The United States needs nurses -- badly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects roughly 189,100 registered nurse job openings per year through 2034, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that nursing schools turned away over 65,000 qualified applicants in a single year because they did not have the capacity. The national RN vacancy rate sits at 8.6%, and HRSA projects that gap will keep widening.
If you are pursuing a nursing or healthcare degree, there is a lot of money available to help you pay for school. Federal agencies, private companies, and professional nursing organizations all fund scholarships aimed specifically at students like you. The trick is knowing where to look and what each program requires. This guide breaks down the biggest nursing scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year, from government programs that cover full tuition to specialty awards that can still make a real difference in your bottom line.
The HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
The single largest scholarship available to nursing students comes from the federal government. The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program, run by HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce, pays for your tuition, required fees, and other reasonable educational costs. On top of that, it provides a monthly living stipend of $1,642 for full-time students during the 2026-27 school year.
That is not a typo. The Nurse Corps Scholarship covers your full nursing education and pays you a monthly stipend on top of it.
What You Give in Return
This is a service-obligated scholarship. After you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you commit to working for at least two years at a healthcare facility in an area with a critical shortage of nurses. These include community health centers, public hospitals, rural clinics, and other safety-net providers.
Who Qualifies
You need to be a U.S. citizen or national enrolled or accepted into an accredited nursing program -- that includes diploma, associate, bachelor's, or graduate-level programs. Students enrolled in licensed practical or vocational nursing programs are also eligible. HRSA gives funding preference to applicants with the greatest financial need, so the program tends to prioritize students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Application Timeline
The application window typically opens in the spring. For the most recent cycle, the deadline was April 9. Keep an eye on the HRSA website starting in February so you do not miss the window.
HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students
Separate from the Nurse Corps Scholarship, HRSA also runs the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program. This one works differently: HRSA does not give scholarships directly to students. Instead, it awards grants to accredited health professions and nursing schools, and those schools distribute the money as scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
For fiscal year 2025, HRSA allocated $51.47 million in total funding across approximately 85 grants. Individual schools can receive up to $650,000 per year to distribute to their students, with a per-student cap of $40,000 per academic year for nursing and health professions students.
How to Access SDS Funds
You do not apply to HRSA directly. Ask your nursing school's financial aid office whether they participate in the SDS program. If your school has an active SDS grant, you may be eligible based on your financial need and background. The current award period runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.
The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
If you are closer to graduation or already practicing, the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program can wipe out most of your nursing school debt. It is not a scholarship in the traditional sense, but it deserves a spot on this list because the payoff is enormous.
The program pays 60% of your qualifying nursing school loan balance in exchange for a two-year service commitment at a facility with a critical shortage of nurses. If you extend for a third year, you can receive up to an additional 25%, bringing the total to 85% of your original loan balance paid off by the federal government.
This program is open to registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists), and nurse faculty members at accredited nursing schools.
Johnson & Johnson Nursing Scholarships
Johnson & Johnson has been one of the largest private-sector supporters of nursing education for decades. The company funds scholarships through multiple channels, and the most significant one runs through the Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association (FNSNA).
The FNSNA Scholarship Program
The FNSNA scholarship program distributes over $500,000 in nursing scholarships annually, with individual awards of up to $10,000 per academic year. Johnson & Johnson is one of the primary corporate sponsors of this program.
Applications for the 2026 cycle open on September 8, 2025, and close on January 9, 2026. You need to be a U.S. resident enrolled in an associate, bachelor's, or graduate nursing program. Selection is based on academic achievement, financial need, and involvement in nursing student organizations and community health.
Johnson & Johnson Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship
Johnson & Johnson also offers a separate Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship with awards of $5,000 each. The application deadline typically falls in late October. This scholarship is open to students in nursing and other allied health programs.
Specialty Nursing Scholarships
Once you know which area of nursing interests you most, there are specialty-specific scholarships that match your focus. These tend to be smaller than the Nurse Corps Scholarship, but they add up -- and many are renewable or stackable with other awards.
Oncology Nursing Foundation Scholarships
The Oncology Nursing Foundation awards $3,000 bachelor's-level scholarships and $5,000 master's-level scholarships to registered nurses committed to oncology nursing. Applications open September 15, 2025, and close February 1, 2026. You must be enrolled in or accepted to a CCNE- or NLN-CNEA-accredited nursing program for the 2026-27 academic year.
AACN Critical Care Nursing Scholarships
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) partners with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to offer the Pathway to Critical Care Nursing Scholarship -- $2,500 per student for those enrolled in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs who are interested in practicing in critical care settings. The application deadline is September 1, 2025, with recipients announced in November.
National Black Nurses Association Scholarships
The NBNA scholarship program provides awards starting at $1,000 to nursing students at all levels, from LPN through doctorate. Multiple named scholarships are available through corporate sponsors, some with higher award amounts. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by March 15 each year.
National Association of Hispanic Nurses Scholarships
NAHN awards scholarships to nursing students of Hispanic descent at any degree level. National awards are $1,000, though individual NAHN chapters may offer additional scholarships with higher amounts -- some up to $3,000. Check both the national website and your local chapter for opportunities.
Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship
If you are a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native village, the IHS Scholarship Program pays tuition, required fees, and a monthly living stipend in exchange for a minimum two-year service commitment within an Indian health program. This is a full-ride scholarship similar in structure to the Nurse Corps program. The application window typically opens in December and closes in late February.
Building a Scholarship Stack
You do not have to pick just one. Many nursing students combine multiple scholarships to cover their full cost of attendance. Here is a practical approach:
Start With the Big Federal Programs
Apply to the Nurse Corps Scholarship first. If you receive it, your tuition, fees, and living expenses are covered. Even if you are not selected, having the application ready gives you a head start on other applications that ask similar questions about your background and career goals.
Layer in Professional Association Awards
Next, apply to every professional association scholarship you qualify for. If you are interested in oncology nursing, apply to the ONF scholarship. If critical care is your goal, apply to the AACN award. These are not mutually exclusive -- you can apply to multiple specialty organizations in the same cycle.
Do Not Skip the FNSNA
The FNSNA program is one of the largest pools of nursing scholarship money outside of the federal government. A $5,000 or $10,000 FNSNA scholarship can cover textbooks, clinical supplies, and other costs that your primary scholarship might not.
Check Your School's SDS Status
If your nursing school participates in the HRSA SDS program, you may receive institutional scholarship money without submitting a separate application. Your financial aid office can tell you whether this funding is available.
Challenges You Might Face
Service Commitments Are Real
The Nurse Corps Scholarship and IHS Scholarship both require you to work in specific types of facilities after graduation. These are often in underserved or rural areas. That is a meaningful commitment. Before you accept a service-obligated scholarship, research the facilities where you could be placed and make sure you are genuinely willing to spend two or more years there. If you break a service commitment, the financial penalties can be steep -- in some cases, you must repay the full scholarship amount plus interest.
Competition Is Fierce
The Nurse Corps Scholarship typically receives far more applications than it can fund. HRSA gives priority to students with the greatest financial need, so if your family's income is moderate or high, your odds of receiving this particular scholarship are lower. Do not put all your planning into one application. Spread your efforts across multiple programs.
Deadlines Are Scattered Across the Calendar
Unlike general college scholarships that tend to cluster around January through March, nursing scholarships have deadlines spread throughout the year. The Nurse Corps application closes in April. FNSNA opens in September. The ONF deadline is February. NBNA closes in March. You need a tracking system -- even a simple spreadsheet -- to make sure you do not miss any windows.
Some Awards Affect Your Financial Aid Package
When you report an outside scholarship to your college's financial aid office, the school may reduce other forms of aid to keep your total package at or below the cost of attendance. This is sometimes called scholarship displacement. Ask your financial aid office how they handle outside scholarships before you commit, so you understand the net impact on your bill.
Clinical Requirements Complicate Your Schedule
Nursing programs already demand more time than many other majors because of clinical rotations. Adding scholarship applications and community service requirements on top of that can be overwhelming. Be realistic about how many applications you can complete well rather than submitting a large number of mediocre ones.
The Bottom Line
Nursing students have access to more scholarship money than students in almost any other field, thanks to the ongoing national nursing shortage. The Nurse Corps Scholarship alone can cover your entire education and provide a monthly stipend. Johnson & Johnson, the FNSNA, and specialty nursing organizations add hundreds of thousands of dollars more to the pool every year. The tradeoff for the biggest awards is a post-graduation service commitment, but if you were already planning to work in community health or underserved settings, that commitment aligns with your career goals anyway.
Start early, apply broadly, and keep a calendar of every deadline that applies to you. The money is out there. You just have to show up for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I receive the Nurse Corps Scholarship and still apply for other scholarships?
Yes. The Nurse Corps Scholarship covers tuition, fees, and other educational costs, but you can still receive additional scholarships. Check with your financial aid office about how stacking multiple awards affects your overall aid package.
What happens if I cannot complete my Nurse Corps service commitment?
You will be required to repay a portion of the scholarship plus interest. The repayment amount depends on how much of your commitment you completed. HRSA outlines the specific repayment terms in your award agreement.
Do I need to be a member of a professional nursing organization to apply for their scholarships?
It depends on the organization. The NBNA and NAHN generally require membership. The FNSNA recommends NSNA membership but may not require it for all scholarship categories. Always check eligibility requirements before applying.
Are these scholarships available for online nursing programs?
Most require enrollment in an accredited nursing program, and many accredited programs now offer online or hybrid formats. The Nurse Corps Scholarship and SDS program accept students from accredited programs regardless of delivery format, as long as the program meets HRSA's accreditation requirements. Check each scholarship's terms to confirm.
I am already working as a nurse. Are there scholarships for advanced degrees?
Yes. The FNSNA and ONF both offer graduate-level scholarships. The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is also available to practicing nurses, including advanced practice registered nurses and nurse faculty.
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Ready to figure out how scholarships fit into your overall college funding plan? Build your personalized plan on CollegeLens to see how nursing scholarships, federal aid, and other funding sources work together to lower your out-of-pocket cost.
-- Sravani at CollegeLens