North Carolina Nursing Scholarships

The state of North Carolina has a number of scholarships and grants available to those wishing to pursue or continue their educational career in the field of nursing.

Some of these grants and scholarships are available from the government, some from the schools themselves, and some from non-profit organizations.

Fortunately, the Internet makes locating these scholarships fairly easy.

Government Financial Aid Programs

The North Carolina state government has two programs in place to help residents of the state get the education they need to become nurses. Both were created in 1989.

The first, the Nurse Education Scholarship Loan Plan, or NESLP, is a program based on financial need.

By signing up for aid through the program, the recipient agrees to gain licensure in North Carolina and work as a nurse in the state for at least six months.

The loan can be repaid in cash past that point, or in service if they continue to work as a nurse in the state. Assistance ranges from $400 to $5,000, based on the level of education the student is looking to complete.

The government also offers a merit-based scholarship called the Nursing Scholarship Program, or NSP.

A commission selects recipients for the scholarship based on their academic performance, leadership, and plans to work as a nurse within the state. The amount of the scholarships ranges from $3,000 to $5,000 based on the type of education being sought, and is awarded to up to 450 recipients per year.

Applications for both of these programs can be obtained through North Carolina colleges and universities that offer nursing education programs.

Other Scholarship Programs

There are a number of scholarship programs offered from other sources that are available to North Carolina nursing students as well. A few of them are detailed below.

Another program available is a scholarship awarded by the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina.

The scholarship is awarded to students in the ADN/Diploma Program, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. programs.

The award is rotated each year to the participating schools in the state, and each school’s nursing program determines which of their students is most deserving of the award based on the Great 100’s suggested criteria.

NCFN Scholarships

The North Carolina Foundation for Nursing (NCFN) is a non-profit corporation established to administer funds for nursing education in the state. They currently administer five scholarships for students meeting different criteria:

• the Eunice M. Smith Scholarship, awarded to registered nurses who are looking to further their education at the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral level on a part-time basis. The schedule for this scholarship is currently being reviewed.
• the Mary Lewis Wyche Fellowship, funded by the sale of special nursing personalized license plates within the state of North Carolina, offers fellowship to registered nurses who are seeking post-graduate degrees in education, practice, or administration. Awardees must be studying full-time. The amount of the award is five thousand dollars annually. The deadline for this scholarship is typically in June.
• the Carol Ann Beerstecher Nursing Scholarship is awarded to full-time students who are pursuing pre-licensure nursing education. The deadline for this scholarship is typically in June.
• the Judy Knox Scholarship is awarded to graduates of the diploma nursing program who are continuing their nursing education. The deadline for this scholarship is typically in June.
• the Loretta Ford Scholarship is awarded to registered nurses who are pursuing graduate-level education with the intent of becoming a nurse practitioner. The deadline for this scholarship is typically towards the end of the calendar year.

Other Scholarship and Grant Opportunities

Obviously, if you are seeking financial assistance for continuing education, you are not restricted to these types of programs.

The financial aid office at the school you are attending can assist, and there are too many scholarship opportunities that are not restricted by field of study to list here.

Scholarships and grants are available from government programs, non-profit organizations, alumni groups, and other sources. It is definitely worth the research to locate such programs. Don’t allow finances to keep you from continuing your education.