my parents are struggling to give me money to further my studies i did pre-nursing in polokwane far north nursng college i know little bit about nursing i wish to finish problem i dont hv money
hi my name is sara i live in mpumalanga in a small town of acornhoek i am a mother and a wife i olways wanted to be a person who would olways help athers when i grow up i was rape by my uncle and never fineshed school couse i run away when i was in grade eleven and went in gauteng where i have doing volutery work taking care of aids patients and olso work at a sangweni clinic with prengnent woman doing pmtc that is where my love of being a nurser come from i would like to have a chance in life to provind for my children so that they dont grow up like me my god bless you as you read these pls call me at any time
please email for me the conducts of the collage i have my brother who want to joint nursing and i have not got your conducts in the internet
Am a RN student nursing / midwifery at PUMWANI SCHOOL OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY in dire need for a bursary to enable me complete my studies on the above noble course for saving life.
Am ready to repay back the bursary or loan on a placement arrangment or work program during and after my studies.
My contacts are us follows; herine.okinda@gmail.com or 0711187902.