Paying for Your Nursing Degree

Ayana Dunn, RN
By
Updated on October 8, 2024
Edited by
Are you curious about how to tackle your nursing school tuition? Check out our guide to discover ways to pay for your nursing education.
Featured ImageCredit: Fly View Productions / Getty Images

Are you interested in nursing school but worried about paying for your nursing degree? You’re not alone. Most nursing school debt ranges from $25,000-$55,000, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nurses’ survey.

But there is good news: Numerous financial aid options exist to help you pay for nursing, including private and government-funded nursing scholarships and grants, work-study programs, and loans.

Federal loan repayment programs can also help you repay school debt after graduation, often in exchange for serving in a particular role or community. Private employers may also be willing to help you repay your school debt if you agree to work for them for a period of time.

Explore some of the ways you can pay for your nursing degree.

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Types of Financial Aid for Nursing Students

Financial aid for nursing comes in various forms. It’s important to understand the different options, along with the application requirements. Creating a nursing school personal budget can also help you see how far your money will take you while in school.

  1. 1

    Grants for Nursing Students

    Grants provide a great option for students with limited financial resources. Many grants offer need-based funding. Other qualification factors may include location, degree type, and GPA.Grants offer an attractive option because they do not require repayment, as long as students adhere to the funding terms.

  2. 2

    Scholarships for Nursing Students

    Many nursing scholarships, including those for master of science in nursing scholarship programs, nursing scholarships for men, or scholarships for minority students, award funding to learners with exceptional academic records. These awards tend to be competitive and call on applicants to stand out from the crowd.Application requirements vary but usually include academic records, an essay, and reference letters. Like grants, students do not need to repay nursing scholarships if they meet all requirements.

  3. 3

    Work-Study Programs for Nursing Students

    Work-study programs allow students who qualify for federal funding to work part time at their school or a local community organization in exchange for payment. Students can apply to the work-study office at their school, which matches them with roles that fit their schedules. Recipients can apply these funds directly to educational costs or use them for living costs.

  4. 4

    Loans for Nursing Students

    Loans come from private and public sources. Federal loans offer more repayment options than private loans and lower interest rates. After submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students may qualify for various government-backed loan options. Unlike other financial aid options, loans require repayment.

Sources of Financial Aid Funding

Scholarships, grants, and loans can come from different sources. For instance, many private foundations, professional associations, and higher education institutions provide scholarships. Grants can come from federal and state governments, along with colleges and universities.

Each funding source may set different rules regarding use and repayment. Private loans typically have more conditions than government loans, while grants typically require that you maintain a certain college GPA to maintain eligibility.

If you prefer more personal guidance, reach out to academic advisors from your current and prospective schools. Are there nurses in your network? Don’t hesitate to contact them to learn about the financial aid opportunities they utilized while in school.

Types of Loans

Students have several different student loan options. They must decide which type to take based on available interest rates, overall loan amount, and repayment options.

Nursing candidates with no credit or bad credit should apply for federal student loans, as private companies would likely not approve them. Learners who have already maxed out their federal student loans may decide to pursue a private option to receive enough funding to make it through graduation.

Understanding the key differences among loan types can help borrowers avoid costly mistakes and student loan forgiveness scams.

The following two sections break down common types of student loans.

Federal vs. Private Loans

Students most commonly apply for private and federal nursing student loans. Federal loans come directly from the government, while private loans may come from lenders such as credit unions or banks. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) states that students should always consider federal loans as their first option.ED provides federal student loans with fixed interest rates. These rates are often lower than those for private loans and far lower than those for credit cards.

The federal government also provides student loan forgiveness for nurses, such as through the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program. After graduating, these students must agree to work in a public service role in a high-need area for a set amount of time.

Students apply for federal loans by submitting the FAFSA. Federal loans do not require repayment until after students leave school. These loans offer deferment and forbearance options and sometimes feature subsidized interest rates during enrollment. Private loans typically offer none of these services.

If a learner decides to pursue a private loan, they should seek opportunities with the lowest interest rates and fair repayment terms. These applications require a credit check, and those with bad or no credit may not qualify. To apply, contact a local bank or credit union.

Subsidized Loans vs. Unsubsidized Loans

The federal government offers subsidized and unsubsidized nursing student loans. You apply for both loan types through your FAFSA application.

Subsidized loans support undergraduate students who can prove financial need. As long as they are enrolled at least part-time in higher education, the government pays the accumulating interest on the loan. Recipients become responsible for paying interest after leaving school or graduating.

Unsubsidized loans are available to undergraduates and graduates. They do not require credit score minimums or evidence of financial need. Interest on the loan amount accumulates during a student’s time in school and becomes their responsibility whenever they leave or graduate school. Your school determines the amount of money you can borrow. The institution bases this number on the nursing program’s cost and the amount of funding you have already received.

Government Assistance Programs for Nurses

Government assistance programs that help pay for nursing school include those funded by the U.S. Army, Department of Health and Human Services, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These scholarships offer full or partial funding for students willing to commit to serving as Army nurses or at facilities located in areas with shortages of primary care or mental health professionals.

Nurse Corps

The HRSA offers scholarships through its Nurse Corps program in exchange for a two-year’ minimum service at a critical shortage facility in a health professional shortage area after graduation. Awards cover tuition, eligible fees, and reasonable costs for books and materials. Recipients also receive a monthly stipend.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents enrolled in an accredited nursing diploma or degree program.

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

The Benefits Department supports nursing schools with scholarship funding for students in need. Nursing program applicants or enrollees apply through their school’s financial aid office.

Eligible students must be U.S. nationals, citizens, or permanent residents, enrolled in nursing degree programs, and considered low or very low income. Funding can be used for tuition, school expenses, housing, and subsistence — but not childcare.

Army Nurse Corps

The U.S. Army’s Health Profession Scholarship program, which includes nursing students, pays for four years of tuition, books and equipment, and school fees. It also provides a monthly stipend, food and housing allowance, access to low-cost healthcare and a $5,000 sign-on bonus with officer’s-level pay during school breaks.

In return, scholarship recipients commit to serving in the Army Nurse Corps in critical care, emergency trauma, gynecology/obstetrics, mental health, or perioperative nursing. Applicants must have active duty status, qualification as a commissioned officer, and full-time nursing school enrollment.

Navy Nurse Corps

The Navy Nurse Corps is open to prospective and current nursing students and practicing nurses. College juniors and seniors enrolled full-time receive a monthly stipend. Both students and practicing nurses receive sign-on bonuses.

Those participating in the Navy Nurse Corps are given comprehensive health and life insurance, 30 days of paid vacation, and access to military recreational facilities around the world.

Preferred specialties include:

  • Medical-Surgical
  • Mental Health
  • Critical Care
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Loan Repayment for Nursing Graduates

Like scholarship programs, federal loan repayment programs require a post-graduation service commitment. Recipients teach future nurses, conduct research, and work in understaffed areas and facilities in exchange for loan repayment funds.

Most repayment programs require a two-year service contract.

  • Faculty Loan Repayment

    Health professionals, including registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses, can apply for HRSA’s Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Funding requires coming from a disadvantaged background, a nursing degree or diploma, and a two-year agreement to serve on the faculty of a nursing school.

    The program offers up to $40,000 of loan repayment assistance, plus funding to offset the taxes.

  • NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program

    HRSA’s Nurse Corps Repayment Program pays 85% of the education debt owed by eligible registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and nurse faculty. To qualify, nurses must work for two years at a critical shortage facility, an area that needs primary care providers or mental health professionals. They can also work at an eligible nursing school.

    A third year of service awards an additional 25% repayment.

  • National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

    The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, administered through HRSA, provides loan repayment to licensed primary care clinicians in eligible disciplines, including nurse practitioners and certified-nurse midwives. Awardees commit to working for two years in a health professional shortage area and receive up to $75,000 for full-time service and $37,500 for half-time service.

    Loan repayment eligibility requires U.S. citizenship or nationality; caring for Medicare, Medicaid, and state children’s health insurance patients; working at an NHSC-approved site; and completing training and licensure.

  • National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs

    National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs aim to recruit and retain qualified health researchers, including nursing doctoral degree-holders, while easing the costs of advanced education and training.

    The program repays up to $50,000 in educational debt for NIH and non-NIH clinical researchers and reimburses the resulting award taxes. Eligible non-NIH research topics include pediatrics, health disparities, and emerging areas critical to human health.

    NIH requires a two-year research commitment.

  • Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program

    The federal Indian Health Service repays up to $50,000 of health professionals’ education loans in exchange for a two-year commitment of full-time work at an American Indian or Alaska Native healthcare facility identified as needing staff.

    The program does not require membership in federally recognized tribes but does give members priority consideration. Applicants submit college transcripts, current licensure, employment verification, and loan documentation. Participants are eligible to extend their contracts annually until their debt is paid.

Nursing Tuition Reimbursement From Employers

Some nursing jobs can help cover education costs, such as tuition or continuing education courses, in exchange for a commitment to work there for a set amount of time. The federal tax code allows employers to offer up to $5,250 each year in tuition reimbursement.

You can deduct these funds from your expenses, which are not taxable within your income. Many employers offer this program, but you can also ask about the potential of receiving reimbursement.

Individual companies set eligibility requirements, which usually include staying at the organization while enrolled and for a set amount of time after graduating. This money does not require repayment so long as the recipient meets the specific terms.